Method and apparatus for communicating data packets from an external packet network to a mobile radio station

• US 6,469,998 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Burgaleta Salinas, Alberto, Cobo Esteban, Miguel, Herber, Thorsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Application Number:
  US09/166,778
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/352, 370/389, 370/395, 370/401, 370/400, 370/402, 370/403, 370/480, 370/465, 370/338, 370/341, 370/349, 370/428, 370/468, 370/337, 370/347, 370/346, 370/345, 370/350, 455/422, 455/450, 455/452, 455/453, 455/428, 455/560, 455/554
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5053 Lease time; Renewal aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• 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 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Packet data are efficiently communicated from a packet data network to a mobile subscriber by way of a mobile communications network. When the mobile communications network receives a message from the packet data network intended for the mobile subscriber, an available mobile communications network packet address is dynamically assigned from a pool of packet addresses to the mobile subscriber. Thereafter, packets included in the data message are routed to the mobile subscriber using that dynamically-allocated address. When the address is no longer needed, it is returned to the pool. Each packet address in the pool includes a corresponding indication that designates whether that address is allocated or available for allocation. A correspondence is established between a name associated with the mobile subscriber (e.g., an Internet domain name), and a mobile subscriber identifier (e.g., an IMSI). A dynamically-assigned packet address is associated with the corresponding mobile subscriber name and identifier. Thereafter, packet data from the packet data network that include the mobile station name are directed to the mobile subscriber using the corresponding mobile subscriber identifier and the associated, dynamically-allocated packet address.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data from a packet data network station to a mobile communication station by way of a mobile communications network that includes a base station for radio communication with the mobile station, comprising:

receiving at the mobile communications network a message from the packet network intended for the mobile station;

the packet data network requesting assignment of a mobile communications network packet address for the mobile station;

in response to the request from the packet data network, dynamically assigning an available mobile communications network packet address to the mobile station; and

routing packets in the data message to the mobile station using the dynamically-assigned packet address.

2. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a list of dynamically-assigned packet addresses, each dynamically-assigned packet address having a corresponding indication in the list designating whether the dynamically-assigned packet address is allocated or available for allocation.

3. The method in claim 2, further comprising:

when a packet address from the list is allocated to the mobile subscriber, changing its corresponding indication from available to allocated, and

when a the dynamically-assigned packet address is returned, changing its corresponding indication in the list from allocated to available.

4. A method for communicating data from a packet data network to a mobile station associated with a mobile subscriber by way of a mobile communications network that includes a base station for radio communication with the mobile station, comprising:

electronically establishing a correspondence between a mobile subscriber name associated with the mobile subscriber and an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI);

electronically associating a packet data address with the corresponding mobile subscriber name and IMSI; and

directing packets from the packet data network to the mobile station using the packet address associated with the corresponding mobile subscriber name and IMSI.

5. The method in claim 4, wherein the mobile subscriber name is an Internet domain name.

6. The method in claim 4, further comprising:

the packet data network requesting association of a packet data address with the corresponding mobile subscriber name and IMSI.

7. The method in claim 4, further comprising:

storing a first electronic list of plural correspondences between a mobile subscription associated with the IMSI and one or more associated domain names each associated with a packet data address.

8. The method in claim 7, further comprising:

storing in the first electronic list two different names associated with the mobile station in correspondence with the IMSI, and

storing in the first electronic list a different temporary packet address associated with each of the two different names.

9. The method in claim 8, further comprising:

storing a second electronic list packet data addresses and corresponding status indicators,

changing a state of status indicators when a corresponding packet data addresses is allocated or de-allocated.

10. The method in claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a message from the packet data network intended for the mobile subscriber;

assigning an available packet address from the second electronic list to the mobile subscriber;

storing the assigned packet address from the second electronic list in the first electronic list in association with the mobile subscriber name and the LMSI.

11. The method in claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether the associated packet address is a static address assigned to only one mobile subscriber or a dynamic address that may be assigned to different mobile subscribers at different times.

