Controlling communication in wireless and satellite networks

• US 6,317,584 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Abu-Amara, Hosame, Babbitt, Jeff, Best, Robert, Boray, Giridhar, Lo, Wing, Maveddat, Payam, Qian, Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): West, Lewis G.
• Application Number:
  US09/218,130
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/426, 455/427, 455/428, 455/435, 455/452, 455/410, 455/411, 380/247, 380/248, 380/271
• US Class Current: 455/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18589 Arrangements for controlling an end to end session, i.e. for initialising, synchronising or terminating an end to end link

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for utilizing a session processor having multiple internal states to control communication sessions occurring within a wireless and satellite network that includes at least one control interface. First, a message is received from the control interface and is then processed. Next, an internal state of the session processor is changed such that a response message may be formulated. Thereafter, internal tables and counters are updated in response to the message. Finally, the response message is delivered to the control interface, such that the session processor may be utilized to maintain comprehensive and seamless control of communications sessions occurring within the wireless and satellite network.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing a session processor to coordinate communication sessions within a network that includes a plurality of control interfaces, said method comprising:

generating a session table that includes session control data which associates each of said plurality of control interfaces with each of a plurality of sessions, wherein said session control data comprises;

a source and destination address;

an authentication status; and

a quality of service type;

storing and updating a request identification tag within said session table, wherein said request identification tag correlates a message from one of said plurality of control interfaces to a message from said session processor;

receiving a session control message from one of said plurality of control interfaces;

processing said session control message;

formulating a response message in accordance with said session control data as maintained within said session table;

associating said request identification tag with said response message; and

delivering said response message to at least one of said plurality of control interfaces such that said session processor maintains comprehensive and seamless control of network sessions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of processing said message further comprises:

assigning a unique and unused request identification tag to a user session;

updating said session table in accordance with assignments of request identification tags;

storing counters for authentication attempts for a user address and said identification tags;

incrementing said counters for said authentication attempts for said user address and said identification tags; and

clearing said counters for said authentication attempts for said user address and said identification tags.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of processing said session control message farther comprises:

performing digit translation that converts a physical address into a network address; and

generating internal records that describe said session processor and said device characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating said session table in response to processing said session control message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

for each session, storing within said session table;

a billing status; and

an activity status.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said quality of service type maybe categorized as constant bit rate or variable bit rate.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data that specifies messages for which no response has been received in an outstanding message table.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising indexing said outstanding message table utilizing said request identification tags.

9. A session processor for controlling communications in a wireless and satellite network, the session processor comprising:

processing means for generating a session table that includes session control data which associates an OAM interface, RF equipment interface, RF resource management interface, session admission control interface, session switching system interface, authentication interface, subscriber profile management interface, and fast message services interface with each of a plurality of sessions, wherein said session control data comprises;

a source and destination address;

an authentication status; and

a quality of service type;

processing means for storing and updating a request identification tag within said session table, wherein said request identification tag correlates a message from one of said plurality of control interfaces to a message from said session processor;

interfaces able to receive and transmit messages between said OAM interface, RF equipment interface, RF resource management interface, session admission control interface, session switching system interface, authentication interface, subscriber profile management interface, and fast message services interface;

databases that store tables, messages, internal records, and counters;

a processor for performing session processing;

memory for temporary storage of said tables, messages, internal records, and counters; and

a clock for generating time stamps.

10. The session processor of claim 9, wherein said OAM interface:

receives operation, administration, and maintenance requests from said session processor; and

transmits said operation administration, and maintenance request results to said session processor.

11. The session processor of claim 9, wherein said RF equipment interface:

receives wireless messages;

gathers quality metrics and quality guarantee values;

converts said wireless messages into a format said session processor can understand; and

transmits said converted wireless messages to said session processor and to a network.

12. The session processor of claim 9, wherein said session admission control interface:

receives a session request to be accepted by session switching hardware from said session processor;

transmits a session response to said session processor; and

gathers quality metric and quality guarantee values.

13. The session processor of claim 9, wherein said session switching system interface:

receives said messages from said session processor; and

transmits said messages to said session processor.

14. The session processor of claim 9, wherein said authentication interface:

receives user authentication requests from said session processor; and

transmits said user authentication responses to said session processor.

15. The session processor of claim 9, wherein said subscriber profile management interface:

receives subscriber information requests from said session processor; and

transmits said subscriber information responses to said session processor.

16. The session processor of claim 9, wherein said fast message services interface:

receives channel assignment requests from said session processor; and

transmits said channel assignment responses to said session processor.

17. The session processor of claim 9, wherein said RF resource management interface:

receives subscriber information requests from said session processor; and

transmits said subscriber information responses to said session processor.

18. A system for utilizing a session processor to coordinate communication sessions within a network that includes a plurality of control interfaces, said system comprising:

means for generating a session table that includes session control data which associates each of said plurality of control interfaces with each of a plurality of sessions, wherein said session control data comprises;

a source and destination address;

an authentication status; and

a quality of service type;

means for storing and updating a request identification tag within said session table, wherein said request identification tag correlates a message from one of said plurality of control interfaces to a message from said session processor;

means for receiving a session control message from one of said plurality of control interfaces;

means for processing said session control message;

means for formulating a response message in accordance with said session control data as maintained within said session table;

means for associating said request identification tag with said response message; and

means for delivering said response message to at least one of said plurality of control interfaces such that said session processor maintains comprehensive and seamless control of network sessions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for processing said message further comprises:

means for assigning a unique and unused request identification tag to a user session;

means for updating said session table in accordance with assignments of request identification tags;

means for storing counters for authentication attempts for a user address and said identification tags;

means for incrementing said counters for said authentication attempts for said user address and said identification tags; and

means for clearing said counters for said authentication attempts for said user address and said identification tags.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for processing said session control message further comprises:

means for performing digit translation that converts a physical address into a network address; and

means for generating internal records that describe said session processor and said device characteristics.

21. A computer program product stored in signal bearing media for utilizing a session processor to coordinate communication sessions within a network that includes a plurality of control interfaces, said computer program product comprising:

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for generating a session table that includes session control data which associates each of said plurality of control interfaces with each of a plurality of sessions, wherein said session control data comprises;

a source and destination address;

an authentication status; and

a quality of service type;

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for storing and updating a request identification tag within said session table, wherein said request identification tag correlates a message from one of said plurality of control interfaces to a message from said session processor;

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for receiving a session control message from one of said plurality of control interfaces;

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for processing said session control message;

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for formulating a response message in accordance with said session control data as maintained within said session table;

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for associating said request identification tag with said response message; and

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for delivering said response message to at least one of said plurality of control interfaces such that said session processor maintains comprehensive and seamless control of network sessions.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said instruction means stored in signal bearing media for processing said message further comprises:

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for assigning a unique and unused request identification tag to a user session;

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for updating said session table in accordance with assignments of request identification tags;

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for storing counters for authentication attempts for a user address and said identification tags;

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for incrementing said counters for said authentication attempts for said user address and said identification tags; and

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for clearing said counters for said authentication attempts for said user address and said identification tags.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said instruction means stored in signal bearing media for processing said session control message further comprises:

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for performing digit translation that converts a physical address into a network address; and

instruction means stored in signal bearing media for generating internal records that describe said session processor and said device characteristics.