Mobile communication network and data delivery method in mobile communications network

• US 6,958,988 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanimoto, Shigeo, Osako, Yoji, Okagawa, Takatoshi, Ishino, Fumiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US09/762,193
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/356, 370/401, 370/477, 370/218, 370/331, 370/329, 370/392, 370/395.21, 370/328, 370/332, 370/344, 370/348, 370/337, 370/319, 370/395.5, 370/466, 370/395.52, 370/315, 370/465, 370/333, 370/351, 370/389, 370/390, 455/407, 455/408, 455/406, 455/436, 455/560
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• 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: H04L 69/10 Streamlined, light-weight or high-speed protocols, e.g. express transfer protocol [XTP] or byte stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0019 adapted for mobile IP [MIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A mobile communications network and data delivery method in a mobile communications network is provided that can implement connectionless transfer in the mobile communications network, and obviate the need for sending a call control signal for data delivery. An IP address is assigned to each of the nodes of the mobile communications network including routing nodes (a gate node and repeater node, for example) and edge nodes and to each mobile station. A routing node, receiving data including the IP address of a mobile station, carries out routing of the data in accordance with routing information. The edge node that receives the data routed by the routing node, transmits the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data. The IP addresses are also applicable to delivering data to users of the same group, or carrying out control like handover.

Claims

1. A mobile communications network comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data, wherein said mobile communications network further comprises;

a location information server for managing information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and the IP address of the edge node that supervises an area visited by the mobile station, wherein

said routing nodes include a gate node;

said gate node retrieves, by accessing said location information server, the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data, and adds the IP address of the edge node to the received data;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein the IP address of a group of mobile stations can be added as the IP address of the mobile station to be added to the data, wherein

said location information server manages information about correspondence between the IP addresses of the mobile stations belonging to the group and the IP address of the group of the mobile stations;

said gate node retrieves, when the IP address of the group of the mobile stations is added to the received data, the IP addresses of the edge nodes supervising the areas visited by the mobile stations corresponding to the IP address of the group of the mobile stations by accessing said location information server, replicates the received data by the number of the edge nodes, adds to each of the data the IP address of each of the edge nodes and the IP addresses of the mobile stations visiting the supervisory area of the edge node, and carries out the routing of the data.

2. A mobile communications network comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said mobile communications network further comprises;

a location information server for managing information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and the IP address of the edge node that supervises an area visited by the mobile station, wherein

said routing nodes include a gate node;

said gate node retrieves, by accessing said location information server, the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data, and adds the IP address of the edge node to the received data;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein when said mobile station moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, said moving mobile station transmits its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node to the old edge node; and

when said old edge node thereafter receives data to which the IP address of the moving mobile station is added, said old edge node transmits the data to said new edge node with adding the IP address of the new edge node to the data.

3. A mobile communications network comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein the IP address of a group of mobile stations can be added as the IP address of the mobile station to be added to the data, and wherein

said routing nodes have group information which is information about correspondence between the IP addresses of the mobile stations belonging to the group and the IP address of the group of the mobile stations, replicate, when the IP address of the group of the mobile stations is added to the received data, the received data by the number of transmission routes corresponding to the IP addresses of the mobile stations corresponding to the added IP address of the group of the mobile stations in accordance with the group information and the routing information and carry out the routing of the data.

4. A mobile communications network comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein the IP address of the mobile station to be added to the data can include the IP addresses of a plurality of mobile stations, wherein

said routing nodes replicate, when the IP addresses of the plurality of the mobile stations are added to the received data, the received data by the number of transmission routes corresponding to the IP addresses of the plurality of the mobile stations in accordance with the routing information, add to each of the data, the IP addresses of the mobile stations corresponding to each of the transmission routes, and carry out the routing of the data.

5. A mobile communications network comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein said mobile station, when it moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, transmits its own IP address to said new edge node, and wherein each node from the higher level routing node of said new edge node up to a junction routing node from which transmission routes diverge to said old edge node and to said new edge node, updates its own routing information about the moving mobile station.

6. A mobile communications network comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information; and

said mobile station notifies, when it moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, said old edge node of its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node, and said old edge node transmits, when it thereafter receives data to which the IP address of the moving mobile station is added, the data to said new edge node with adding the IP address of the new edge node to the data.

7. A mobile communications network comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said mobile communications network further comprises;

a location information server for managing information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and the IP address of the edge node that supervises an area visited by the mobile station, wherein

each of said edge nodes receives data which is transmitted by a mobile station visiting its own supervisory area and to which the IP address of the mobile station is added, retrieves by accessing said location information server the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data, adds the IP address of the edge node to the received data, and transmits the data to said routing node;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information.

8. The mobile communications network as claimed in claim 7, wherein said edge node generates and manages information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the mobile station.

10. The mobile communications network as claimed in claim 8, wherein when said mobile station moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, said moving mobile station transmits its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node to the old edge node;

and when said old edge node thereafter receives data to which the IP address of the moving mobile station is added, said old edge node transmits the data to said new edge node with adding the IP address of the new edge node to the data.

11. The mobile communications network as claimed in claim 7, wherein when said mobile station moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, said moving mobile station notifies said location information server of its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node;

and said location information server updates information about correspondence between the IP address of the moving mobile station and the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the moving mobile station.

9. The mobile communications network as claimed in 8, wherein when said mobile station moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node during communication with another mobile station, said moving, mobile station transmits its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node to the edge node supervising the area visited by a party mobile station;

and said edge node updates information about correspondence between the IP address of the moving mobile station and the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the moving mobile station.

