Selecting a communications protocol

• US 7,613,811 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yu, Hsia R., Bhalla, Rajesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bayard; Djenane M
• Application Number:
  US09/954,320
• Time in Patent Office: 2,969 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/227, 709/228, 709/245, 370/466, 370/338, 370/395.2, 370/328, 370/331, 455/436
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method, a logic, and systems for selecting a communications protocol are disclosed. An initial request having a static Internet Protocol address is received from a mobile node, and a dynamic address is assigned to the mobile node. A data packet is received from the mobile node, and whether the data packet uses the dynamic address or has a mobile Internet Protocol request is determined. If the data packet has the mobile Internet Protocol request, the data packet is processed using a mobile Internet Protocol process. Alternatively, if the data packet uses the dynamic address, the data packet is processed using a simple Internet Protocol process.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a communications protocol, comprising:

receiving an initial request comprising a static Internet Protocol address from a mobile node;

assigning a dynamic address to the mobile node;

receiving a data packet from the mobile node;

determining, at a packet data serving node, whether the data packet comprises the dynamic address or a mobile Internet Protocol request to select a communications protocol;

processing the data packet at the packet data serving node using a mobile Internet Protocol process if the data packet comprises the mobile Internet Protocol request; and

processing the data packet at the packet data serving node using a simple Internet Protocol process if the data packet comprises the dynamic address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the static Internet Protocol address comprises a non-zero Internet Protocol address.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the mobile node in response to receiving the initial request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile Internet Protocol request comprises a mobile Internet Protocol registration request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile Internet Protocol request comprises an agent solicitation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a point-to-point session with the mobile node in response to receiving the initial request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the data packet using the mobile Internet Protocol process comprises:

transmitting the mobile Internet Protocol request to a home agent;

receiving a mobile Internet Protocol reply from the home agent, the mobile Internet Protocol reply comprising an address assigned to the mobile node; and

forwarding the mobile Internet Protocol reply to the mobile node.

8. A system for selecting a communications protocol, comprising:

a processor associated with a packet data serving node operable to;

receive an initial request comprising a static Internet Protocol address from a mobile node;

assign a dynamic address to the mobile node;

receive a data packet from the mobile node; and

determine whether the data packet comprises the dynamic address or a mobile Internet Protocol request to select a communications protocol; and

a first protocol module coupled to the processor and operable to process the data packet using a mobile Internet Protocol process if the data packet comprises the mobile Internet Protocol request; and

a second protocol module coupled to the processor and operable to process the data packet using a simple Internet Protocol process if the data packet comprises the dynamic address.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the static Internet Protocol address comprises a non-zero Internet Protocol address.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is operable to authenticate the mobile node in response to receiving the initial request.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile Internet Protocol request comprises a mobile Internet Protocol registration request.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile Internet Protocol request comprises an agent solicitation.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is operable to establish a point-to-point session with the mobile node in response to receiving the initial request.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first protocol module is operable to process the data packet using the mobile Internet Protocol process by:

transmitting the mobile Internet Protocol request to a home agent;

receiving a mobile Internet Protocol reply from the home agent, the mobile Internet Protocol reply comprising an address assigned to the mobile node; and

forwarding the mobile Internet Protocol reply to the mobile node.

15. A system for selecting a communications protocol, comprising:

a processor with a packet data serving node operable to;

receive a initial request comprising a static Internet Protocol address from a mobile node, the static Internet Protocol address comprising a non-zero Internet Protocol address;

assign a dynamic address to the mobile node;

establish a point-to-point session with the mobile node;

authenticate the mobile node;

receive a data packet from the mobile node; and

determine whether the data packet comprises the dynamic address or a mobile Internet Protocol request to select a communications protocol; and

a first protocol module coupled to the processor and operable to process the data packet using a mobile Internet Protocol process if the data packet comprises the mobile Internet Protocol request by;

transmitting the mobile Internet Protocol request to a home agent;

receiving a mobile Internet Protocol reply from the home agent, the mobile Internet Protocol reply comprising an address assigned to the mobile node; and

forwarding the mobile Internet Protocol reply to the mobile node; and

a second protocol module coupled to the processor and operable to process the data packet using a simple Internet Protocol process if the data packet comprises the dynamic address.