Method and apparatus for supporting wireless data services on a TE2 device using an IP-based interface

• US 7,688,792 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Babbar, Uppinder Singh, Abrol, Nischal, Lioy, Marcello
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/112,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20060239266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 370350-430, 370/310, 370/315, 370/342, 370/338, 709223-229, 455/556.2, 455/414.1, 455450-4522, 455/556, 455/1
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• 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 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A wireless network assigns a single IP address to the wireless device, which assigns this IP address over to a TE2 device coupled to the wireless device. The wireless device derives a private IP address for communication with the TE2 device. The wireless device forwards packets exchanged between the TE2 device and the wireless network using the single IP address. The wireless device exchanges packets with the TE2 device by (1) using the private IP address for outbound packets sent to the TE2 device and (2) performing either address-based routing or packet filtering on inbound packets received from the TE2 device. The wireless device exchanges packets with the wireless network by (1) using the single IP address for outbound packets sent to the wireless network and (2) performing packet filtering on inbound packets received from the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method of providing wireless data service using an Internet Protocol (IP)-based interface, comprising:

providing a first wireless data service via a first application on a wireless device;

obtaining a single IP address by the wireless device from a wireless network;

assigning the single IP address over to a terminal equipment to define a first interface on the terminal equipment with the wireless device;

assigning the single IP address to define a second interface on the wireless device with the wireless network;

deriving a private IP address for use by the wireless device to exchange packets with the terminal equipment;

assigning the private IP address to define a third interface on the wireless device with the terminal equipment;

providing a first IP-based communication path between the terminal equipment and the wireless network via the second interface and the third interface on wireless device and using the single IP address;

providing a second IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the terminal equipment using the third interface and the first interface;

providing a third IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the wireless network using the second interface and using the single IP address;

implementing the first, second and third IP-based communication paths for communications between the wireless device, the wireless network and the terminal equipment; and

providing the first wireless data service to a second application on the terminal equipment via the first application on the wireless device using at least the second communication path, wherein the private IP address enables the wireless device to distinguish packets corresponding to the first wireless data service from general communication packets corresponding to the terminal equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the first IP-based communication path comprises

forwarding outbound packets received from the terminal equipment with the single IP address as a source address to the wireless network, and

forwarding inbound packets received from the wireless network with the single IP address as a destination address to the terminal equipment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the using the private IP address to exchange packets with the terminal equipment comprises

sending outbound packets from the wireless device to the terminal equipment with the private IP address as the respective source address, and

receiving inbound packets sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as the respective destination address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the using the private IP address to exchange packets with the terminal equipment comprises

sending outbound packets from the wireless device to the terminal equipment with the private IP address as a source address, and

receiving inbound packets sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as a destination address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the using the private IP address to exchange packets with the terminal equipment comprises

performing address-based routing to receive inbound packets sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as a destination address.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the using the private IP address to exchange packets with the terminal equipment comprises

performing packet filtering to receive inbound packets sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as a destination address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the second IP-based communication path comprises

performing packet filtering to receive inbound packets sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with a multicast address or a broadcast address as a destination address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the single IP address assigned to the wireless device is an IPv6 subnet prefix, and wherein the providing the second IP-based communication path comprises

deriving a first IPv6 address for use by the wireless device with the IPv6 subnet prefix, and

using the first Ipv6 address to exchange packets with the terminal equipment, wherein a second IPv6 address generated with the IPv6 subnet prefix is used by the terminal equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the third IP-based communication path comprises

sending outbound packets from the wireless device to the wireless network using the single IP address as a source address, and

receiving inbound packets sent from the wireless network to the wireless device using packet filtering.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a position-based service to the terminal equipment using the second IP-based communication path.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a text messaging service to the terminal equipment using the second IP-based communication path.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing multimedia and broadcast services to the terminal equipment using the second IP-based communication path.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

implementing a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server at the wireless device to provide content to the terminal equipment.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

implementing a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server at the wireless device to receive and forward text email messages sent by the terminal equipment.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically providing IP configuration to the terminal equipment via the second IP-based communication path.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

implementing a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server at the wireless device to provide dynamic IP configuration to the terminal equipment.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a data packet at the wireless device;

applying a packet filter to the data packet to determine a forwarding of the data packet, wherein the packet filter comprises a parameter corresponding to the first application;

