Mobility management for a multimedia mobile network

• US 6,160,804 A
• Filed: 11/13/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Jiang, Hong, Rege, Kiran M., Dravida, Subrahmanyam, Ahmed, Walid, Doshi, Bharat Tarachand
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US09/191,134
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 370/349, 370/389, 370/392, 370/393, 370/400, 370/401, 455/433, 455/440, 455/422, 455/432, 455/517, 455/99, 455/100, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/445, 395/410, 395/412, 395/415, 395/421.1, 395/421.11
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• 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

Various methodologies and related apparatus associated with mobility management issues within a packet-based multiaccess mobile communications system, which includes a plurality of mobile user stations and a plurality of network nodes, are provided. Location management techniques include tracking and/or locating mobile stations within the system. The invention makes use of home and visiting location registers in which information such as mobile station addresses and/or host names associated with mobile stations are stored. Mobile access methodologies include a complete mobile access method and a direct mobile access method. The former allows a mobile station to preferably include a unique address in the packets being transmitted, while the latter allows the station to merely use the host name of the destination station. The invention also includes various in-call mobility management techniques, including handoffs, which make use of the concept of an anchor.

Claims

1. A method for use in a mobile user station for accessing a packet-based multiaccess communications system including network nodes, comprising the steps of:

searching a database for an address of a second mobile user station, the address being a combination of an identifier of the second mobile user station and an identifier of a network node with which the second mobile user station is currently associated; and

transmitting a packet containing the address of the second mobile user station and an address of the mobile user station, the address of the mobile user station being a combination of an identifier of the mobile user station and an identifier of a network node with which the mobile user station is currently associated, wherein any network node in the communications system is not required to obtain additional address information to direct the packet to the second mobile user station.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

searching another database for an address of a home location register associated with the second mobile user station when the mobile user station can not find the address of the second mobile user station; and

transmitting a request message to the home location register of the second mobile user station for requesting the home location register to provide the address of the second station to the station.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of transmitting a request message to a network node with which the station is in direct communication for requesting the address of the second station or the address of the home location register of the second station when the station can not find the address of the home location register of the second station, such that the direct network node can transmit the address of the second station or the home location register back to the station or transfer the request on to the home location register if the address of the second station is not known.

4. The method of claim 3, further including the step of the station receiving the address of the second station from the direct network node or the home location register of the second station such that the station can transmit a packet to the second station including the received address.

5. The method of claim 3, further including the step of extracting the address of the second station from a packet received from the second station when the station can not find the address of the second mobile user station such that the station can transmit a packet to the second station including the extracted address.

6. Apparatus for accessing apacket-based multiaccess communications system including network node, comprising:

a mobile user station configured for searching a database for an address of a second mobile user station, the address being a combination of an identifier of the second mobile user station and an identifier of a network node with which the second mobile user station is currently associated, and for transmitting a packet containing the address of the second mobile user station and an address of the mobile user station, the address of the mobile user station being a combination of an identifier of the mobile user station and an identifier of a network node with which the mobile user station is currently associated, wherein any network node in the communications system is not required to obtain additional address information to direct the packet to the second mobile user station.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the station is further configured for searching another database for an address of a home location register associated with the second mobile user station when the mobile user station can not find the address of the second mobile user station, and for transmitting a request message to the home location register of the second mobile user station for requesting the home location register to provide the address of the second station to the station.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the station is further configured for transmitting a request message to a network node with which the station is in direct communication for requesting the address of the second station or the address of the home location register of the second station when the station can not find the address of the home location register of the second station, such that the direct network node can transmit the address of the second station or the home location register back to the station or transfer the request on to the home location register if the address of the second station is not known.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the station is further configured for receiving the address of the second station from the direct network node or the home location register of the second station such that the station can transmit a packet to the second station including the received address.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the station is further configured for extracting the address of the second station from a packet received from the second station when the station can not find the address of the second mobile user station such that the station can transmit a packet to the second station including the extracted address.

11. A method for use in a mobile user station for accessing a packet-based multiaccess communications system, comprising the steps of:

inserting a host name associated with a second mobile user station in a packet, wherein the mobile user station is not required to obtain an address associated with the second mobile user station; and

transmitting the packet to a network node with which the station is in direct communication such that the direct network node can insert an address of the second station in place of the host name and then transfer the packet on to the second stations, and such that the address of the second mobile station can be sent to the mobile user station to replace the host name in a subsequent packet to be transmitted.

12. The method of claim 11, further including the step of receiving the address of the second station from the direct network node and replacing the host name with the address in a subsequent packet transmitted to the direct network node.

13. The method of claim 11, further including the step of receiving the address of the second station from a home location register associated with the second station upon a request sent by the direct network node, the direct network node redirecting the packet transmitted by the station to the home location register along with the request.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein packet redirecting is done via one of source routing and tunneling.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the home location register replaces the host name of the second station with the address, transfers the packet to the second station, and informs the station of the address.

16. Apparatus for accessing a packet-based multiaccess communications system, comprising:

a mobile user station configured for inserting a host name associated with a second mobile user station in a packet, wherein the mobile user station is not required to obtain an address associated with the second mobile user station, and transmitting the packet to a network node with which the station is in direct communication such that the direct network node can insert an address of the second station in place of the host name and then transfer the packet on to the second station, and such that the address of the second mobile station can be sent to the mobile user station to replace the host name in a subsequent packet to be transmitted.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the station is further configured for receiving the address of the second station from the direct network node and replacing the host name with the address in a subsequent packet transmitted to the direct network node.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the station is further configured for receiving the address of the second station from a home location register associated with the second station upon a request sent by the direct network node, the direct network node redirecting the packet transmitted by the station to the home location register along with the request.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the home location register replaces the host name of the second station with the address, transfers the packet to the second station, and informs the station of the address.