Inter-working function selection system in a network

• US 6,393,482 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1998
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rai, Girish, Chuah, Mooi, Parsons, Philip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/138,905
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/224, 709/223, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/200, 709/201, 709/220, 709/227, 709/228, 709/238, 709/239, 709/245, 713/201
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• 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: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0038 of security context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

An inter-working function selection system in a coupled data network is disclosed. The coupled data network includes a foreign network and a home network. The foreign network includes a foreign mobile switching center with a serving registration server. The home network includes a home mobile switching center with a home registration server and a plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions. A first end system is a subscriber to the home network and operates within the foreign network. The first end system includes an end registration agent to form a registration request, the end registration agent sending the registration request through the serving registration server to the home registration server, the home registration server including a module to select an active home inter-working function from the plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions based on the registration request.

Claims

1. A coupled data network comprising:

a foreign network that includes a foreign mobile switching center with a serving registration server;

a home network that includes a home mobile switching center with a home registration server and a plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions;

a first end system subscribed to the home network and operating within the foreign network, the first end system including an end registration agent to form a registration request, the end registration agent sending the registration request through the serving registration server to the home registration server, the home registration server including a module to select an active home inter-working function from the plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions based on the registration request; and

the serving and home registration servers directly interacting in performing registration while the home inter-working functions perform message routing.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the serving inter-working function is regarded as an active serving inter-working function;

the foreign network further includes a plurality of serving inter-working functions; and

the serving registration server includes a module to select the active serving inter-working function from the plurality of serving inter-working functions based on the registration request.

3. The network of claim 2, wherein:

the registration request includes quality of service information; and

the home registration server includes a module to control the selection of the active home inter-working function based on the quality of service information.

4. The network of claim 3, wherein the quality of service information specifies a request for one of constant bit rate service, real time variable bit rate service, non-real time variable bit rate service, unspecified bit rate service and available bit rate service.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the foreign network is authorized to host the first end system.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the first end system is authorized to receive services of the home network.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the serving registration server includes a module to authenticate that the first end system is a subscriber of the home network.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the registration request includes service type information; and

the home registration server includes a module to control the selection of the active home inter-working function based on the service type information.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein the service type information specifies a request for one of public internet service and private intranet service.

10. The network of claim 8, wherein the service type information specifies a request for one of mobile service and fixed service.

11. The network of claim 8, wherein

the foreign network includes a foreign base station with a foreign access hub, the foreign access hub including a first serving inter-working function;

a first message being transportable between the first end system and a first communications server through a first home inter-working function and through the first serving inter-working function of the foreign access hub in the foreign base station.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein the first message is transportable from the first end system through the first home inter-working function to the first communications server.

13. The network of claim 11, wherein the first mobile end system includes a wireless modem coupleable to the foreign access hub.

14. The network of claim 11, wherein the home network includes a home mobile switching center, the first home inter-working function being included in the home mobile switching center.

15. The network of claim 11, further comprising:

a second end system subscribed to the home network and operating as a fixed end system within the home network; and

a home base station that includes a home access hub with a second home inter-working function, a second message being transportable between the second end system and a second communications server through the second home inter-working function.

16. The network of claim 11, further comprising:

a second end system subscribed to the home network and operating as a mobile end system within the home network;

a home mobile switching center having a second home inter-working function, the first home inter-working function being included in the home mobile switching center; and

a home base station that includes a home access hub with a second serving inter-working function, a second message being transportable between the second end system and a second communications server through the second serving inter-working function and through the second home inter-working function.

17. The network of claim 11, wherein the first home inter-working function includes a home accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first home inter-working function.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein:

the home network further includes a home mobile switching center that includes a home accounting server; and

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a home accounting server.

19. The network of claim 18, wherein:

the home network further includes a home billing processor; and

the home accounting server includes a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the home accounting server.

20. The network of claim 19, wherein:

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the first serving inter-working function includes a foreign accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

21. The network of claim 11, wherein:

the home network further includes a home billing processor;

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the first serving inter-working function includes a foreign accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

22. The network of claim 8, wherein

the foreign network includes a base station with an access hub, the access hub including a serving inter-working function, the serving inter-working function including a foreign accounting collection module,

one of the home inter-working functions including a home accounting collection module, and

the end system subscribes to the wireless data network and is coupleable to the foreign access hub, the home and serving accounting collection modules collecting accounting data on message traffic transported between the end system and a communications server through the home inter-working function and through the serving inter-working function.

23. The network of claim 22, wherein the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported from the end system through the home inter-working function to the communications server.

24. The network of claim 22, wherein:

the foreign mobile switching center includes a foreign accounting server; and

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server.

25. The network of claim 22, wherein:

the home mobile switching center includes a home accounting server;

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the home accounting server.

26. The network of claim 25, wherein:

the home network further includes a home billing processor; and

the home accounting server includes a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the home accounting server.

27. The network of claim 26, wherein:

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module further including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

28. The network of claim 22, wherein:

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module further including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

29. The network of claim 22, wherein:

the foreign mobile switching center includes a foreign accounting server;

the home mobile switching center includes a home accounting server;

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a foreign accounting server; and

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a home accounting server.

30. The network of claim 1, wherein:

the registration request includes quality of service information; and

the home registration server includes a module to control the selection of the active home inter-working function based on the quality of service information.

31. The network of claim 30, wherein the quality of service information specifies a request for one of constant bit rate service, real time variable bit rate service, non-real time variable bit rate service, unspecified bit rate service and available bit rate service.

