Distributing network services and resources in a mobile communications network

• US 5,825,759 A
• Filed: 07/24/1995
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Liu, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US08/506,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 370/38, 370/329, 370/331, 370/338, 370/349, 370/400, 370/410, 370/469, 370/473, 370/522, 379/59, 379/60, 379/63, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/54.1, 455/56.1, 340/825.07, 340/825.52, 340/825.53, 395/200.01, 395/200.02, 395/200.03
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

A full mobility data network architecture and method supports global wireless mobile data accessing. A Mobile Distributed System Platform, a mobility agent and a mobile-floating agent are provided for supporting service and resource mobility, and for distributing network services and resources closer to mobile users. In one aspect of the invention, a predictive mobility management algorithm determines where a mobile user or terminal is likely to be. Mobile-floating agents are then established at these locations to permit pre-connection and pre-arrangement of network services and resources for use by the user upon arrival. This allows mobile networks to more intelligently and dynamically provide services to mobile users. The Mobile-Floating Agent scheme can be used, for example, to build a mobile virtual distributed home location register (HLR) and visitor location register (VLR) in personal communication networks (PCNs), in order to reduce the call set up time. It can also be used for "soft data structure handover" for mobile computing.

Claims

1. A method of distributing network services and resources to a mobile user in a mobile communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the mobile user with a mobility (M)-agent executing on a home fixed host or router;

determining that the mobile user is or will be travelling to a destination that is outside a service area of the home fixed host or router;

sending a pre-assignment request from the M-agent to at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent manager executing on a corresponding one of at least one remote fixed host or router located at the destination;

establishing a mobile floating (MF)-agent for use by the mobile user at each of the at least one remote fixed hosts or routers; and

using the M-agent to send data or service information from the service area of the home fixed host or router to the MF-agent at each of the remote fixed hosts or routers.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of establishing the MF-agent comprises the steps of, at each of the at least one remote fixed hosts or routers,

if no preexisting MF-agent exists at the remote fixed host or router, then creating the MF-agent for use by the mobile user at the remote fixed host or router,

otherwise assigning the preexisting MF-agent for use by the mobile user at the remote fixed host or router.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

registering the alternatively created or assigned MF-agent with a foreign agent (FA) located at the remote fixed host or router; and

sending an establishment reply from the MF-agent manager to the M-agent, wherein the establishment reply includes information for enabling the M-agent to establish a data consistency link with the MF-agent.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein each MF-agent includes a set of processes, executing on the corresponding remote fixed host or router, for communicating and connecting with local resources and for managing a variable replicated secondary data cache on behalf of the M-agent.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the M-agent includes a set of processes, executing on the home host or router, for communicating with each MF-agent.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of using one of the MF-agents to perform acting mobility (AM)-agent functions in response to the mobile user having logged in at the remote fixed host or router that corresponds to the one of the MF-agents.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of using the one of the MF-agents to perform AM-agent functions includes the steps of:

determining that the mobile user is or will be travelling to a second destination that is outside a remote service area of the remote fixed host or router that corresponds to the one of the MF-agents;

sending the pre-assignment request from the one of the MF-agents to at least one other MF-agent manager executing on a corresponding other one of at least one remote fixed host or router located at the second destination;

establishing a second MF-agent for use by the mobile user at each of the at least one remote fixed hosts or routers located at the second destination; and

using the one of the MF-agents to send data or service information from the remote service area of the remote fixed host or router to the other MF-agent at each of the remote fixed hosts or routers located at the second destination.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

for each MF-agent, starting a corresponding timer when the MF-agent is alternatively created or assigned for use by the mobile user; and

for each MF-agent, resetting and stopping the corresponding timer in response to the mobile user having logged in at the remote fixed host or router that corresponds to the MF-agent,

wherein each MF-agent is deactivated whenever the corresponding timer reaches a predetermined value.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

for each MF-agent, when the MF-agent is alternatively created or assigned, initializing a corresponding parameter that indicates how recently the MF-agent has been used;

for each MF-agent, updating the corresponding parameter whenever the MF-agent is used by the mobile user; and

when resources at one of the remote fixed hosts or routers need to be reclaimed, then performing the steps of;

identifying all corresponding MF-agents for the one of the remote fixed hosts or routers;

selecting one of the identified MF-agents that has a corresponding parameter that indicates that the selected one of the identified MF-agents is the least recently used of all of the identified MF-agents; and

reclaiming resources from the selected one of the identified MF-agents.

10. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

sending a registration request from the mobile user to the foreign agent; and

in response to receipt of the registration request, if there is an MF-agent registered for the mobile user, then sending, from the FA to the mobile user, a confirmation and a link for accessing the MF-agent.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending the pre-assignment request from the M-agent to at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent manager executing on the corresponding one of at least one remote fixed host or router located at the destination comprises the steps of:

identifying the corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers located at the destination; and

sending the pre-assignment request from the M-agent to each of the MF-agent managers executing on one of the identified corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers,

wherein identifying the corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers located at the destination comprises the steps of;

(1) determining a mobility density m, wherein m is a number of cells that have been passed by the mobile user during time τ

_m ;

(2) defining a circularly shaped geographic location centered at a current location of the mobile user and having a radius d=int(h*m*τ

_m), wherein d is a service distance and h is a hierarchic factor defined by the number of cells service by one MF-Agent Manager; and

(3) identifying the remote fixed hosts or routers that are located within the circularly shaped geographic location.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending the pre-assignment request from the M-agent to at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent manager executing on the corresponding one of at least one remote fixed host or router located at the destination comprises the steps of:

identifying the corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers located at the destination; and

sending the pre-assignment request from the M-agent to each of the MF-agent managers executing on one of the identified corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers,

wherein identifying the corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers located at the destination comprises the steps of;

sending a message from the mobile user to the M-agent, wherein the message designates the destination;

using the M-agent to identify the MF-agent manager that is executing on a remote fixed host or router that is located at the destination.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein:

the message further includes a designated time that the mobile user will be at the destination; and

the method further comprising the step of transferring data from the M-agent to a secondary cache of the MF-agent, wherein the data transfer is performed at a time that has a predetermined relationship with the designated time.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending the pre-assignment request from the M-agent to at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent manager executing on the corresponding one of at least one remote fixed host or router located at the destination comprises the steps of:

identifying the corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers located at the destination; and

sending the pre-assignment request from the M-agent to each of the MF-agent managers executing on one of the identified corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers,

wherein identifying the corresponding remote fixed hosts or routers located at the destination comprises the steps of;

(1) determining a mobility density m, wherein m is a number of cells that have been passed by the mobile user during time τ

_m ;

(2) defining a circularly shaped geographic location centered at a current location of the mobile user and having a radius d=int(h*m*τ

_m), wherein d is a service distance and h is a hierarchic factor defined by the number of cells serviced by one MF-agent manager;

(3) predicting a movement track (MT) or movement circle (MC) of the mobile user; and

(4) identifying the remote fixed hosts or routers that are located on the predicted MT or MC within the circularly shaped geographic location.

15. A method for distributing network services and resources to a plurality of mobile users in a mobile communication system in order to ensure that at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent is supporting each mobile user, the method comprising the steps of:

for each one of the mobile users,

(1) determining a mobility density m, wherein m is a number of cells that have been passed by the mobile user during time τ

_m ;

(2) defining a circularly shaped geographic location centered at a current location of the one of the mobile users and having a radius d=int(h*m*τ

_m), wherein d is a service distance and h is a hierarchic factor defined by the number of cells serviced by one MF-agent manager;

(3) identifying the remote fixed hosts or routers that are located within the circularly shaped geographic location; and

(4) establishing a mobile floating (MF)-agent for use by the mobile user at each of the identified remote fixed hosts or routers.

16. A method for distributing network services and resources to a plurality of mobile users in a mobile communication system in order to ensure that at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent is supporting each mobile user, the method comprising the steps of:

for each one of the mobile users,

(1) determining a mobility density m, wherein m is a number of cells that have been passed by the mobile user during time τ

_m ;

(2) defining a circularly shaped geographic location centered at a current location of the one of the mobile users and having a radius d≧

h*m*τ

_m, wherein d is a service distance and h is a hierarchic factor defined by the number of cells serviced by one MF-agent manager;

(3) identifying the remote fixed hosts or routers that are located within the circularly shaped geographic location; and

(4) establishing a mobile floating (MF)-agent for use by the mobile user at each of the identified remote fixed hosts or routers.

17. A method for distributing network services and resources to a plurality of mobile users in a mobile communication system in order to ensure that at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent is supporting each mobile user, the method comprising the steps of:

for each one of the mobile users,

(1) determining a mobility density m, wherein m is a number of cells that have been passed by the mobile user during time τ

_m ;

(2) defining a circularly shaped geographic location centered at a current location of the one of the mobile users and having a radius d=int(h*m*τ

_m), wherein d is a service distance and h is a hierarchic factor defined by the number of cells serviced by one MF-agent manager;

(3) predicting a movement track (MT) or movement circle (MC) of the mobile user;

(4) identifying the remote fixed hosts or routers that are located on the predicted MT or MC within the circularly shaped geographic location; and

(5) establishing a mobile floating (MF)-agent for use by the mobile user at each of the identified remote fixed hosts or routers.

18. A method of distributing network services and resources in a wireless local area network having first and second mobile support routers (MSR) and a mobile terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

in the first MSR, creating a first terminal agent (T-agent) for representing the mobile terminal in the wireless local area network;

using the first T-agent to pre-arrange movement of mobile terminal data from the first MSR to the second MSR by requesting that a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, located in the second MSR, create an MF-agent for the mobile terminal; and

handing over representation of the mobile terminal from the T-agent to the MF-agent when the mobile terminal arrives in a service area of the second MSR.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the MF-agent manager is supported by a mobile internet protocol (IP) layer of the wireless local area network.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first T-agent manages a cache and mobility information of the mobile terminal.

