Using subnet relations for paging, authentication, association and to activate network interfaces in heterogeneous access networks

• US 7,366,524 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Kurakake, Shoji, Watanabe, Fujio, Cao, Jingjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US10/119,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20030148777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 455/458, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/426.1, 455/414.2, 455/515, 455/445, 455/426, 455/432.3, 455/432.1, 455/456.5, 455/433, 455/432, 370/352, 370/328, 370/349, 370/401, 370/235, 370/466, 370/312, 370/329, 709/225, 709/238, 709/217, 709/230, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/04 multi-step notification using statistical or historical mobility data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/08 using multi-step notification by increasing the notification area
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for using subnet relations to determine paging areas, for performing authentication and association, and to activate access network interfaces in wireless communication devices in a heterogeneous access network. Paging areas are generated using subnet relations by determining mobility agent servers within a predetermined number of subnet relations from a last active mobility agent server. Authentication and association are also accomplished using subnet relations. Access network interfaces can also be turned on and off based on subnet relations thereby conserving battery power.

Claims

1. A method for determining a paging area for a wireless communication device, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a subnet relation map of subnets having mobility agent servers in a plurality of access networks based on handoff experience;

determining a last mobility agent server that serviced said wireless communication device;

retrieving from said subnet relation map a list of mobility agents agent servers within a predetermined number of subnet relations from said last mobility agent server to determine said paging area; and

generating a paging message that is sent to mobility agent servers on said list of mobility agents servers, further comprising the step of determining an increased paging area if said paging area fails,

wherein said increased paging area is determined by including one or more subnets within a predetermined level of a selected access network, one or more subnets within the selected access network or subnets of access networks not already included.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a subnet relation algorithm determines said predetermined number of subnet relations.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using an application characteristic database when determining said paging area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using a personal device characteristic database when determining said paging area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said increased paging area is determined by adding a predetermined number of subnet relations to said paging area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said increased paging area is determined by extending the paging area by one hop of each mobility agent server in the list of mobility agent servers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said increased paging area is determined by including the same or higher level access networks.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using an application characteristic database to select access networks for the paging area.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using a personal device characteristic database to select access networks for the paging area.

10. A paging system for a wireless communication device in a heterogeneous access network, comprising:

at least one access network;

at least one mobility agent server associated with each said access network;

a control server providing control functions to the heterogeneous access network communicating with said mobility agent server, said control server maintaining a subnet relation map of subnets having mobility agent servers in a plurality of access networks based on handoff experience;

a paging application running on said control server operable to generate a paging message that is sent to mobility agents within a paging area served by said heterogeneous access network;

and wherein said paging application is operable to determine a last mobility agent server that serviced said wireless communication device, and wherein said paging application retrieves from said subnet relation map a list of mobility agents within a predetermined number of subnet relations from said last mobility agent server to determine said paging area, further comprising the step of determining an increased paging area if said paging area fails,

wherein said increased paging area is determined by including one or more subnets within a predetermined level of a selected access network, one or more subnets within the selected access network or subnets of access networks not already included.

11. The paging system of claim 10, wherein a subnet relation algorithm is used to determine said predetermined number of subnet relations.

12. The paging system of claim 10, wherein an application characteristic database is used to limit said paging area.

13. The paging system of claim 10, wherein a personal device characteristic database is used to limit said paging area.

14. The paging system of claim 10, wherein said paging area is increased by a predetermined number of subnet relations if said paging message fails.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said increased paging area is determined by extending the paging area by one hop of each mobility agent server in the list of mobility agent servers.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said increased paging area is determined by including the same or higher level access networks.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of using a personal device characteristic database to select access networks for the paging area.

18. A method for determining access network interface activation for a wireless communication device, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of mobility a-gems agent servers in communication with a control server;

maintaining in said control server a subnet relation map of subnets having mobility agent servers in a plurality of access networks;

determining a current mobility agent server associated with a service area in which said wireless communication device is currently located;

retrieving from said subnet relation map a list of mobility agents agent servers within a predetermined number of subnet relations from said current mobility agent server;

determining an access network interface used for each mobility agent servers-in said list of mobility agent servers; and

notifying said wireless communication device of said access network interfaces, further comprising the step of generating a confirmation message that is transmitted to said control server once said wireless communication device is notified of said access network interfaces.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of activating said access network interfaces.

20. A method for providing pre-authentication for a wireless communication device, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a subnet relation map of subnets having mobility agent servers in a plurality of access networks based on handoff experience;

determining a current mobility agent server associated with a service area in which said wireless communication device is currently located;

retrieving from said subnet relation map a list of mobility agent servers within a predetermined number of subnet relations from; and

generating a pre-authentication message that is transmitted to each mobility agent server in said list of mobility agent servers, further comprising the step of determining an increased paging area if said paging area fails,

wherein said increased paging area is determined by including one or more subnets within a predetermined level of a selected access network, one or more subnets within the selected access network or subnets of access networks not already included.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said subnet relations are determined from a subnet relation map.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of authenticating said wireless communication device in advance of handing off said wireless communication device from said current mobility agent to another mobility agent server.

23. A method of providing pre-association for a wireless communication device, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a subnet relation map of subnets having mobility agent servers in a plurality of access networks based on handoff experience;

determining a current mobility agent server associated with a service area in which said wireless communication device is located;

retrieving from said subnet relation map a list of mobility agent servers within a predetermined number of subnet relations from said current mobility agent server; and

sending pre-association messages from said wireless communication device to one or more mobility agents in said list of mobility agent servers,

further comprising the step of determining an increased paging area if said paging area fails,

wherein said increased paging area is determined by including one or more subnets within a predetermined level of a selected access network, one or more subnets within the selected access network or subnets of access networks not already included.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of sending a keep alive message to each of said one or more mobility agent servers.