Name-address management and routing in communication networks

• US 20080056207A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Eriksson, Anders, Ohlman, Borje
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/741 Routing in networks with a plurality of addressing schemes, e.g. with both IPv4 and IPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/34 Modification of an existing route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A set of globally-reachable attachment registers is provided for interconnected communications networks and hosts. At least some of the networks and hosts each has a corresponding attachment register. The attachment registers are not located with their respective network or host. Information is stored in the attachment registers that establishes one or more logical links between the attachment registers. The information in certain ones of the attachment registers is used to perform one or more network communication functions. Non-limiting example functions include location registration and update, name to global locator resolution, routing, multi-homing, dynamic ISP selection, and handover.

Claims

1. A method for use in interconnected communications networks and hosts, comprising:

providing a set of globally-reachable attachment registers, where at least some of the networks and hosts each has a corresponding attachment register, and

storing information in the attachment registers that establishes one or more logical links between the attachment registers,

wherein the logical links between certain ones of the attachment registers are useable to perform one or more network communication functions.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the attachment registers are located physically separate from the corresponding networks and hosts.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the interconnected networks and hosts are configured in a hierarchical topology.

4. The method in claim 3, wherein the attachment registers are located in a network at a highest level of the hierarchical topology.

5. The method in claim 3, wherein the logical link for a network closest to a network at the highest level of the hierarchical topology includes an association with a name of the closest network and a pointer pointing to a highest level network locator associated with a point of attachment of the closest network to the highest level network.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein the logical links include an association with a name of a network or host and a pointer associated with a neighbor network of that network or host, and wherein the pointer points to one or more of the following:

a name of the neighbor network, a global locator of the attachment register corresponding to the neighbor network, and a combination of a name of the neighbor network and a local locator of a point of attachment to the neighbor network.

7. The method in claim 1, wherein at least some of the logical links are associated with communication links to neighbor networks and include a specification of performance parameters of that communication link including one or more of bandwidth, packet delay, or packet loss rate.

8. The method in claim 1, wherein the attachment registers are arranged as a distributed database and are independently accessible by each of the networks and hosts.

9. The method in claim 1, wherein the logical links are established as part of a registration operation.

10. The method in claim 1, wherein at least some of the networks are movable networks and at least some of the hosts are mobile hosts.

11. The method in claim 10, wherein an attachment register for a movable host only stores a subset of a global locator of the movable host'"'"'s current location.

12. The method in claim 1, wherein one of the networks changes from a first point of attachment in the interconnected networks at a first neighbor node to a second point of attachment at a second neighbor node, the method further comprises:

updating the attachment register corresponding to the one network to change a logical link from the attachment register corresponding to the first neighbor node to the attachment register corresponding to the second neighbor node.

13. A method for use in interconnected communication networks and hosts, at least some of the networks and hosts each having a corresponding, globally-reachable attachment register, where there are logical links between certain ones of the globally-reachable attachment registers, the method comprising:

querying one or more of the globally-reachable attachment registers to obtain or modify logical link information in the one or more globally-reachable attachment registers, and using the logical link information to perform one or more network communications functions.

14. The method in claim 13, further comprising:

each network and node performing location registration by storing current logical link information in its corresponding attachment register.

15. The method in claim 13, wherein one of the networks is a movable network, the method further comprising:

the movable network updating the logical link information in its corresponding attachment register when the movable network has moved to a new point of attachment.

16. The method in claim 13, wherein each host and network has a name and is addressable using a corresponding network locator, the method further comprising:

using the logical link information to resolve a name of a host to a global network locator of a host attached to one of the networks.

17. The method in claim 16, wherein the interconnected communication networks and hosts are configured in a hierarchy, the method further comprising:

querying a sequence of attachment registers associated with the host and with networks located in the hierarchy along a path between the host and a root network to generate a list of items including the host name, names of networks traversed along the path, and a locator of an attachment point to the root network, and

using the list of items to generate the global network locator of the host.

