Access for mobile terminals network

• US 6,529,484 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Roussel, Olivier, Quinquis, Jean-Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGREE, TRACY MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/388,096
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/451, 455/452, 455/509, 455/510, 455/454, 455/455, 455/515, 455/516, 370/310.2, 370/310.1, 370/328, 370/338, 370/329, 370/395, 370/469, 370/434, 370/437, 370/431, 370/331, 370/322, 370/349, 370/385, 370/397, 370/399, 370/395.21, 370/395.2, 370/395.3, 370/395.4, 370/395.6, 370/256, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/310.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5626 Network management, e.g. Intelligent nets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5687 Security aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

An access network for mobile terminals has a switching circuit (VCX) connected to at least one other external network and to a local access network (RLA) which has a number of radio terminals (BR) for providing communication with mobile terminals (MT). Set-up and release protocols provide for signaling channels and user channels between switching circuit (VCX) and a mobile terminal (MT). Security protocol (SSCOP) provides for the channels implemented by exchanging signaling messages at the level of switching circuit (VCX) and mobile terminals (MT). An adaptation server (ARX) intercepts the messages sent by the signaling protocols and implements the intercepted messages. Management protocols of the local access network (RLA) oversee set up and release of the signaling channels and the user channels and reserves corresponding radio resources for the signaling channels.

Claims

1. An access network for mobile terminals of the type which comprises:

a plurality of radio terminals (BR), a local access network (RLA), a switching circuit (VCX) connected, on the one hand, to at least one other external network and, on the other hand, to said local access network (RLA);

said local access network being connected to a number of said radio terminals (BR);

each of said terminals (BR) communicating by means of radio resources with mobile terminals (MT);

said access network being characterized therein that set-up and release protocols provide for establishing signaling channels and user channels between said switching circuit (VCX) and a mobile terminal (MT) and security protocols (SSCOP) of said channels are implemented, only at the level of said switching circuit (VCX) and said mobile terminals (MT), by exchanging signaling messages between said switching circuit (VCX) and said mobile terminals (MT), and an adaptation server (ARX) which is provided for intercepting, in a transparent manner, the messages sent by said setup and release protocols for implementing, dependent on the contents of said intercepted messages, management protocols of said local access network (RLA) in order to set up and release the signaling channels and the user channels in the said local access network and to reserve corresponding radio resources for said set up and release.

2. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, characterized therein that, when the switching circuit (VCX) receives a request for a connection (Setup) with a mobile terminal (MT) which is in the area covered by said local access network (RLA), a terminal paging protocol (PAGING) is initiated by said adaptation server (ARX) to which said mobile terminal (MT) responds by reserving the radio resources required for signaling traffic (RES_s) and by sending an acknowledgment message (PAGING_Ack), said server (ARX) determining virtual path identifiers and virtual circuit identifiers (VPI, VCI_sig) of a signaling channel in said local access network (RLA) and establishing said signaling channel.

3. An access network according to claim 2, characterized therein that, when said switching circuit (VCX) receives a request for a connection (Setup) with a mobile terminal (MT) which is in the area covered by said local access network (RLA), said switching circuit sends a release message for a security protocol (BEGIN);

an interception of said release message by said server (ARX) releasing said terminal paging protocol (PAGING), said mobile terminal (MT) transmitting an acknowledgment message (BEGIN_Ack) when said signaling channel is set up between said mobile terminal (MT) and said switching circuit (VCX).

4. An access network according to claim 3, characterized therein that, if the switching circuit (VCX) has not received an acknowledgment message (BEGIN_Ack) on expiration of a preset period of time, said switching circuit sends a new release message for the security protocol (BEGIN), the number of times that the switching circuiting circuit (VCX) resends the release messages for the security protocol (BEGIN) being limited.

5. An access network for mobile terminals according to the preceding claim 2, characterized therein that said network comprises a server (FIL) through which all of the signaling messages pass to said switching circuit (VCX), said server (FIL), on receipt of a message requesting a connection (Setup) with a mobile terminal (MT) which is in the area covered by said local access network (RLA), transmitting to the server (ARX) a message (ME) so that it releases said terminal-paging process (PAGING), said mobile terminal (MT) transmitting an acknowledgment message (BEGIN_Ack) when said signaling channel is set up between said mobile terminal (MT) and said switching circuit (VCX).

6. An access network for mobile terminals according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized therein that, when a mobile terminal (MT) which is in the area covered by said network makes a call, said network reserves the radio resources required for the signaling traffic (RES_s), and sends a message to request the connection (Req) to virtual path identifiers and virtual circuit sole adaptation server (ARX) which then determines the identifiers (VPI, VCI_sig) of a signaling channel in said local access network and sets up said signaling channel.

7. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, characterized therein that a connection request message (Req) contains a temporary logical address (@mobile) which was allocated to said mobile terminal (MT) when it was in a dormant state in the area covered by said local access network (RLA), said server (ARX), on receipt of said message (Req), establishing a correspondence between said logical address (@mobile) and identifiers (VPI, VCI_sig) of said signaling channel.

8. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 7, characterized therein that at an end of the set-up of said signaling channel, a security protocol (SSCOP) for security of the connection between the switching circuiting circuit (VCX) and said mobile terminal (MT) is released.

9. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 8, characterized therein that, when the signaling channel is set up in said local network (RLA) and after release of the security protocol (SSCOP), a protocol for setting up the connection at the user level is implemented, the adaptation server (ARX) intercepting the messages sent by said protocol in order to reserve the radio resources required for the user traffic and setting up a user channel in said local access network (RLA).

10. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 1, characterized therein that said local access network (RLA) comprises a distribution network (RD) connected, for its connection to the switching circuit (VCX) to a virtual path mixer (PONT), said adaptation server (ARX) being shunt-connected with said mixer (PONT) in such a way that only the cells having heading specific channel identifiers or signaling channel identifiers at the level of said switching circuit (VCX) or at the level of said mobile terminals (MT), pass through said adaptation server (ARX).

11. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 10, characterized therein that a permanent point-to-point channel is established between each radio terminal (BR) and the adaptation server (ARX) for transmitting cells having message for requesting a connection (Req) coming from said calling mobile terminal (MT) located in a corresponding area covered by the radio terminal (BR) or the cells having an acknowledgment message for paging the terminal (PAGING_Ack.).

12. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 11, characterized therein that a permanent virtual path is established between the adaptation server (ARX) and each radio terminal (BR) for the transmission of cells having the acknowledgment message for setting up a signaling channel (E_Ack), said cells having a virtual circuit identifier equal to the virtual circuit identifier (VCI_sig) of said signaling channel.

13. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 12, characterized therein that a permanent point-to-multipoint channel is established between the adaptation server (ARX) and the radio terminals (BR) of said network for distributing a terminal-paging message (PAGING).

14. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 13, characterized therein that, when said adaptation server (ARX) intercepts a release message (Release) coming either from the switching circuit (VCX) or from a mobile terminal (MT), said adaptation server (ARX) commands the release of the partial connections in the local access network (RLA) and radio resources.

15. An access network for mobile terminals according to claim 14, characterized therein that said network comprises means for concealing, for a preset period of time, the release message of the security protocol (BEGIN) sent by the switching circuit (VCX) or a mobile terminal (MT), once the signaling channel has been released.