forwarding the data packet to the first application if the applying results in a match between the data packet and the parameter, or forwarding the data packet to the terminal equipment or the wireless network if the applying does not result in a match between the data packet and the parameter.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising wherein receiving the data packet further comprises receiving an inbound packet sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as a destination address;

if the inbound packet comprises data matching the parameter, then forwarding the inbound packet to the first application; and

if the inbound packet does not comprise data matching the parameter, then forwarding the inbound packet to the wireless network.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising wherein receiving the data packet further comprises receiving an inbound packet sent from the wireless network to the wireless device with the single IP address as a destination address and the inbound packet having an application specific filter parameter;

if the application specific filter parameter matches the parameter corresponding to the first application, then forwarding the inbound packet to the first application; and

if the application specific filter parameter does not match the parameter corresponding to the first application, then forwarding the inbound packet to the terminal equipment.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the parameter includes data derived from a field in a protocol header.

21. A wireless device in a wireless network, comprising:

an interface unit coupled to a terminal equipment and operative to provide a first Internet Protocol (IP)-based interface communication path between the terminal equipment and the wireless network via the wireless devices, to provide a second IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the terminal equipment, and to provide a third IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the wireless network;

a controller operative to implement the first, second, and third IP-based communication paths using a single IP address assigned to the wireless device by the wireless network, and further operative to assign the single IP address over to the terminal equipment for use in the first IP-based communication path, and wherein the controller is further operative to derive a private IP address for use by the wireless device to exchange packets with the terminal equipment, and wherein the controller is further operative to implement the third IP-based communication path using the single IP address assigned to the wireless device; and

a wireless data service module operative to provide a first wireless data service via a first application on the wireless device, and further operative to provide the first wireless data service to a second application on the terminal equipment via the first application on the wireless device using at least the second communication path, wherein the private IP address enables the wireless device to distinguish packets corresponding to the first wireless data service from general communication packets corresponding to the terminal equipment.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the interface unit is operative to forward outbound packets received from the terminal equipment with the single IP address as a source address to the wireless network and to forward inbound packets received from the wireless network with the single IP address as a destination address to the terminal equipment.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the interface unit is operative to send outbound packets from the wireless device to the terminal equipment with the private IP address as the respective source address and to perform address-based routing or packet filtering to receive inbound packets sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as the respective destination address.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the interface unit is operative to send outbound packets from the wireless device to the terminal equipment with the private IP address as a source address and to perform address-based routing or packet filtering to receive inbound packets sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as a destination address.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the interface unit is operative to send outbound packets from the wireless device to the wireless network using the single IP address as a source address and to receiving inbound packets sent from the wireless network to the wireless device using packet filtering.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller is further operable to implement at least one of a position-based service or a text messaging service or multimedia and broadcast services to the terminal equipment using the second IP-based communication path.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller is further operable to implement at least one of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server at the wireless device to provide content to the terminal equipment or a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server at the wireless device to receive and forward text email messages sent by the terminal equipment.

28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the wireless data service module is further operable to:

receive a data packet at the wireless device;

apply a packet filter to the data packet to determine a forwarding of the data packet, wherein the packet filter comprises a parameter corresponding to the first application; and

forward the data packet to the first application if the applying results in a match between the data packet and the parameter, or forward the data packet to the terminal equipment or the wireless network if the applying does not result in a match between the data packet and the parameter.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the wireless data service module is further operable to:

receive an inbound packet sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as a destination address;

if the inbound packet comprise a match with the parameter, then forward the inbound packet to the first application; and

if the inbound packet does not comprise a match with the parameter, then forward the inbound packet to the wireless network.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the wireless data service module is further operable to:

receive an inbound packet sent from the wireless network to the wireless device with the single IP address as a destination address and the inbound packet having an application specific filter parameter;

if the application specific filter parameter matches the parameter corresponding to the first application, then forwarding the inbound packet to the first application; and

if the application specific filter parameter does not match the parameter corresponding to the first application, then forwarding the inbound packet to the terminal equipment.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the parameter includes data derived from a field in a protocol header.

