Method of private addressing in proxy mobile IP networks

• US 7,929,556 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Mongazon-Cazavet, Bruno, Melia, Telemaco
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryman; Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTS, BRIAN S
• Application Number:
  US12/387,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20100278070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• 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]

Abstract

A method is disclosed, by which a local mobility anchor (LMA) In a proxy mobile IP network can perform address assignment for a mobile node in cooperation with network address translation, so that the mobile node can be configured with a private HoA. In one embodiment, the LMA obtains the NAI of a mobile node (MN) that is: (i) operating as an IPv4 host and (ii) seeking entry to the network as its home network. The LMA identifies a DHCP server located in the network and serving at least one NAT, and sends it a request message in which the ClientId is set equal to the NAI of the mobile node. The LMA receives a private HoA from the DHCP server, which it forwards in a PBA message to a mobile access gateway (MAG) connected to the MN.

Claims

1. A method for performance by a Local Mobility Anchor (LMA) belonging to a Proxy Mobile Internet Protocol (PMIP) network, comprising:

obtaining a Network Access Identifier (NAI) of a mobile node (MN) that is;

(i) operating as an Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) host and (ii) seeking entry to the PMIP network as its home network;

sending a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request to a DHCP server that is;

(i) located in the PMIP network and (ii) serving at least one Network Address Translation (NAT) device, wherein the DHCP request contains a ClientId field, and the ClientId field is set equal to the NAI;

receiving a private home address (HoA) in a DHCP Ack message from the DHCP server; and

sending the private HoA in a Proxy Binding Acknowledgement (PBA) message to a Mobile Access Gateway (MAG) connected to the MN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the LMA obtains the NAI of the MN in a proxy binding update (PBU) message from the MAG.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing an IPv4 Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) tunnel with the MAG for forwarding packets to and from the MN.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing an IPv4 in Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) tunnel with the MAG for forwarding packets to and from the MN.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the DHCP server serves a particular NAT device determined by the NAI.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the private HoA is a private home network prefix.