32. The network of claim 1, wherein

the foreign network includes a base station, the base station including an access hub with a serving inter-working function, and

a message being transportable between the end system and the home inter-working function through the serving inter-working function using a protocol that ensures in sequence delivery of data packets.

33. The network of claim 1, wherein said end system is a roaming end system.

34. The coupled data network of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting apparatus in the first end system which selects a PPP server closest to the selected inter-working function for route optimization of messages.

35. A data network coupled to a foreign network that includes a foreign mobile switching center with a serving registration server, the data network comprising:

a home network that includes a home mobile switching center with a home registration server and a plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions;

a first end system subscribed to the home network and operating within the foreign network, the first end system including an end registration agent to form a registration request, the end registration agent sending the registration request through the serving registration server to the home registration server, the home registration server including a module to select an active home inter-working function from the plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions based on the registration request; and

the serving and home registration servers directly interacting in performing registration while the home inter-working functions performing message routing.

36. The network of claim 35, wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the foreign network is authorized to host the first end system.

37. The network of claim 35, wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the first end system is authorized to receive services of the home network.

38. The network of claim 35, wherein:

the registration request includes service type information; and

the home registration server includes a module to control the selection of the active home inter-working function based on the service type information.

39. The network of claim 38, wherein the service type information specifies a request for one of public internet service and private intranet service.

40. The network of claim 38, wherein the service type information specifies a request for one of mobile service and fixed service.

41. The network of claim 35, wherein:

the registration request includes quality of service information; and

the home registration server includes a module to control the selection of the active home inter-working function based on the quality of service information.

42. The network of claim 41, wherein the quality of service information specifies a request for one of constant bit rate service, real time variable bit rate service, non-real time variable bit rate service, unspecified bit rate service and available bit rate service.

43. The network of claim 41, wherein the foreign network includes a foreign base station with a foreign access hub, the foreign access hub including a first serving inter-working function, and

a first message being transportable between the first end system and a first communications server through a first home inter-working function and through the first serving inter-working function of the foreign access hub in the foreign base station.

44. The network of claim 43, wherein the first message is transportable from the first mobile end system through the first home inter-working function to the first communications server.

45. The network of claim 43, wherein the home network includes a home mobile switching center, the first home inter-working function being included in the home mobile switching center.

46. The network of claim 43, further comprising:

a second end system subscribed to the home network and operating as a fixed end system within the home network; and

a home base station that includes a home access hub with a second home inter-working function, a second message being transportable between the second end system and a second communications server through the second home inter-working function.

47. The network of claim 43, further comprising:

a second end system subscribed to the home network and operating as a mobile end system within the home network;

a home mobile switching center having a second home inter-working function, the first home inter-working function being included in the home mobile switching center; and

a home base station that includes a home access hub with a second serving inter-working function, a second message being transportable between the second end system and a second communications server through the second serving inter-working function and through the second home inter-working function.

48. The network of claim 43, wherein the first home inter-working function includes a home accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first home inter-working function.

49. The network of claim 48, wherein:

the home network further includes a home mobile switching center that includes a home accounting server; and

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a home accounting server.

50. The network of claim 49, wherein:

the home network further includes a billing processor; and

the home accounting server includes a module to send accounting reports to the billing processor, the billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the home accounting server.

51. The network of claim 50, wherein:

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the first serving inter-working function includes a foreign accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

52. The network of claim 43, wherein:

the home network further includes a home billing processor;

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the first serving inter-working function includes a foreign accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

53. The network of claim 41, wherein the foreign network includes a base station with an access hub, the access hub including a serving inter-working function, the serving inter-working function including a serving accounting collection module,

one of the home inter-working function including a home accounting collection module, and

the home and serving accounting collection modules collecting accounting data on message traffic transported between the end system and a communications server through the home inter-working function and through the serving inter-working function.

54. The network of claim 53, wherein the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported from the end system through the home inter-working function to the communications server.

55. The network of claim 53, wherein:

the home mobile switching center includes a home accounting server;

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the home accounting server.

56. The network of claim 55, wherein:

the home network further includes a home billing processor; and

the home accounting server includes a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the home accounting server.

57. The network of claim 56, wherein:

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module further including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

58. The network of claim 53, wherein:

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module further including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

59. The network of claim 53, wherein:

the foreign mobile switching center includes a foreign accounting server;

the home mobile switching center includes a home accounting server;

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a foreign accounting server; and

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a home accounting server.

60. The network of claim 35, wherein the foreign network includes a base station that includes an access hub with a serving inter-working function,

a message being transportable between the end system and the home inter-working function through the serving inter-working function using a protocol that ensures in sequence delivery of data packets.

61. The data network of claim 35 further comprising:

selecting apparatus in the first end system which selects a PPP server closest to the selected inter-working function for route optimization of messages.

62. A home network for use in a data network coupled to a foreign network that includes a foreign mobile switching center with a serving registration server, and

a first end system subscribed to the home network and operating within the foreign network, the first end system including an end registration agent to form a registration request, the end registration agent sending the registration request through the serving registration server to the home registration server, comprising:

a home network that includes a home mobile switching center with a home registration server and a plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions;

the home registration server including a module to select an active home inter-working function from the plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions based on the registration request; and

the serving and home registration servers directly interacting in performing registration while the home inter-working functions performing message routing.

63. The network of claim 62, wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the foreign network is authorized to host the first end system.

64. The network of claim 62, wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the first end system is authorized to receive services of the home network.

65. The home network of claim 62 further comprising:

selecting apparatus in the first end system which selects a PPP server closest to the selected inter-working function for route optimization of messages.