32. An apparatus in a wireless network, comprising:

means for providing a first wireless data service via a first application on a wireless device;

means for obtaining a single IP address by the wireless device from a wireless network;

means for assigning the single IP address over to a terminal equipment to define a first interface on the terminal equipment with the wireless device;

means for assigning the single IP address to define a second interface on the wireless device with the wireless network;

means for deriving a private IP address for use by the wireless device to exchange packets with the terminal equipment;

means for assigning the private IP address to define a third interface on the wireless device with the terminal equipment;

means for providing a first IP-based communication path between the terminal equipment and the wireless network via the second interface and the third interface on wireless device and using the single IP address;

means for providing a second IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the terminal equipment using the third interface and the first interface;

means for providing a third IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the wireless network using the second interface and using the single IP address;

means for implementing the firsts, second and third IP-based communication paths for communications between the wireless device, the wireless network and the terminal equipment; and

means for providing the first wireless data service to a second application on the terminal equipment via the first application on the wireless device using at least the second communication path, wherein the private IP address enables the wireless device to distinguish packets corresponding to the first wireless data service from general communication packets corresponding to the terminal equipment.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for providing the first IP-based communication path comprises

means for forwarding outbound packets received from the terminal equipment with the single IP address as a source address to the wireless network, and

means for forwarding inbound packets received from the wireless network with the single IP address as a destination address to the terminal equipment.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for providing the second IP-based communication path comprises means for sending outbound packets from the wireless device to the terminal equipment using the private IP address as a source address, and

means for performing address-based routing or packet filtering to receive inbound packets sent from the terminal equipment to the wireless device with the private IP address as a destination address.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the means for providing the third IP-based communication path comprises

means for sending outbound packets from the wireless device to the wireless network using the single IP address as a source address, and

means for receiving inbound packets sent from the wireless network to the wireless device using packet filtering.

36. A processor readable media, excluding an electromagnetic carrier signal, for storing instructions operable in a wireless device to:

providing a first wireless data service via a first application on a wireless device;

obtaining a single IP address by the wireless device from a wireless network;

assigning the single IP address over to a terminal equipment to define a first interface on the terminal equipment with the wireless device;

assigning the single IP address to define a second interface on the wireless device with the wireless network;

deriving a private IP address for use by the wireless device to exchange packets with the terminal equipment. assigning the private IP address to define a third interface on the wireless device with the terminal equipment;

provide a first IP-based communication path between the terminal equipment and the wireless network via second interface and the third interface on the wireless device and using the single IP address;

provide a second IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the terminal equipment using the third interface and the first interface;

implement the first, second and third IP-based communication paths for communications between the wireless device, the wireless network and the terminal equipment;

and

provide the first wireless data service to a second application on the terminal equipment via the first application on the wireless device using at least the second communication path. wherein the private IP address enables the wireless device to distinguish packets corresponding to the first wireless data service from general communication packets corresponding to the terminal equipment.

37. The processor readable media of claim 36, and further for storing instructions operable to:

forward outbound packets received from the terminal equipment with the single IP address as a source address to the wireless network, and forward inbound packets received from the wireless network with the single IP address as a destination address to the terminal equipment.

38. At least one processor, comprising:

a first processing unit operable to provide a first wireless data service via a first application on a wireless device;

a second processing unit operable to obtain a single IP address by the wireless device from a wireless network;

a third processing unit operable to assign the single IP address over to a terminal equipment to define a first interface on the terminal equipment with the wireless device;

a fourth processing unit operable to assign the single IP address to define a second interface on the wireless device with the wireless network;

a fifth processing unit operable to derive a private IP address for use by the wireless device to exchange packets with the terminal equipment;

a sixth processing unit operable to assign the private IP address to define a third interface on the wireless device with the terminal equipment;

a seventh processing unit operable to provide a first IP-based communication path between the terminal equipment and the wireless network via second interface and the third interface on the wireless device and using the single IP address;

an eighth processing unit operable to provide a second IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the terminal equipment comprising;

using the third interface and the first interface;

a ninth processing unit operable to provide a third IP-based communication path between the wireless device and the wireless network using the second interface and using the single IP address;

a tenth processing unit operable to implement the firsts, second and third IP-based communication paths for communications between the wireless device, the wireless network and the terminal equipment; and

an eleventh processing unit operable to provide the first wireless data service to a second application on the terminal equipment via the first application on the wireless device using at least the second communication path, wherein the private IP address enables the wireless device to distinguish packets corresponding to the first wireless data service from general communication packets corresponding to the terminal equipment.