18. The method in claim 13, further comprising:

performing routing related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

19. The method in claim 13, further comprising:

performing mobility related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

20. The method in claim 13, further comprising:

performing multi-homing related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

21. The method in claim 13, further comprising:

performing dynamic Internet server (ISP) selection related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

22. The method in claim 13, wherein some of the networks are movable networks, the method further comprising:

performing handover related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the movable networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

23. The method in claim 22, wherein the interconnected communication networks and hosts are configured in a hierarchy, and wherein information about a handover event is signaled from an attachment register corresponding to a network handed-over to the attachment registers associated with one or more networks below the handed-over network in the hierarchy.

24. Apparatus for use in an internetwork of communications networks and hosts, comprising:

a group of globally-reachable attachment registers, where at least some of the networks and hosts each has a corresponding attachment register, and

electronic circuitry for storing information in the attachment registers that establishes one or more logical links between the attachment registers,

wherein the logical links between certain ones of the attachment registers are useable to perform one or more network communication functions.

25. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein the attachment registers are located physically separate from the corresponding networks and hosts.

26. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein the internetwork of communication networks and hosts is configured in a hierarchical topology.

27. The apparatus in claim 26, wherein the attachment registers are located in a network at a highest level of the hierarchical topology.

28. The apparatus in claim 26, wherein the logical link for a network closest to a network at the highest level of the hierarchical topology includes an association with a name of the closest network and a pointer pointing to a highest level network locator associated with a point of attachment of the closest network to the highest level network.

29. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein the logical links include an association with a name of a network or host and a pointer associated with a neighbor network of that network or host, and wherein the pointer points to one or more of the following:

a name of the neighbor network, a global locator of the attachment register corresponding to the neighbor network, and a combination of a name of the neighbor network and a local locator of a point of attachment to the neighbor network.

30. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein at least some of the logical links are associated with communication links to neighbor networks and include a specification of performance parameters of that communication link including one or more of bandwidth, packet delay, or packet loss rate.

31. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein the attachment registers are arranged as a distributed database and are independently accessible by each of the networks and hosts.

32. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to establish the logical links as part of a registration operation.

33. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein at least some of the networks are movable networks and at least some of the hosts are mobile hosts.

34. The apparatus in claim 33, wherein an attachment register for a movable host is configured to only store a subset of a global locator of the movable host'"'"'s current location.

35. The apparatus in claim 24, wherein when one of the networks changes from a first point of attachment in the interconnected networks at a first neighbor node to a second point of attachment at a second neighbor node, the electronic circuitry is configured to update the attachment register corresponding to the one movable network to change a logical link from the attachment register corresponding to the first neighbor node to the attachment register corresponding to the second neighbor node.

36. Apparatus for use in an internetwork of communication networks and hosts, at least some of the networks and hosts each having a corresponding, globally-reachable attachment register, where there are logical links between certain ones of the globally-reachable attachment registers, the apparatus comprising electronic circuitry configured to:

query one or more of the globally-reachable attachment registers to obtain or modify logical link information in the one or more globally-reachable attachment registers, and

use the logical link information to perform one or more network communications functions.

37. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein the apparatus includes a correspondent host.

38. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein the apparatus includes one of the attachment registers.

39. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

perform location registration by storing current logical link information with one or more corresponding attachment registers.

40. The apparatus in claim 39, wherein one of the networks is a movable network, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

update the logical link information in the movable network'"'"'s corresponding attachment register when the movable network has moved to a new point of attachment.

41. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein each host and network has a name and is addressable using a corresponding network locator, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

use the logical link information to resolve a name of a host to a global network locator of a host attached to one of the networks.

42. The apparatus in claim 41, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

query a sequence of attachment registers associated with the host and with networks located in the hierarchy along a path between the host and a root network to generate a list of items including the host name, names of networks traversed along the path, and a locator of an attachment point to the root network, and

use the list of items to generate the global network locator of the host.

43. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

use the logical link information to perform routing related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

44. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

perform mobility related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

45. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

perform multi-homing related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

46. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

perform dynamic Internet server (ISP) selection related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

47. The apparatus in claim 36, wherein some of the networks are movable networks, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to:

perform handover related signaling on behalf of certain ones of the movable networks and hosts using their corresponding attachment registers.

48. The apparatus in claim 47, wherein the interconnected communication networks and hosts are configured in a hierarchy, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to signal information about a handover event from an attachment register corresponding to a network handed-over to the attachment registers associated with one or more networks below the handed-over network in the hierarchy.