Communication processing system, communication processing method, communication terminal device, and program

• US 7,257,104 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2002
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shitama, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURPHY, RHONDA L
• Application Number:
  US10/085,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6

Abstract

In a communication system for a mobile node according to IPv6, a virtual network prefix is configured as a prefix specific to a mobile node in a domain having a plurality of subnetworks. In the domain, a packet is sent to the mobile node by host-based routing on an IPv6 address formed of the virtual network prefix and an interface ID. The communications process with the mobile node which cannot identify a virtual network prefix is performed using a physical network prefix according to IPv6. Accordingly, nodes which can and cannot identify a virtual network prefix can coexist in the domain.

Claims

1. A communication processing system comprising a mobile node which is a mobile communication terminal device, said system configured such that:

in a domain including at least one subnetwork, each subnetwork being associated with a physical network prefix, a virtual network prefix for the mobile node is determined as a network prefix that is different from the physical network prefix,

an address is configured based on the virtual network prefix and an identifier of the mobile node,

the communications process with the mobile node is performed according to the address, and

a router in the domain routes a packet by performing host-based routing based on the identifier of the mobile node;

wherein,

when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork; and

only if the values are different, the mobile node creates an address based on the virtual network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

2. A communication processing system according to claim 1, wherein the identifier of the mobile node is a unique identifier in the domain for identifying the mobile node.

3. A communication processing system according to claim 1, wherein the identifier of the mobile node is a unique interface ID in the domain for identifying the mobile node.

4. A communication processing system according to claim 1, wherein a router in the domain forwards a router advertisement as an information notification message containing information on the physical network prefix and the virtual network prefix.

5. A communication processing system according to claim 1, wherein the router routes a packet having the address which contains the virtual network prefix by performing the host-based routing.

6. A communication processing system according to claim 1, wherein the router routes a packet having an address which contains a physical network prefix by performing prefix-based routing based on the physical network prefix contained in the address, or by performing the host-based routing.

7. A communication processing system according to claim 1, wherein,

when the mobile node moves between subnetworks in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node sends a routing update message to a router in the domain;

and

the router which has received the routing update message generates, updates, or deletes an entry for the mobile node in a routing table according to the received message.

8. A communication processing system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of domains are networked in a hierarchical manner, each domain including the at least one subnetwork.

9. A communication processing system comprising a mobile node which is a mobile communication terminal device, said system configured such that:

in a domain including at least one subnetwork, each subnetwork being associated with a physical network prefix, a virtual network prefix for the mobile node is determined as a network prefix that is different from the physical network prefix,

an address is configured based on the virtual network prefix and an identifier of the mobile node,

the communications process with the mobile node is performed according to the address,

when the mobile node moves between subnetworks in different domains, the mobile node stores a virtual-network-prefix-based IPv6 address as a care-of address in a binding update packet, the virtual-network-prefix-based IPv6 address being created according to address configuration based on the virtual network prefix, and sends the binding update packet to a home agent which manages the mobile node, and

the home agent which has received the binding update packet updates a binding cache, in which the correlation between a home address and the virtual-network-prefix-based IPv6 address as a care-of address is stored, according to the received binding update packets,

wherein,

when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork; and

only if the values are different, the mobile node creates an address based on the virtual network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

10. A communication processing method comprising the steps of:

in a domain including at least one subnetwork, associating each subnetwork with a physical network prefix,

determining a virtual network prefix for a mobile node that is a mobile communication terminal device as a network prefix that is different from the physical network prefix;

configuring an address based on the virtual network prefix and an identifier of the mobile node; and

performing communications with the mobile node according to the address,

wherein,

a router in the domain routes a packet by performing host-based routing based on the identifier of the mobile node;

when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork; and

only if the values are different, the mobile node creates an address based on the virtual network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

11. A communication processing method according to claim 10, wherein the identifier of the mobile node is a unique identifier in the domain for identifying the mobile node.

12. A communication processing method according to claim 10, wherein the identifier of the mobile node is a unique interface ID in the domain for identifying the mobile node.

13. A communication processing method according to claim 10, wherein a router in the domain forwards a router advertisement as an information notification message containing information on the physical network prefix and the virtual network prefix.

14. A communication processing method according to claim 10, wherein the router routes a packet having the address which contains the virtual network prefix by performing the host-based routing.

15. A communication processing method according to claim 10, wherein the router routes a packet having an address which contains a physical network prefix by performing prefix-based routing based on the physical network prefix contained in the address, or by performing the host-based routing.

16. A communication processing method according to claim 10, wherein,

when the mobile node moves between subnetworks in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node sends a routing update message to a router in the domain;

and

the router which has received the routing update message generates, updates, or deletes an entry for the mobile node in a routing table according to the received message.

