Communication system with mobile terminal accessible to mobile communication network and local network simultaneously

• US 7,136,368 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 2BCom LLC (Markman Advisors LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, NGUYEN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US09/947,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20020031108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 370/342, 370/338, 370/352, 370/331, 370/475, 370/313, 455/455, 455/445, 455/552.1, 455/403, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/659 Internet protocol version 6 [IPv6] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• 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 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• 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 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

In a communication system using a mobile terminal capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously and a gateway provided between a fixed communication network and the local network, the mobile terminal transmits an inquiry message for inquiring information regarding a location on networks of a correspondent of packet communications, to the gateway through the local network, and receives a response message indicating the lookup processing result from the gateway through the local network. Then, the mobile terminal acquires an address to be used in the packet communications with the correspondent according to the response message, and assigns the address to a communication interface for the local network.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously; and

a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network;

the mobile terminal device having,

an inquiry message transmission unit configured to transmit an inquiry message to the gateway device for inquiring information regarding a location on networks of a correspondent of packet communications to be carried out,

through the local network;

the gateway device having,

a lookup unit configured to carry out a lookup processing to determine whether the location of the correspondent on networks is on the local network, or within same management domain on the fixed communication network as the mobile terminal device and outside the local network, or outside the same management domain on the fixed communication network, upon receiving the inquiry message from the mobile terminal device through the local network, and

a transmission unit configured to transmit the location of the correspondent on networks as a result of the lookup processing obtained by the lookup unit as a response message to the mobile terminal device through the local network; and

the mobile terminal device also having,

an address assignment unit configured to receive the response message from the gateway device through the local network, acquire an address of the correspondent to be used by the mobile terminal device in the packet communications with the correspondent according to the response message, and assign the address to a communication interface for the local network.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal device also has a judgment unit configured to judge a manner of utilizing first packet communications and second packet communications according to a prescribed policy, when both the first packet communications via the mobile communication network and the second packet communications from the local network via the gateway device and the fixed communication network are possible.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal device also has a communication control unit configured to release an entire network setting on the mobile communication network side or changing a network setting of all applications on the mobile terminal device to a network setting on the local network side, when all services received through the mobile communication network are finished.