Virtual private network system over public mobile data network and virtual LAN

• US 6,016,318 A
• Filed: 07/14/1997
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tomoike, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B.
• Application Number:
  US08/892,280
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/329, 370/331, 370/401, 370/402, 455/517, 709/249
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4608 LAN interconnection over ATM networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5621 Virtual private network [VPN]; Private-network - network-interface (P-NNI)
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5667 IP over ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• 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 a virtual private network system accessed by an internet, a virtual local area network (LAN) is connected to a LAN emulation server and IAN emulation clients, and a router is connected between the internet and the virtual LAN. Also, a public mobile data network is connected to a location register and mobile data subscriber processing units, and a data gateway is connected between the internet and the public mobile data networks Further, a virtual private network gateway is connected between the virtual LAN and the public mobile data network. A mobile data terminal having one IP address and one public network address and can be connected to either one of the LAN emulation clients or one of the mobile data subscriber processing units.

Claims

1. A virtual private network system accessed by an internet, comprising:

a virtual local area network (LAN) connected to a LAN emulation server and LAN emulation clients;

a router connected between said internet and said virtual LAN;

a public mobile data network connected to a location register and mobile data subscriber processing units;

a data gateway connected between said internet and said public mobile data network;

a virtual private network gateway connected between said virtual LAN and said public mobile data network; and

a mobile data terminal having one internet protocol (IP) address and one network address of said public mobile data network and capable of being connected to either one of said LAN emulation clients or one of said mobile data subscriber processing units,

wherein said location register storing a correspondence between said network address and one of said mobile data subscriber processing units,

wherein said virtual private network gateway comprises;

a memory for storing a correspondence between said IP address and said network address of said mobile data terminal;

a communication control section communicatively connected to said public mobile data network;

a call control section having a LAN emulation capability; and

a transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) interface communicatively connected to said virtual LAN.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mobile data terminal comprises:

a radio transceiver for communicating with one of said mobile data subscriber processing units;

a memory for storing said IP address and said network address; and

an operational unit for carrying out an approval processing.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when a call received from said internet is addressed using an IP address to said mobile data terminal, said router notifies all devices currently communicatively connected to said virtual LAN of said call, so that said mobile data terminal is capable of answering said call based on said notification if said mobile data terminal is currently communicatively coupled to said virtual LAN, and

wherein, when said mobile data terminal is not currently communicatively connected to said virtual LAN, but is currently communicatively connected to said one of said mobile data subscriber processing units of said public mobile data network, said virtual private network gateway receives said notification and determines, based on current location information stored in said memory of said virtual private gateway network and based on information included with said notification, that said call is to be routed to said public mobile data network where said mobile data terminal is currently located, and said virtual private gateway network converts said IP address of said call to said network address that has been assigned to said one of said mobile data subscriber processing units that is currently communicatively connected to said mobile data terminal.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein, in the case where said mobile data terminal is currently located within said public mobile data network, said one of said mobile data subscriber processing units forwards said call to said mobile data terminal.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a mobile station that is communicatively coupled to said mobile terminal equipment when said mobile terminal equipment is located within said public mobile data network,

wherein said mobile station is informed of an identifier of said data terminal equipment when said data terminal equipment is initially communicatively coupled to said mobile station, said mobile station forwarding said identifier to said one of said mobile data subscriber units which in turn forwards said identifier to said memory of said virtual private network gateway via said public mobile data network, and

wherein said mobile station provides a communications link between said one of said one of said mobile data subscriber processing units and said data terminal equipment.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data terminal equipment is only communicatively connected to said virtual private network gateway via one of said virtual LAN and said public mobile data network.

3. A virtual private network system comprising:

a virtual local area network (LAN);

a public mobile data network;

a virtual private network gateway connected between said virtual LAN and said public mobile data network;

means for registering a correspondence between an internet protocol (IP) address and a public network address of a mobile data terminal in said virtual private network gateway, when said mobile data terminal enters in a service area of said public mobile data network; and

means for transmitting data addressed to said IP address in said virtual LAN via said virtual private network gateway to said public mobile data network, said IP address being converted into said public network address in said virtual private network gateway,

wherein said means for transmitting sends said data via said virtual private network gateway to said mobile data terminal only when said mobile data terminal is located in said public mobile data network.

8. A method for registering a location of a data terminal in a public mobile data network, comprising:

a) writing an IP address of the data terminal into a random access memory (RAM) of a mobile station that is communicatively connected to the data terminal;

b) recognizing, by the data terminal associated with the mobile station, an information signal from a mobile base station that services a portion of the public mobile data network;

c) generating, by the mobile station, a location registration request signal including the IP address stored in the RAM and a public mobile data network address of the mobile station that is stored in a read-only memory (ROM) of the mobile station;

d) transmitting the location registration request signal from the mobile station to a mobile data subscriber processing unit that constitutes an interface to the public mobile data network;

e) generating, by a call control section of the mobile data subscriber processing unit, an approval request signal including the public mobile data network address of the mobile station, and transmitting the approval request signal to a location register that is communicatively connected to the public mobile data network;

f) searching, by the location register, for a first approval key in accordance with the approval request signal;

g) if the searching is successful, generating and transmitting, by the location register to the call control section, an approval response signal including the first approval key;

h) generating, by the call control section, a pseudo-random number and transmitting the approval request signal along with the pseudo-random number;

i) carrying out, by the mobile data subscriber processing unit, a calculation based upon the pseudo-random number and the first approval key to obtain a first result, and simultaneously, in the mobile station, carrying out a calculation based on the pseudo-random number and a second approval key stored in the ROM of the mobile station to obtain a second result;

j) generating, by the mobile station, an approval response signal including the second result;

k) comparing, by the mobile data subscriber unit, the first and second results;

l) when there is a match as a result of the comparing performed in step k), generating and transmitting, to the location register, a location registration request signal that includes a location of the mobile data subscriber unit and the public mobile data network address of the mobile station; and

m) when there is no match as a result of the comparing performed in step k), stopping any further call processing.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

n) generating, by the location register, a location registration response signal including a node number of a virtual private gateway that communicatively connects the public mobile data network to a virtual local area network, and transmitting the location registration response signal to the mobile data subscriber processing unit,

wherein the location register performs the generating and transmitting only when the location register recognizes that the mobile station belongs to the virtual local area network based on information stored at the location register.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of:

o) generating, by the mobile data subscriber processing unit, a location registration signal that includes the IP address stored in the RAM and the public mobile data network address stored in the ROM, and transmitting the location registration signal to the virtual private gateway network in accordance with the node number of the virtual private gateway.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

p) storing, in an address lookup memory at the virtual private gateway, a correspondence between the IP address and the public mobile data network address, and generating and transmitting a location registration response signal to the mobile data subscriber processing unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

q) generating, at the mobile data subscriber processing unit, a location registration response signal and transmitting the location registration response signal to the mobile station, in order to complete a location registration of the data terminal in the public mobile data network.