Radius-based mobile internet protocol (IP) address-to-mobile identification number mapping for wireless communication

• US 6,466,571 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UTStarcom Incorporated (UTStarcom Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dynarski, Richard J., Xu, Yingchun, Harper, Matthew, Bezaitis, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green, Miguel D.
• Application Number:
  US09/233,401
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 455/567, 455/436, 455/461, 455/432, 455/433, 455/440, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/225, 709/249, 370/338, 370/352, 370/401, 370/389, 340/7.29
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A method of finding a mobile wireless communications device when an Internet Protocol (IP) packet from a remote user is sent to the device over an IP network. The mobile device does not have to register with the IP network in order to receive the IP. The method comprises the steps of receiving the IP packet at a home agent associated with a wireless communications network. The IP packet includes an IP address assigned to the device. If there is no current mobility binding record for the mobile device, instead of dropping the packet the home agent sends an access-request packet, containing the IP address, to an authentication server. The authentication server, e.g., a RADIUS server, maintains a table mapping the IP address for the device to an identification number uniquely associated with the device, such as the device'"'"'s International Mobile Subscriber Identity number. The authentication server sends an access-accept packet to the home agent in the event that the device is authorized to receive the IP packet, in which case the access-accept packet includes the identification information. The home agent uses the identification number to locate, page and automatically connect the wireless device to the IP network via an InterWorking Unit (IWU) configured as a IP network access server.

Claims

1. A method of finding a mobile wireless communications device when an Internet Protocol (IP) packet from a remote user over an IP network is sent to said device, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a home agent associated with a wireless communications network, said IP packet, said IP packet including an IP address assigned to said device;

sending an access-request packet from said home agent to an authentication server, said access-request packet containing said IP address;

maintaining a table at said authentication server mapping said IP address for said device to an identification number uniquely associated with said device, said authentication server sending an access-accept packet to said home agent in the event that said device is authorized to receive said IP packet, in which case said access-accept packet includes said identification information;

in response to the receipt of said access-accept packet, said home agent cooperating with a mobile node location server to either locate said device in the event that the current location of said mobile device is known or cause a page of said device in the event that the current location of said device is not known to thereby alert said device that an incoming call has been received to thereby prompt said device to initiate communication between said device and said remote user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said identification number comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said identification number further comprises an Electronic Serial Number (ESN) associated with said communications device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said mobile communications device comprises a laptop computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of paging said device in the event that said device is authorized to receive said IP packet.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said device is paged through said wireless network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said device is paged through a Signaling System 7 (SS7) network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said authorization server comprises a RADIUS server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said authorization server is connected to said home agent via a local area network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said home agent further comprises a router coupled between said local area network and a wide area network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises the step of initiating a page of said device with a network access server connected to said home agent and said RADIUS server over a local area network, and wherein said mobile device becomes connected to said IP network via said network access server in response to said page.