Wireless access of packet based networks

• US 6,842,462 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Netravali, Arun Narayan, Haner, Mark, Foster, Gerard Terence, Salgarelli, Luca, Varadhan, Kannan, La Porta, Thomas F., Ramjee, Ramachandran
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US09/466,485
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/231, 370/236.2, 370/328, 370/331, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/360, 370/389, 370/395.52, 370/401, 370/402, 370/466, 370/467, 370/465, 370/338, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/436, 455/439
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Accessed Extended Mobile Internet Protocol (EMIP) [G-EMIP] network is provided for wireless mobile device access to external packet data networks. Domains are defined to incorporate a subnet of standard GPRS and EMIP network entities accessed through a Domain Router. Packet access at the radio interface is provided using the base station portion of a GPRS network. Wireless link specific processing is relegated to this potion of the G-EMIP network. EMIP is utilized as a backbone network to provide mobility and service management and interconnection to external networks. A GPRS-IP Interworking entity (GII) interworks IP and GPRS protocols between GPRS and IP addressable network entities (i.e., translates messages of each protocol to corresponding messages of the other protocol). Mobility-related functionality is handled at the IP (network) layer. Mobile IP is used to support the macro-mobility and Handoff-Aware Wireless Access Internet Infrastructure (HAWAII) is used to support micro-mobility and paging. The Domain Router provides packet service management and interacts with a Home Location Register/Authentication Center, which provides GRPS registration, authentication and encryption.

Claims

1. A network for providing a mobile device with wireless access to an external network, said network comprising:

at least one base station comprising a base station controller having a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) address accessed utilizing a first protocol, and

one or more base transceiver stations interconnected with said base station controller, each of said base transceiver stations providing an air interface to a mobile device;

one or more interworking entities, each entity using a GPRS address and accessed utilizing said first protocol and having an Internet Protocol (IP) address and accessed utilizing a second protocol and interconnected to one or more base stations including the at least one base station and comprising a receiver for receiving a message in the first protocol and for receiving a message in the second protocol, a processor for translating said message in said first protocol into a corresponding message in said second protocol and for translating said message in said second protocol into a corresponding message in said first protocol, said processor mapping said GRPS address to an Internet Protocol (IP) address and mapping said IP address to said GPRS address, and a transmitter for transmitting said corresponding message in said first protocol and for transmitting said corresponding message in said second protocol;

a router interconnected with each of said interworking entities, said router having an IP address and accessed utilizing said second protocol, said router providing a connection to an external network and providing mobility support for a mobile device according to said second protocol, said router further comprising a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server for assigning a dynamic address of said IP address to said mobile device, and a home IP agent; and

a home location register/authentication center interconnected with said router, said home location register/authentication center providing authentication, registration and encryption for said mobile device attached to the at least one base station wherein said base station, interworking entities and router comprise a first domain and are operable to update associated routing tables utilizing path setup messages said center further and assigning a dynamic address of said GPRS address to said mobile device when said mobile device first attaches to said network.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein said external network is selected from the group consisting of packet-based networks, Internet Protocol-based networks, Public Switched Telephone Networks and Integrated Services Digital Networks.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein said first protocol and said second protocol are selected from the group consisting of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Mobile Internet Protocol (MIP).

4. A method of providing wireless access to a packet-based network, said method comprising the steps of:

defining a first domain, said first domain including a first group of base stations and interworking entities and a router, said base stations addressed according to a first protocol, said router addressed according to a second protocol, said interworking entities addressed according to said first protocol and said second protocol;

providing a home agent for a mobile device within said first domain;

providing a home location register/authentication center interconnected with said first domain to provide authentication, registration and encryption for said mobile device;

assigning an IP address of said second protocol and a GPRS address of said first protocol to said mobile device, said GPRS address and said IP address utilized for delivery of a plurality of packets to said mobile device when said mobile device is attached to said packet-based network through said first domain;

delivering said plurality of packets in said second protocol to one of said interworking entities addressed by said IP address;

interworking said plurality of packets from said second protocol to a corresponding plurality of packets in said first protocol addressed to said GPRS address wherein said step of interworking includes the steps of;

checking a Quality of Service of a signaling message of said first protocol that has been delivered to one of said interworking entities;

determining a corresponding message of said second protocol;

encapsulating a signaling message of said first protocol in said corresponding message of said second protocol, said corresponding message addressed to said IP address;

decapsulating said signaling message of said first protocol from a signaling message of said second protocol;

forwarding said signaling message of said first protocol; and

forwarding said corresponding message of said second protocol;

delivering said plurality of packets in said first protocol to one of said base stations addressed by said first address; and

updating routing table entries of said first group of base stations and the interworking entities and the router within said first domain utilizing path setup messages.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4 further including the steps of:

receiving, at said home agent, a third address for said mobile device when said mobile device is attached to said packet-based network through one of said base stations excluded from said first domain; and

tunneling said plurality of packets from said home agent to said third address for said mobile device if said mobile device is attached to said packet-based network through said base station excluded from said first domain.

6. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said step of interworking includes the steps of:

mapping a data message addressed to said GPRS address to a data message addressed to said IP address;

forming a corresponding data message of said first protocol addressed to said mobile device identified by said GPRS address;

forwarding said corresponding data message of said first protocol.

7. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein said step of interworking includes the steps of:

checking a Quality of Service of a data message of said first protocol that has been delivered to one of said interworking entities;

decapsulating a data message of said second protocol from said data message of said first protocol; and

forwarding said data message of said second protocol.

8. The method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising the step of:

utilizing Mobile Internet Protocol for supporting macro-mobility of said mobile device.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising the step of:

utilizing Handoff-Aware Wireless Access Internet Infrastructure (HAWAII) for supporting micro-mobility and paging of said mobile device.

10. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein a plurality of intermediate packet routers are included within said first domain to interconnect said interworking entities to said router over a wired portion of said packet-based network.

11. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said IP address continues to be utilized for delivery of said plurality of packets to said mobile device when said mobile device is handed off to any base station included within said first domain.

12. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said GPRS address is updated when said mobile device is handed off to any base station included within said first domain.

13. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said GPRS address and said IP address are associated with said mobile device for as long as said mobile device is attached to one of said base stations included within said first domain.

14. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the routing table entries corresponding to said GPRS address and said IP address at said first group of base stations and interworking entities and router are updated to forward said plurality of packets to said mobile device whenever said mobile device is attached to said packet-based network through one of said first group of base stations.

15. A method of providing wireless access to a packet-based network, said method comprising the steps of:

defining a domain, said domain including a plurality of base stations interconnected with a plurality of interworking entities each entity accessible using a GPRS or IP address and interconnected with a plurality of routers to provide said wireless access to said packet-based network for a mobile device;

assigning a first domain-based address to said mobile device;

assigning a second domain-based address to said mobile device;

messaging selected ones of said plurality of base stations and selected ones of said plurality of interworking entities and selected ones of said plurality of routers to update a routing table entry to reflect a present point of attachment of said mobile device to a single one of said base stations;

receiving, at one of said plurality of routers, a packet having said first domain-based address as a packet destination address;

routing said packet over a router interface determined by look-up of said first domain-based address corresponding to said routing table entry;

repeating said steps of receiving and routing until said packet is received at a single one of said interworking entities;

interworking said packet from said second domain-based address to said first domain-based address;

receiving, at one of said plurality of base stations, the packet having said first domain-based address as the packet destination address;

routing said packet over a base station interface determined by look-up of said first domain-based address corresponding to said routing table entry;

repeating said steps of receiving and routing until said packet is received at said mobile device; and

providing authentication, registration and encryption for said mobile device by a home location register/authorization center.