12. A method for communicating data from a packet data network to a mobile station by way of a mobile communications network that includes a base station for radio communication with the mobile station, comprising:

receiving at the mobile communications network a domain name service query associated with the mobile station from the packet data network;

in response to the domain name service query from the packet data network, requesting a packet address for the mobile station;

selecting from a pool of packet addresses a packet address to be temporarily associated with the mobile subscriber; and

providing, as a response to the domain name service query from the packet data network, the temporary packet address to permit a packet communication to be directed to the mobile subscriber.

13. The method in claim 12, wherein the mobile communications network includes a gateway node interfacing a packet data network, the method further comprising:

routing data packet information that includes the temporary packet address received at the gateway node to the mobile station.

14. The method in claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the mobile subscriber no longer needs the temporary packet address, and

indicating that the temporary packet address is available for allocation to another mobile subscriber.

15. The method in claim 12, further comprising:

storing a correspondence between a domain name associated with the mobile subscriber included in the domain name service query and a mobile subscriber identifier, and

storing the temporary packet address with the corresponding mobile subscriber domain name and identifier.

16. The method in claim 15, further comprising:

storing one or more different domain names associated with the mobile subscriber in correspondence with the mobile station identifier, and

storing a different temporary packet address for each of the different domain names.

17. The method in claim 12, further comprising:

detecting in the mobile communications network a mobile subscriber domain name associated with one or more protocol data units (PDUs) provided from the external packet data network to be received at the mobile subscriber, and

directing the PDUs to the mobile subscriber using the detected mobile subscriber domain name.

18. The method in claim 17, further comprising:

assigning a temporary packet address to the mobile subscriber'"'"'s domain name,

wherein the PDUs are directed to the mobile subscriber using the detected domain name and the assigned temporary address.

19. The method in claim 17, further comprising:

using an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) to associate the PDUs with the mobile subscriber.

20. In a cellular telecommunications system including a base station for conducting radio communications with a mobile station and a gateway service node including a gateway controller coupled to the base station and an external packet data network, a mobile radio packet-switched network, comprising:

a domain name server, associated with the gateway service node, for receiving a domain name service query from the external packet data network, and

a dynamic packet address controller for receiving a request for a packet address from the domain name server, assigning a temporary packet address to the mobile station, and providing the temporary packet address to the domain name server,

wherein the domain name server returns the temporary packet address to the external packet data network in response to the domain name service query.

21. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 20, wherein the domain name server is located in the gateway node.

22. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 20, wherein the domain name server is located outside of the gateway node.

23. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 20, wherein the dynamic packet address controller is located in the gateway node.

24. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 20, wherein the dynamic packet address controller includes a memory for storing a first list establishing a correspondence between a domain name associated with the mobile subscriber, a mobile subscriber identifier, and a packet address.

25. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 23, wherein the dynamic packet address controller stores a second list of dynamically-assignable packet data addresses each having a current status indicator, the dynamic packet address controller being configured to assign as the temporary address one of the dynamically-assignable packet data addresses in the second electronic list having a current status indicator of available.

26. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 25, wherein when its corresponding packet data address is allocated or de-allocated, the dynamic packet address controller is configured to change the state of a corresponding status indicator in the second list.

27. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 24, wherein the first list stores one or more different domain names associated with the mobile station in correspondence with the mobile subscriber identifier and a different temporary packet address for each of the different domain names.

28. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 24, wherein the mobile identifier is an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI).

29. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 20, wherein the mobile radio packet-switched network is coupled to a service supporting node, which is coupled to the base station, for directing packets with the temporary packet address from the gateway service node to the base station.

30. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 20, wherein when the mobile subscriber no longer needs the temporary packet address, the dynamic packet address controller is configured to make the temporary address available for temporary allocation to another mobile subscriber.

31. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 20, wherein after the mobile subscriber is assigned the temporary address, the gateway controller is configured to direct protocol data units (PDUs) received from the packet data network that include the temporary packet address towards the mobile subscriber.

32. The mobile radio packet-switched network in claim 31, wherein the gateway controller initiates a data session with the mobile station using the temporary address.