17. A communication processing method comprising the steps of:

in a domain including at least one subnetwork, associating each subnetwork with a physical network prefix,

determining a virtual network prefix for a mobile node that is a mobile communication terminal device as a network prefix that is different from the physical network prefix;

configuring an address based on the virtual network prefix and an identifier of the mobile node; and

performing communications with the mobile node according to the address,

wherein,

when the mobile node moves between subnetworks in different domains, the mobile node stores a virtual-network-prefix-based IPv6 address as a care-of address in a binding update packet, the virtual-network-prefix-based IPv6 address being created according to address configuration based on the virtual network prefix, and sends the binding update packet to a home agent which manages the mobile node,

the home agent which has received the binding update packet updates a binding cache, in which the correlation between a home address and the virtual-network-prefix-based IPv6 address is stored, according to the received binding update packet,

when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork; and

only if the values are different, the mobile node creates an address based on the virtual network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

18. A communication terminal device performing a communications method via a network, comprising:

receiving a router advertisement serving as an information notification message containing a physical network prefix and a virtual network prefix for a mobile node, the physical network prefix being allocated to each of at least one subnetwork included in a domain; and

configuring an address based on the virtual network prefix retrieved from the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message and an identifier of the communication terminal device,

wherein,

when the mobile node moves from a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node creates an address based on information that is contained in a router advertisement serving as an information notification message that is received from a router on the second subnetwork,

when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork; and

only if the values are different, the mobile node creates an address based on the virtual network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

19. A communication terminal device according to claim 18, wherein, when the communication terminal device moves from a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the communication terminal device compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork;

and

only if the values are different, the communication terminal device creates an address based on the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

20. A communication terminal device according to claim 18, wherein, when the communication terminal device moves from a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, if the virtual network prefix is not contained in the router advertisement, the communication terminal device creates an address based on the physical network prefix.

21. A communication terminal device according to claim 18, wherein, when the communication terminal device moves between subnetworks in the domain or in different domains, the communication terminal device sends a routing update message to a router in the domain.

22. A communication terminal device according to claim 18, wherein, when the communication terminal device moves between subnetworks in different domains, the communication terminal device stores a virtual-network-prefix-based IPv6 address as a care-of address in a binding update packet, the virtual-network-prefix-based IPv6 address being created according to address configuration based on the virtual network prefix, and sends the binding update packet to a home agent which manages the communication terminal device.

23. A program stored on a computer-readable medium which causes a communications process via a network to be executed on a computer system, said program implementing the steps of:

receiving a router advertisement serving as an information notification message containing a physical network prefix and a virtual network prefix for a mobile node, the physical network prefix being allocated to each of at least one subnetwork included in a domain; and

configuring an address based on the virtual network prefix retrieved from the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message and an identifier of a communication terminal device;

wherein,

when the mobile node moves from a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node creates an address based on information that is contained in a router advertisement serving as an information notification message that is received from a router on the second subnetwork;

when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork; and

only if the values are different, the mobile node creates an address based on the virtual network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

24. A communication processing system comprising a mobile node which is a mobile communication terminal device, said system configured such that:

in a domain including at least one subnetwork, each subnetwork being associated with a physical network prefix, a virtual network prefix for the mobile node is determined as a network prefix that is different from the physical network prefix,

an address is configured based on the virtual network prefix and an identifier of the mobile node,

the communications process with the mobile node is performed according to the address, and

when the mobile node moves from a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node creates an address based on information that is contained in a router advertisement serving as an information notification message that is received from a router on the second subnetwork;

wherein,

when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork; and

only if the values are different, the mobile node creates an address based on the virtual network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

25. A communication processing system according to claim 24, wherein, when the mobile node moves from a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, if the virtual network prefix is not contained in the router advertisement, the mobile node creates an address based on the physical network prefix.

26. A communication processing method comprising the steps of:

in a domain including at least one subnetwork, associating each subnetwork with a physical network prefix;

determining a virtual network prefix for a mobile node that is a mobile communication terminal device as a network prefix that is different from the physical network prefix;

configuring an address based on the virtual network prefix and an identifier of the mobile node; and

performing communications with the mobile node according to the address;

wherein,

when the mobile node moves from a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node creates an address based on information that is contained in a router advertisement serving as an information notification message that is received from a router on the second subnetwork;

when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, the mobile node compares the value of the virtual network prefix which is contained in the router advertisement with the value of the virtual or physical network prefix which is contained in the address which is used in the first subnetwork; and

only if the values are different, the mobile node creates an address based on the virtual network prefix which is contained in the received router advertisement serving as an information notification message.

27. A communication processing method according to claim 26, wherein, when the mobile node moves between a first subnetwork to a second subnetwork in the domain or in different domains, if the virtual network prefix is not contained in the router advertisement, the mobile node creates an address based on the physical network prefix.