METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATION THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK WITH RECEIVING STATIONS ACCORDING TO THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL STATUS

• US 20090073912A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Marmigere, Gerard, Bauchot, Frederic, Dispensa, Jean-Claude
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1854 with non-centralised forwarding system, e.g. chaincast

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system of computer communication through an infrastructure multicast IP network, between one or several determined central stations and undetermined groups of receiving stations, especially mobile stations. According to the invention, every mobile station sends its geographical status, e.g. its position, in an IP unicast message to the central station. In response, the mobile station receives an IP unicast message comprising one or more IP multicast addresses corresponding to the transmitted geographical status. The central station also has the necessary routers subscribed or unsubscribed to these multicast addresses, according to the local presence of such receiving stations. Receiving stations may then subscribe such localized multicast addresses, and receive the corresponding multicast messages.

Claims

1. A method for selectively communicating through an infrastructure IP network with a group of computerized receiving stations according to their geographical status, said method comprising the steps of:

at least one receiving station transmitting an IP unicast message, termed geographical message, to a central station, said geographical message representing a current geographical status of said receiving station;

processing said geographical status for issuing at least one multicast IP address, termed joining address, associated with a multicast group related to said geographical status; and

transmitting an IP unicast message, termed joining message, including said at least one such multicast IP address, to said at least one receiving station.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising a further step of automatically configuring the at least one receiving station for receiving IP multicast data directed to said joining address and transmitted on a wireless infrastructure IP network.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising a further step of automatically configuring the at least one receiving station for not receiving anymore IP multicast data directed to at least one IP multicast address not anymore related to the current geographical status of said receiving station.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one receiving station is a wireless communicating mobile station, and said geographical message includes geographical data related to the current geographical status of said mobile receiving station, said geographical status comprising:

its geographical position, or

its presence within a given geographical zone termed cell, or

its geographical destination, or

its geographical origin, or

characteristics of its movement or journey.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting said joining message to the at least one receiving station is accomplished in response to the at least one receiving station'"'"'s geographical status newly involving, or newly relinquishing, a given geographical zone.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said joining message comprises a plurality of IP multicast addresses associated with a plurality of multicast groups related to the geographical status of the at least one receiving station.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of multicast groups comprises:

at least one group relating to a given zone, termed current cell, including a geographical position of the at least one receiving station, and

at least one group relating to a zone neighbouring said geographical position or otherwise relating to the geographical status of said receiving station.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said infrastructure IP network is a wireless infrastructure IP network with a group of computerized mobile receiving stations, and further comprising the steps of:

determining at least one router device on a communication route from said central station to at least one wireless communication base station capable of communicating with said mobile station; and

transmitting said joining address to said at least one router device in an IP unicast message, termed subscribing message, said subscribing message including a command for said router device to receive and manage IP multicast data frames directed to said joining address.

9. The method according to claim 8, furthermore comprising a step of checking whether or not the router device already receives and manages the IP multicast data frames which are intended for said joining address;

and wherein the subscribing message is transmitted to the router device only in the negative case.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said infrastructure IP network is a wireless infrastructure IP network with a group of computerized mobile receiving stations, and further comprising the steps of:

determining at least one router device managing a wireless communication base station serving a given zone, termed left cell, not anymore relevant for communicating with said mobile station;

for at least one IP multicast group, termed pending group, received and managed by said router device, checking whether or not said left cell is still relevant for communicating with another station receiving said pending group; and

in the negative case, transmitting towards said at least one router device an IP unicast message, termed unsubscribing message, including said pending multicast address, said unsubscribing message including a command for said router device not to receive and manage IP multicast data frames directed to said pending group.

11. A method for implementing a location-aware service, comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one service request related to a given geographical requested zone;

computing at least one IP multicast group related to said requested zone;

communicating with at least one computerized mobile receiving station of a geographical status related to said requested zone, wherein the step of communicating with least one computerized mobile receiving station is carried out through a method for selectively communicating through an infrastructure IP network with a group of computerized receiving stations according to their geographical status, said method comprising the steps of;

at least one receiving station transmitting an IP unicast message, termed geographical message, to a central station, said geographical message representing a current geographical status of said receiving station;

processing said geographical status for issuing at least one multicast IP address, termed joining address, associated with a multicast group related to said geographical status; and

transmitting an IP unicast message, termed joining message, including said at least one such multicast IP address, to said at least one receiving station.

12. A mobile communication device comprising means adapted for carrying out the steps of a method for selectively communicating through an infrastructure IP network with a group of computerized receiving stations according to their geographical status, said method comprising the steps of:

at least one receiving station transmitting an IP unicast message, termed geographical message, to a central station, said geographical message representing a current geographical status of said receiving station;

processing said geographical status for issuing at least one multicast IP address, termed joining address, associated with a multicast group related to said geographical status; and

transmitting an IP unicast message, termed joining message, including said at least one such multicast IP address, to said at least one receiving station.

13. A computer system comprising means adapted for carrying out the steps of a method for managing a selective communication through a wireless infrastructure IP network with a group of computerized mobile receiving stations according to their geographical status, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an IP unicast message termed geographical message in a central station, said geographical message representing a current geographical position of at least one such mobile station;

processing a geographical position for issuing at least one IP multicast address, termed joining address, associated with a multicast group related to said geographical position;

determining at least one router device on a communication route from said central station to at least one wireless communication base station capable of communicating with said mobile station; and

transmitting said joining address to said at least one router device in an IP unicast message, termed subscribing message, said subscribing message including a command for said router device to receive and manage IP multicast data frames directed to said joining address.

14. A computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of a method for selectively communicating through an infrastructure IP network with a group of computerized receiving stations according to their geographical status, wherein said computer program is executed on a computerized system or device and said method comprising the steps of:

at least one receiving station transmitting an IP unicast message, termed geographical message, to a central station, said geographical message representing a current geographical status of said receiving station;

processing said geographical status for issuing at least one multicast IP address, termed joining address, associated with a multicast group related to said geographical status; and

transmitting an IP unicast message, termed joining message, including said at least one such multicast IP address, to said at least one receiving station.