INTELLIGENT REAL ACCESS POINT NAME (APN) SELECTION USING VIRTUAL APNS

• US 20090023426A1
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Forster, Richard Kyle, Grayson, Mark, Panda, Biswaranjan, Shatzkamer, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,605,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42246 where the subscriber uses a multi-mode terminal which moves and accesses different networks with at least one network having a wireline access including cordless PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/125 involving different types of service backbones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/13 Cell handover without a predetermined boundary, e.g. virtual cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

In one embodiment, a first access request is received from a mobile device. The access request may be received through a first access medium for a virtual access point name (APN). A session is created with a service using a first real access point name (APN) for the mobile device. A second access request is received through a second type of access medium. The request may be received through a second virtual APN. A session is determined that is active for the mobile device through the first access medium and the second access request is assigned the first real APN even though the request is received through a second access medium. The continuity of the connection may then be maintained because the first real APN is still being used. In this case, a handoff of the connection from the first access network to the second access network is performed while the connection to the service is maintained through the first real APN.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a mobile device, a first access request for a service through a first access network;

creating a session using a real access point in a plurality of real access points for the mobile device;

receiving, from the mobile device, a second access request for the service through a second access network;

determining that the session is still active for the service; and

maintaining continuity of the session for the service by assigning the second access request to the real access point in which the session was created.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a request to a device with information for the second access request; and

receiving a response from the device indicating the determined session that was created and the real access point to use.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the request is an authentication request to a AAA server, wherein accounting information is used to determine the real APN in which to assign the second access request to maintain the continuity of the session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first access request is received at a first virtual access point name and the second access request is received at a second virtual access point name, wherein continuity of the session is maintained by assigning the second access request to the real access point in which the session was created.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first access request includes an identifier for the mobile device and the second access request also includes the identifier allowing identification of the session that is still active.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a handoff from a connection through the first access network to a connection through the second access network for the mobile device while maintaining continuity of the session.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, from a network device, a first access request for a service, the first access request being sent by a mobile device through a first type of communication medium;

determining a first real access point name for the mobile device;

sending an address for the first real access point name to the network device to allow the network device to create a session using the first real access point name;

receiving, from the network device, a second access request for the mobile device, the second access request being sent by the mobile device through a second type of communication medium;

determining that the session is still active for the service at the first real access point; and

sending an address for the real access point and information for the session that is active to the network device to allow the network device to maintain continuity of the session for the service and mobile device using the real access point.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

starting an accounting record for the service when the first access request is received;

determining if the accounting record for service has been closed; and

determining that the session for the service is still active if the accounting record has not been closed.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first access request is received at a first virtual access point name and the second access request is received at a second virtual access point name.

10. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to;

receive, from a mobile device, a first access request for a service through a first access network;

create a session using a real access point in a plurality of real access points for the mobile device;

receive, from the mobile device, a second access request for the service through a second access network;

determine that the session is still active for the service; and

maintain continuity of the session for the service by assigning the second access request to the real access point in which the session was created.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to:

send a request to a device with information for the second access request; and

receive a response from the device indicating the determined session that was created and the real access point to use.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the request is an authentication request to a AAA server, wherein accounting information is used to determine the real APN in which to assign the second access request to maintain the continuity of the session.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first access request is received at a first virtual access point name and the second access request is received at a second virtual access point name, wherein continuity of the session is maintained by assigning the second access request to the real access point in which the session was created.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first access request includes an identifier for the mobile device and the second access request also includes the identifier allowing identification of the session that is still active.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to perform a handoff from a connection through the first access network to a connection through the second access network for the mobile device while maintaining continuity of the session.

16. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to;

receive, from a network device, a first access request for a service, the first access request being sent by a mobile device through a first type of communication medium;

determine a first real access point name for the mobile device;

send an address for the first real access point name to the network device to allow the network device to create a session using the first real access point name;

receive, from the network device, a second access request for the mobile device, the second access request being sent by the mobile device through a second type of communication medium;

determine that the session is still active for the service at the first real access point; and

send an address for the real access point and information for the session that is active to the network device to allow the network device to maintain continuity of the session for the service and mobile device using the real access point.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the logic when executed is further operable to:

start an accounting record for the service when the first access request is received;

determine if the accounting record for service has been closed; and

determine that the session for the service is still active if the accounting record has not been closed.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first access request is received at a first virtual access point name and the second access request is received at a second virtual access point name.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, from a mobile device, a first access request for a service through a first access network;

means for creating a session using a real access point in a plurality of real access points for the mobile device;

means for receiving, from the mobile device, a second access request for the service through a second access network;

means for determining that the session is still active for the service; and

means for maintaining continuity of the session for the service by assigning the second access request to the real access point in which the session was created.

20. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, from a network device, a first access request for a service, the first access request being sent by a mobile device through a first type of communication medium;

means for determining a first real access point name for the mobile device;

means for sending an address for the first real access point name to the network device to allow the network device to create a session using the first real access point name;

means for receiving, from the network device, a second access request for the mobile device, the second access request being sent by the mobile device through a second type of communication medium;

means for determining that the session is still active for the service at the first real access point; and

means for sending an address for the real access point and information for the session that is active to the network device to allow the network device to maintain continuity of the session for the service and mobile device using the real access point.