12. A mobile communications network comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein each of said edge nodes receives data which is transmitted by a mobile station visiting its own supervisory area and to which the IP address of the mobile station is added, and transmits the data to said routing node;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein said mobile station, when it moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, transmits its own IP address to said new edge node, and wherein each node from the higher level routing node of said new edge node up to a junction routing node from which transmission routes diverge to said old edge node and to said new edge node, and from the junction routing node to the higher routing node of said old edge node, updates its own routing information about the moving mobile station.

13. A mobile communications network, comprising:

one or more routing nodes for receiving data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and for carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

one or more edge nodes for receiving the data routed by said routing nodes, and for transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein each of said edge nodes receives data which is transmitted by a mobile station visiting its own supervisory area and to which the IP address of the mobile station is added, and transmits the data to said routing node;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information, wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information; and

said mobile station notifies, when it moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, said old edge node of its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node, and said old edge node transmits, when it thereafter receives data to which the IP address of the moving mobile station is added, the data to said new edge node with adding the IP address of the new edge node to the data.

14. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said mobile communications network further includes;

a location information server for managing information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and the IP address of the edge node that supervises an area visited by the mobile station, wherein

said routing nodes include a gate node;

said gate node retrieves, by accessing said location information server, the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data, and adds the IP address of the edge node to the received data;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein the IP address of a group of mobile stations can be added as the IP address of the mobile station to be added to the data, wherein

said location information server manages information about correspondence between the IP addresses of the mobile stations belonging to the group and the IP address of the group of the mobile stations;

said gate node retrieves, when the IP address of the group of the mobile stations is added to the received data, the IP addresses of the edge nodes supervising the areas visited by the mobile stations corresponding to the IP address of the group of the mobile stations by accessing said location information server, replicates the received data by the number of the edge nodes, adds to each of the data the IP address of each of the edge nodes and the IP addresses of the mobile stations visiting the supervisory area of the edge node, and carries out the routing of the data.

15. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said mobile communications network further includes;

a location information server for managing information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and the IP address of the edge node that supervises an area visited by the mobile station, wherein

said routing nodes include a gate node;

said gate node retrieves, by accessing said location information server, the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data, and adds the IP address of the edge node to the received data;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein when said mobile station moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, said moving mobile station transmits its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node to the old edge node; and

when said old edge node thereafter receives data to which the IP address of the moving mobile station is added, said old edge node transmits the data to said new edge node with adding the IP address of the new edge node to the data.

16. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein the IP address of a group of mobile stations can be added as the IP address of the mobile station to be added to the data, and wherein

said routing nodes have group information which is information about correspondence between the IP addresses of the mobile stations belonging to the group and the IP address of the group of the mobile stations, replicate, when the IP address of the group of the mobile stations is added to the received data, the received data by the number of the transmission routes corresponding to the IP addresses of the mobile stations corresponding to the added IP address of the group of the mobile stations in accordance with the group information and the routing information and carry out the routing of the data.

17. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein the IP address of the mobile station to be added to the data can include the IP addresses of a plurality of mobile stations, wherein

said routing nodes replicate, when the IP addresses of the plurality of the mobile stations are added to the received data, the received data by the number of transmission routes corresponding to the IP addresses of the plurality of the mobile stations in accordance with the routing information, add to each of the data, the IP addresses of the mobile stations corresponding to each of the transmission routes, and carry out the routing of the data.

18. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein said mobile station, when it moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, transmits its own IP address to said new edge node, and wherein each node from the higher level routing node of said new edge node up to a junction routing node from which transmission routes diverge to said old edge node and to said new edge node, updates its own routing information about the moving mobile station.

19. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information; and

said mobile station notifies, when it moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, said old edge node of its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node, and said old edge node transmits, when it thereafter receives data to which the IP address of the moving mobile station is added, the data to said new edge node with adding the IP address of the new edge node to the data.

20. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein said mobile communications network further includes;

a location information server for managing information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and the IP address of the edge node that supervises an area visited by the mobile station, wherein

each of said edge nodes receives data which is transmitted by a mobile station visiting its own supervisory area and to which the IP address of the mobile station is added, retrieves by accessing said location information server the IP address of the edge node supervising the area visited by the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data, adds the IP address of the edge node to the received data, and transmits the data to said routing node;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information.

21. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein each of said edge nodes receives data which is transmitted by a mobile station visiting its own supervisory area and to which the IP address of the mobile station is added, and transmits the data to said routing node;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information,

wherein said mobile station, when it moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, transmits its own IP address to said new edge node, and wherein each node from the higher level routing node of said new edge node up to a junction routing node from which transmission routes diverge to said old edge node and to said new edge node, and from the junction routing node to the higher routing node of said old edge node, updates its own routing information about the moving mobile station.

22. A data delivery method in a mobile communications network including one or more routing nodes and one or more edge nodes, said data delivery method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said routing nodes, data to which the IP address of a mobile station is added, and carrying out routing of the data in accordance with routing information; and

receiving, at said edge nodes, the data routed by said routing nodes, and transmitting the data to the mobile station corresponding to the IP address of the mobile station added to the data,

wherein each of said edge nodes receives data which is transmitted by a mobile station visiting its own supervisory area and to which the IP address of the mobile station is added, and transmits the data to said routing node;

said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the mobile station and a transmission route; and

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the mobile station added to the received data and the routing information, wherein said routing information includes information about correspondence between the IP address of the edge node and a transmission route, and wherein

said routing nodes carry out the routing of the received data in accordance with the IP address of the edge node added to the received data and the routing information; and

said mobile station notifies, when it moves from the supervisory area of an old edge node to the supervisory area of a new edge node, said old edge node of its own IP address and the IP address of the new edge node, and said old edge node transmits, when it thereafter receives data to which the IP address of the moving mobile station is added, the data to said new edge node with adding the IP address of the new edge node to the data.