System and method for communicating between a mobile station and a network using address assignment

• US 6,603,763 B1
• Filed: 04/28/1998
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Koshino, Katsuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US09/066,909
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 370/312, 370/315, 370/328, 370/338, 370/351, 370/389, 370/392, 370/400, 370/401, 370/409, 370/428, 370/912, 370/913, 379/912, 379/913, 455/422, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/445, 455/446, 455/461, 709/245, 713/154
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• 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

In a communication method between the Internet and a mobile station, when transmitting an outgoing signal to the Internet, a private address is assigned to the mobile station which has transmitted the outgoing signal to a switching device. The private address is selected from a group of private addresses uniquely assigned to the switching device. A first correspondence of the private address and the ID number of the mobile station is stored. After converting the private address to a unique network address as a source address, a second correspondence of the unique network address and the private address is stored. The first and second correspondences are used to transfer an incoming signal received from the Internet to the mobile station through a switching device.

Claims

1. A communication method between a mobile station and a network which requires a unique network address for each terminal, the mobile station having an identification number assigned thereto in a mobile communications system including a plurality of mobile communication switching devices, the method comprising the steps of:

in response to a communication request signal,

a) assigning a private address to the mobile station which has transmitted an outgoing signal to a mobile communication switching device, wherein the private address is selected from a group of predetermined private addresses uniquely assigned to the mobile communication switching device;

b) storing a first correspondence of the private address and the identification number of the mobile station,

when transmitting the outgoing signal to the network,

c) converting the private address to a unique network address as a source address; and

d) storing a second correspondence of the unique network address and the private address, and

when receiving an incoming signal from the network, the incoming signal having the unique network address as a destination address,

e) converting the unique network address to the private address according to the second correspondence; and

f) transferring the incoming signal to the mobile station through a mobile communication switching device based on the first correspondence, wherein the step f) comprises the steps of;

selecting a first mobile communication switching device corresponding to the private address according to the first correspondence;

transferring the incoming signal to the first mobile communication switching device;

determining whether the mobile station can communicate with the first mobile communication switching device;

transferring the incoming signal to the mobile station through the first mobile communication switching device when it is determined that the mobile station can communicate with the first mobile communication switching device;

searching for a second mobile communication switching device which can currently communicate with the mobile station when it is determined that the mobile station cannot communicate with the first mobile communication switching device;

transferring the incoming signal from the first mobile communication switching device to the second mobile communication switching device; and

transferring the incoming signal from the second mobile communication switching device to the mobile station.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the incoming signal is transferred from the first mobile communication switching device to the second mobile communication switching device without accessing a table outside of the first mobile communication switching device.

3. A communication method between a mobile station and a network which requires a unique network address for each terminal, the mobile station having an identification number assigned thereto in a mobile communications system including a plurality of mobile communication switching devices, the method comprising the steps of:

in response to a communication request signal,

a) instructing the mobile station which has transmitted the communication request signal to a mobile communication switching device to use a private address as a source address of an outgoing signal, wherein the private address is assigned to the mobile station and is selected from a group of predetermined private addresses uniquely assigned to the mobile communication switching device;

when transmitting the outgoing signal to the network,

b) converting the private address to a unique network address as the source address to transmit the outgoing signal to the network when receiving the outgoing signal having the private address as the source address;

c) storing a first correspondence of the private address and the identification number of the mobile station and a second correspondence of the private address and the unique network address so that the first and second correspondences are used to transfer an incoming signal from the network to the mobile station;

d) receiving the incoming signal having a unique network address as a destination address from the network;

e) selecting a first mobile communication switching device corresponding to a private address determined from the unique network address according to the second correspondence;

f) transferring the incoming signal to the first mobile communication switching device;

g) determining whether the mobile station can communicate with the first mobile communication switching device;

h) transferring the incoming signal to the mobile station through the first mobile communication switching device when it is determined that the mobile station can communicate with the first mobile communication switching device;

i) searching for a second mobile communication switching device which can currently communicate with the mobile station when it is determined that the mobile station cannot communicate with the first mobile communication switching device;

j) transferring the incoming signal from the first mobile communication switching device to the second mobile communication switching device; and

k) transferring the incoming signal from the second mobile communication switching device to the mobile station.

4. The communication system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a location register connected to the mobile communication switching devices, for registering location information of the mobile station,

wherein each of the mobile communication switching devices comprises;

a transfer controller for transferring the incoming signal to a selected mobile station and to another mobile communication switching device depending on whether the mobile station is located in the communications service area thereof.

5. The communication system according to claim 4, wherein the transfer controller determines whether the selected mobile station is located in a first communications service area of a first mobile communication switching device, wherein if it is determined that the selected mobile station is located in the first communications service area, then the transfer controller transfers the incoming signal to the selected mobile station through the first mobile communication switching device, and, if it is determined that the selected mobile station is not located in the first communications service area, then the transfer controller searches the location register for a second communications service area of a second mobile communication switching device and then transfers the incoming signal from the first mobile communication switching device to the second mobile communication switching device, and transfers the incoming signal from the second mobile communication switching device to the selected mobile station.

6. The communication method according to claim 3, wherein the incoming signal is transferred from the first mobile communication switching device to the second communication switching device without accessing a table outside of the first mobile communication switching device.

7. The communication system according to claim 4, wherein the transfer controller transfers the incoming signal to another mobile communication switching device without accessing a table outside of said each of the mobile communication switching devices.