SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSPARENT MOBILE IP REGISTRATION WITHIN PPP NEGOTIATION

• US 20080151784A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Dyck, Jeffrey, Abrol, Nischal, Lioy, Marcello
• Granted Patent: US 8,009,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

A system and method for transparent Mobile IP registration within PPP negotiation uses a mobile telephone to relay messages between terminal equipment and a Foreign Agent (FA). An IPCP configuration request message by the terminal equipment requesting the assignment of an IP address is modified by the mobile telephone to delete the IP address request option. Other configuration options are forwarded unchanged by the mobile telephone to the peer/network. The peer/network responds with an acknowledgement of the requested configuration options and flow control between the terminal and the MT is asserted to permit Mobile IP registration. In the course of Mobile IP registration, and IP address is assigned to the mobile unit by the FA. Upon completion of the Mobile IP registration, flow control between the mobile telephone and the terminal is deasserted and the IP address assigned during Mobile IP registration is provided to the terminal equipment. In addition, the previously requested options may also be acknowledged.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method of supporting network registration of a terminal equipment coupled to a wireless communication device, comprising:

transferring messages between the terminal equipment and a network for Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) negotiation between the terminal equipment and the network;

while the PPP negotiation is occurring, performing Mobile IP registration to obtain an IP address for the terminal equipment; and

completing the PPP negotiation and providing the IP address to the terminal equipment.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving from the terminal equipment a request for an assignment of an IP address; and

initiating the Mobile IP registration in response to receiving the request from the terminal equipment.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving from the terminal equipment a configuration request message comprising a request for an assignment of an IP address;

altering the configuration request message to delete the request for an assignment of an IP address;

forwarding the altered configuration request message to the network; and

initiating the Mobile IP registration in response to receiving the configuration request message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the configuration request message comprises an Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP) message for network-layer protocol configuration between the terminal equipment and the network.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

communicating with a first network entity for the PPP negotiation; and

communicating with a second network entity for the Mobile IP registration.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

suspending the PPP negotiation during the Mobile IP registration.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

controlling communication between the terminal equipment and the wireless communication device during the Mobile IP registration to avoid PPP time out within the terminal equipment.

9. An apparatus for supporting network registration of a terminal equipment coupled to a wireless communication device, comprising:

a processor coupled with circuitry configured to transfer messages between the terminal equipment and a network for Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) negotiation between the terminal equipment and the network, to perform Mobile IP registration to obtain an IP address for the terminal equipment while the PPP negotiation is occurring, and to complete the PPP negotiation and provide the IP address to the terminal equipment.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to receive from the terminal equipment a request for an assignment of an IP address;

and to initiate the Mobile IP registration in response to receiving the request from the terminal equipment.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to receive from the terminal equipment a configuration request message comprising a request for an assignment of an IP address, to alter the configuration request message to delete the request for an assignment of an IP address, to forward the altered configuration request message to the network, and to initiate the Mobile IP registration in response to receiving the configuration request message.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the configuration request message comprises an Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP) message for network-layer protocol configuration between the terminal equipment and the network.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with a first network entity for the PPP negotiation, and to communicate with a second network entity for the Mobile IP registration.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to suspend the PPP negotiation during the Mobile IP registration.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the communication processor is configured to control communication between the terminal equipment and the wireless communication device during the Mobile IP registration to avoid PPP time out within the terminal equipment.

16. An apparatus for supporting network registration of a terminal equipment coupled to a wireless communication device, comprising:

means for transferring messages between the terminal equipment and a network for Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) negotiation between the terminal equipment and the network;

means for performing Mobile IP registration to obtain an IP address for the terminal equipment while the PPP negotiation is occurring; and

means for completing the PPP negotiation and providing the IP address to the terminal equipment.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for receiving from the terminal equipment a request for an assignment of an IP address; and

means for initiating the Mobile IP registration in response to receiving the request from the terminal equipment.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for receiving from the terminal equipment a configuration request message comprising a request for an assignment of an IP address;

means for altering the configuration request message to delete the request for an assignment of an IP address;

means for forwarding the altered configuration request message to the network; and

means for initiating the Mobile IP registration in response to receiving the configuration request message.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the configuration request message comprises an Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP) message for network-layer protocol configuration between the terminal equipment and the network.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for communicating with a first network entity for the PPP negotiation; and

means for communicating with a second network entity for the Mobile IP registration.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for suspending the PPP negotiation during the Mobile IP registration.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for controlling communication between the terminal equipment and the wireless communication device during the Mobile IP registration to avoid PPP time out within the terminal equipment.

23. A computer product having a computer-readable medium including instructions stored thereon, comprising:

a first set of computer instructions for transferring messages between a network and a terminal equipment coupled to a wireless communication device for Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) negotiation between the terminal equipment and the network;

a second set of computer instructions for performing Mobile IP registration to obtain an IP address for the terminal equipment while the PPP negotiation is occurring; and

a third set of computer instructions for completing the PPP negotiation and providing the IP address to the terminal equipment.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising:

a fourth set of computer instructions for receiving from the terminal equipment a request for an assignment of an IP address; and

a fifth set of computer instructions for initiating the Mobile IP registration in response to receiving the request from the terminal equipment.

25. The computer product of claim 23 wherein the computer-readable medium further comprising:

a fourth set of computer instructions for receiving from the terminal equipment a configuration request message comprising a request for an assignment of an IP address;

a fifth set of computer instructions for altering the configuration request message to delete the request for an assignment of an IP address;

a sixth set of computer instructions for forwarding the altered configuration request message to the network; and

a seventh set of computer instructions for initiating the Mobile IP registration in response to receiving the configuration request message.

26. The computer product of claim 25 wherein the configuration request message comprises an Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP) message for network-layer protocol configuration between the terminal equipment and the network.

27. The computer product of claim 23 wherein the computer-readable medium further comprising:

a fourth set of computer instructions for communicating with a first network entity for the PPP negotiation; and

a fifth set of computer instructions for communicating with a second network entity for the Mobile IP registration.

28. The computer product of claim 23 wherein the computer-readable medium further comprising:

a fourth set of computer instructions for suspending the PPP negotiation during the Mobile IP registration.

29. The computer product of claim 23 wherein the computer-readable medium further comprising:

a fourth set of computer instructions for controlling communication between the terminal equipment and the wireless communication device during the Mobile IP registration to avoid PPP time out within the terminal equipment.