21. The method according to claim 18 further comprising the step of, upon logging in by the mobile terminal at the service area of the second MSR, causing the MF-agent to act as a second T-agent and to send a message to deactivate the first T-agent.

22. An apparatus for distributing network services and resources in a wireless local area network having first and second mobile support routers (MSR) and a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising:

in the first MSR, means for creating a first terminal agent (T-agent) for representing the mobile terminal in the wireless local area network;

means for using the first T-agent to pre-arrange movement of mobile terminal data from the first MSR to the second MSR by requesting that a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, located in the second MSR, create an MF-agent for the mobile terminal; and

means for handing over representation of the mobile terminal from the T-agent to the MF-agent when the mobile terminal arrives in a service area of the second MSR.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the MF-agent manager is supported by a mobile internet protocol (IP) layer of the wireless local area network.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the first T-agent manages a cache and mobility information of the mobile terminal.

25. The apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising means, responsive to logging in by the mobile terminal at the service area of the second MSR, for causing the MF-agent to act as a second T-agent and to send a message to deactivate the first T-agent.

26. A wireless local area network (LAN), comprising:

at least one mobile terminal;

a mobile support router (MSR) connected to the mobile terminal, the MSR including;

a mobile internet protocol (IP) layer; and

a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, supported by the mobile IP layer, and having associated mobile floating (MF)-agents; and

at least one fixed host or server connected to the MSR.

27. The wireless LAN according to claim 26, wherein the mobile IP layer includes an indirect transmission control protocol layer for supporting stream oriented end-to-end communication in the wireless LAN.

28. A cellular communications system comprising:

a mobile terminal;

a first base station system including;

a base station transceiver;

a base station controller for controlling the base station transceiver;

means for creating a first terminal agent (T-agent) for representing the mobile terminal in the cellular communications system;

means for using the first T-agent to monitor traffic between the mobile terminal and the fixed communications network;

means for using the first T-agent to pre-arrange movement of mobile terminal data from the first base station system to a second base station system by requesting that a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, located in the second base station system, create an MF-agent for the mobile terminal; and

means for handing over representation of the mobile terminal from the T-agent to the MF-agent when the mobile terminal arrives in a service area of the second base station system;

a mobile switching center, connected to the first base station system, for controlling calls to and from a fixed communications network;

means for creating a first terminal agent (T-agent) for representing the mobile terminal in the cellular communications system;

means for using the first T-agent to pre-arrange movement of mobile terminal data from the first base station system to a second base station system by requesting that a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, located in the second base station system, create an MF-agent for the mobile terminal; and

means for handing over representation of the mobile terminal from the T-agent to the MF-agent when the mobile terminal arrives in a service area of the second base station system; and

the second base station system.

29. The cellular communications system according to claim 28, wherein the MF-agent includes a set of processes, executing on the second base station system, for communicating and connecting with local resources and for managing a variable replicated secondary data cache on behalf of the mobile terminal.

30. The cellular communications system according to claim 28, wherein the MF-agent includes a set of processes, executing on the second base station system, for communicating and connecting with local resources and for managing a variable replicated secondary data cache on behalf of a user of the mobile terminal.

31. The cellular communications system according to claim 28, wherein the mobile terminal includes a mobile distributed system platform for performing location sensitive information management functions and for performing predictive mobility management functions.

32. The cellular communications system according to claim 28, further comprising a gateway router for coupling the mobile switching center to the fixed communications network, wherein the gateway router includes means for creating a second MF-agent for representing the mobile terminal in the cellular communications system.

33. The cellular communications system according to claim 28, further comprising a gateway router for coupling the mobile switching center to the fixed communications network, wherein the gateway router includes means for creating a second MF-agent for representing a user of the mobile terminal in the cellular communications system.

34. The cellular communications system according to claim 28, wherein the mobile terminal includes a mobile application programmer interface (mobile-API) for providing a common programming interface to mobile applications, the mobile-API including a mobile distributed system platform for managing location-sensitive information, and for performing predictive mobility management functions.

35. A communication network comprising:

a plurality of servers, the servers being positioned in respective geographical areas and organized in a distributed file system;

a mobile terminal having means for communicating with the server nearest the mobile terminal, wherein the communicating means accesses application files and data files stored in the servers; and

a mobile distributed system platform having means for controlling the distributed file system of the servers and means for predicting a next location of a mobile terminal, wherein the controlling means distributes location sensitive information among the servers based on a next location predicted by the predicting means.

36. The communication network of claim 35, wherein the MDSP includes at least one MDSP agent and at least one mobile floating agent (MFA), the MFA is associated with the mobile terminal, and the MDSP agent communicates with and pre-assigns the MFA to at least one of the servers on behalf of the mobile terminal based on the next location predicted by the predicting means.

37. The communication network of claim 36, wherein the MFA is a process executing on a server remote from the mobile terminal that communicates with and pre-connects with a server local to the mobile station and that manages a replicated data cache on behalf of the MDSP agent.