Managing group IP addresses in mobile end stations

• US 6,360,257 B1
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Rydberg, Gunilla, Mårdberg, Elisabet
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/016,370
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 709/225, 709/226, 370/392, 370/402, 370/406
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Management of group IP addresses, through which various services are provided to groups of mobile end stations in a wireless network, includes accessing the group IP addresses without manually accessing the mobile end stations. This permits efficient management of the membership of the groups that receive the various services.

Claims

1. A method of managing a group of mobile end stations each of which contains a group Internet Protocol (IP) address that is common to mobile end stations of the group and is associated with a subscription-based service that is provided to the mobile end stations in the group by a server, the method comprising:

routing IP traffic associated with the service through a wireless communication network to the group of mobile end stations in accordance with a point-to-multipoint communications scheme, the IP traffic provided to the group of mobile end stations containing the group IP address;

determining that a further mobile end station is to join the group and be added as a subscriber to the subscription-based service; and

adding the group IP address to the further mobile end station by using a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) manager that is located remotely from the further mobile end station to modify a variable stored in an SNMP agent to indicate that the further mobile end station is to receive IP traffic associated with the subscription-based service provided to the group of mobile end stations containing the group IP address, the SNMP agent provided in the further mobile end station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said adding step includes modifying the variable from a first value to a second value that differs from the first value and that corresponds to the group IP address.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing within each of the mobile end stations of the group a list of applications from which each such mobile end station is permitted to accept communication.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said providing step includes using the SNMP manager that is located remotely from the group of mobile end stations to modify variables in respective SNMP agents provided in the respective mobile end stations.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining that one of the mobile end stations is to leave the group and be deleted as a subscriber to the service; and

removing the group IP address from that one mobile end station without manually accessing the one mobile end station, to prevent the IP traffic from being routed to that one mobile end station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said removing step includes using the SNMP manager that is located remotely from the one mobile end station to modify a variable in an SNMP agent provided in the one mobile end station.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a service parameter associated with the service in at least one of the mobile end stations of the group, the service parameter for controlling the at least one mobile end station'"'"'s access to a portion of the IP traffic directed to the group of mobile end stations; and

modifying the service parameter stored in the at least one mobile end station to modify the service accessible by the at least one mobile end station.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said modifying step includes using the SNMP manager that is located remotely from the at least one mobile end station to modify the service parameter stored in an SNMP agent in the at least one mobile end station.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the mobile end stations is one of an interactive pager, a mobile telephone, a mobile terminal, a computer, and a radio modem.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is one of stock market reporting, weather reporting and motor vehicle tracking services.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the server accesses the wireless network via the Internet.

12. A method of managing a group of mobile end stations each of which contains a group Internet Protocol (IP) address that is common the mobile end stations of the group and is associated with a subscription-based service that is provided to the mobile end stations in the group by a server, the method comprising:

routing IP traffic associated with the service through a wireless communication network to the group of mobile end stations in accordance with a point-to-multipoint communications scheme, the IP traffic provided to the group of mobile end stations containing the group IP address;

determining that one of the mobile end stations is to leave the group and be deleted as a subscriber to the service; and

removing the group IP address from the one mobile end station by using a Simple Network Protocol Manager (SNMP) that is located remotely from the one mobile end station to modify a variable stored in an SNMP agent to indicate that the one mobile end station is not to receive IP traffic associated with subscription-based service provided to the group of mobile end stations containing the group IP address, the SNMP agent provided in the one mobile end station.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said removing step includes modifying the variable from a first value that corresponds to the group IP address to a second value that differs from the first value.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of providing within each of the mobile end stations a list of applications from which that mobile end station is permitted to accept communication.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said providing step includes using the SNMP manager that is located remotely from the mobile end stations to modify variables in respective SNMP agents provided in the respective mobile end stations.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

storing a service parameter associated with the subscription-based service in at least one of the mobile end stations of the group, the service parameter for controlling the at least one mobile end station'"'"'s access to a portion of the IP traffic directed to the group IP address; and

modifying the service parameter stored in the at least one mobile end station to modify the service accessible by the at least one mobile end station.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said modifying step includes using the SNMP manager that is located remotely from the at least one mobile end station to modify the service parameter stored in an SNMP agent in the at least one mobile end station.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the mobile end stations is one of an interactive pager, a mobile telephone, a mobile terminal, a radio modem, and a computer.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the service is one of stock market reporting, weather reporting and motor vehicle tracking services.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the server accesses the wireless network via the Internet.

21. A mobile end station for use with a wireless communication network and having a network address assigned thereto by the wireless communication network for routing communications thereto via the wireless communication network, the mobile end station comprising:

a memory for storing therein a group Internet Protocol (IP) address that is common to a group of mobile end stations and is associated with a subscription-based service that is provided to the group of mobile end stations by a server, the server delivering the subscription-based service by routingy IP traffic associated with the subscription-based service through the wireless communication network to the group of mobile end stations containing the group IP address in accordance with a point-to-multipoint communication scheme, the IP traffic delivered to the group of mobile end stations containing the group IP address;

an input for permitting said group IP address to be stored in and removed from said memory via the wireless communication network in response to a signal from a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) manager; and

an SNMP Agent accessible from said input for communicating with the SNMP manager, said memory associated with said SNMP Agent.

27. The mobile end station according to claim 21, wherein said memory stores a second group IP address common to a second group of mobile end stations and is associated with a second subscription-based service that is provided to the second group of mobile end stations.

28. The mobile end station according to claim 21, wherein said memory stores a plurality of group IP addresses, each of the plurality of group IP addresses associated with a distinct service and common to a distinct group of mobile end stations.

22. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a wireless communication network;

a plurality of mobile end stations coupled to said wireless communication network and having respective network addresses assigned thereto by said wireless communication network for routing communications thereto via the wireless communication network;

a host server coupled to said wireless communication network for providing a subscription-based service to a group of mobile end stations via said wireless communication network, each mobile end station of said group having stored therein a group Internet Protocol (IP) address that is common to all mobile end stations of said group and is associated with the subscription-based service;

each mobile end station of said group including a memory for storing said group IP address therein, said host server operable for providing said service to any of said mobile end stations having said group IP address stored therein by routing IP traffic associated with the subscription-based service through said wireless communication network to said mobile end stations in accordance with a point-to-multipoint communication scheme, the IP traffic delivered to the group of mobile end stations containing the group IP address; and

a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) manager coupled by said wireless communication network to said mobile end stations and operable to store said group IP address in said mobile end stations and remove said group IP address from said mobile end stations without manually accessing said mobile end stations.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said mobile end stations each include an SNMP agent which cooperates with said SNMP manager, said memory of each said mobile end station associated with said SNMP agent of said mobile end station.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said host server includes said SNMP manager.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said host server is coupled to said wireless communication network by the Internet.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein said SNMP manager is in said wireless communication network.

29. The mobile end station according to claim 22, wherein said memory stores a second group IP address common to a second group of mobile end stations and is associated with a second subscription-based service that is provided to the second group of mobile end stations.

30. The mobile end station according to claim 22, wherein said memory stores a plurality of group IP addresses, each of the plurality of group IP addresses associated with a distinct service and common to a distinct group of mobile end stations.