ROUTE OPTIMIZATION WITH LOCATION PRIVACY SUPPORT

• US 20090129314A1
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Weniger, Kilian, Bachmann, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 8,259,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for route optimisation of packet switched data transmissions between a first mobile node and a second mobile node in a mobile communication system comprising a plurality of access networks. The method comprises the step of transmitting return routability protocol packets and data packets. The return routability protocol packets and data packets are analysed, and at least part of an address comprised in headers of the return routability protocol packets and data packets is removed.

Claims

1-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A method for route optimisation of packet switched data transmissions between a first mobile node and a second mobile node in a mobile communication system comprising a plurality of access networks, the method comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting of return routability protocol packets and data packets;

b) analysing the return routability protocol packets and data packets; and

c) removing at least part of an address comprised in headers of the return routability protocol packets and data packets.

36. The method according to claim 35 wherein step c) comprises the following steps:

d) deriving, by a transformation rule, an address without location information from the address comprised in the headers; and

e) substituting the address comprised in the headers with the address without location information.

37. The method according to claim 35 wherein the address is a care-of address in an internet protocol header of care-of test initiation messages or binding update messages.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein steps b) and c) are carried out by a first access router in a source address field of the internet protocol header.

39. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the following step after steps b) and c):

f) substituting the care-of address back into the headers.

40. The method according to claim 36, wherein the transformation rule comprises adding a bit to the care-of address.

41. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of

g) calculating, by the first mobile node, a first authenticator in a binding update message using the address without location information.

42. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the step of

h) replacing, by a second access router, a second authenticator in a binding update message by a first authenticator calculated using the address without location information.

43. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the following steps:

i) setting a first flag by the first mobile node in a home test initiation message indicating a requirement for location privacy; and

j) setting a second flag in the home test initiation message by the second access router indicating whether it is adapted to carry out steps b) and c).

44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the steps of:

k) setting a privacy flag by the first mobile node marking a care-of test initiation message for which step c) is to be carried out, and

l) identifying by the first access router return routability protocol packets and data packets that require substitution of a care-of address with a home address.

45. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

m) setting a third flag by the first and second access router indicating whether it can carry out steps b) and c);

n) maintaining by the first and second access router information on the state of the flag of the second and first access router, respectively; and

o) setting a fourth flag by a mobile node'"'"'s home agent in a home test message or home test initiation message indicating a requirement for location privacy.

46. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the following step when the second mobile node moves to another access network:

p) transferring state information regarding the second mobile node from a first access router to a third access router;

or

q) sending by the second mobile node a binding refresh request message to the first mobile node.

47. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the following step when data packets between the first mobile node and the home agent are encrypted:

r) transferring an encryption key from the home agent or the first mobile node to the first access router.

48. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the following steps to verify an authenticity of home test initiation messages with a second flag set:

s) signing the home test initiation messages with the second flag by the second access router; and

t) verifying a signature of the home test initiation message by the first access router or home agent or second mobile node.

49. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

u) transmitting of return routability protocol packets packets by the second mobile node;

v) analyzing the return routability protocol packets transmitted by the second mobile node; and

w) removing at least part of an address comprised in the header of the return routability protocol packets transmitted by the second mobile node.

50. A mobile communication system comprising a plurality of access networks for route optimization of packet switched data transmissions between a first mobile node and a second mobile node,

the first mobile node being adapted to transmit return routability protocol packets;

a first access router adapted to analyze the return routability protocol packets and data packets and remove at least part of an address comprised in headers of the return routability protocol packets and data packets.

51. A mobile node in a mobile communication system comprising a plurality of access networks, the mobile node comprising:

calculating means for calculating a first authenticator in a binding update message using an address without location information.

52. The mobile node according to claim 51 further comprising:

first flag setting means for setting a first flag in a home test initiation message indicating a requirement for location privacy;

the mobile node further comprising;

privacy flag setting means adapted to set a privacy flag marking a care-of test initiation message for which at least part of an address comprised in the headers of the return routability protocol packets and data packets is to be removed.

53. An access router in a mobile communication system comprising a plurality of access networks, the access router comprising:

analyzing means adapted to analyze return routability packets and data packets; and

substituting means adapted to remove at least part of an address comprised in headers of the return routability protocol packets and data packets.

54. The access router according to claim 53, wherein the substituting means are further adapted to derive, by a transformation rule, an address without location information from the addresses comprised in the headers;

and substitute the address comprised in the headers with the address without location information.

55. The access router according to claim 54, wherein the address is a care-of address in an internet protocol header of care-of test initiation messages or binding update messages.

56. The access router according to claim 54 wherein the part of the address the analyzing means and substituting means are adapted to analyze and remove is a source address field of the internet protocol.

57. The access router according to claim 54, wherein the substituting means are further adapted to substitute the care-of address back into the headers.

58. The access router according to claim 54, wherein the transformation rule comprises adding a bit to the care-of address.

59. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile node, cause the mobile node to optimize a route of packet switched data transmissions between the mobile node and a second mobile node in a mobile communication system comprising a plurality of access networks, by:

calculating a first authenticator in a binding update message using an address without location information.