Device configuration apparatus, system, and method

• US 8,009,641 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Grech, Sandro, Ahmavaara, Kalle
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt; Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US11/209,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20060203787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 370/401, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/437, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/433, 455/434
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method for configuring a device for communication is disclosed. In the method the device accesses a communication network where after it may be detected at a network element that the device needs to be provided with at least one configuration parameter. Information regarding the at least one configuration parameter is then determined and sent to the device. The device can then be configured in accordance with information received from the network element.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, at a network element, an indication included in a signal sent by a device that at least one configuration parameter required by the device is unknown, the at least one configuration parameter including at least a home agent address, wherein the device roams to a visited network other than a home network of the device, and wherein the network element is located at the visited network;

determining by the network element at the visited network information regarding the at least one configuration parameter in response to detecting the indication included in the device that the at least one configuration parameter required by the device is unknown; and

sending the information regarding the at least one configuration parameter to the device, wherein the device self-configures to set up a data carrier between the device and the network element based on the information from the network element, including at least the home agent address, without the use of a foreign agent.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting a need to provide the device with at least one address parameter, the determining comprises determining information regarding the at least one address parameter, and the sending the information comprises sending the information regarding the at least one address parameter.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting an indication of the need to provide the device with the at least one configuration parameter from the signal received from the device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is configured to include, in the signal, an indication that the at least one configuration parameter for setting up a data carrier is unknown to the device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inclusion of the indication comprises including an additional information element into a message for setting up the data carrier.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inclusion of the indication comprises leaving empty a predefined field of a message requesting the data carrier.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inclusion of said indication comprises leaving empty predefined octets of any one of an internet protocol version 4 and internet protocol version 6 message.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inclusion of the indication comprises including a predefined indication in a field of a message requesting the data carrier.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration parameter comprises information about at least one of a home agent address and a home address.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration parameter comprises information about an Internet Protocol address of at least one of a home agent address and a home address.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network element comprises a gateway.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the gateway comprises any one of a gateway of a general packet radio service network, a gateway of a code division multiple access 2000 network, and a gateway of a wireless local area network.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mobile device.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information from the network element comprises at least one mobile IP parameter.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device self-configures dynamically.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining of the information regarding the at least one configuration parameter comprises obtaining, by the network element, data from an external data repository.

17. A computer program embodied within a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program configured to control a processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting, at a network element, an indication included in a signal sent by a device that at least one configuration parameter required by the device is unknown, the at least one configuration parameter including at least a home agent address, wherein the device roams to a visited network other than a home network of the device, and wherein the network element is located at the visited network;

determining by the network element at the visited network information regarding the at least one configuration parameter in response to detecting the indication included in the signal that the at least one configuration parameter required by the device is unknown; and

sending the information regarding the at least one configuration parameter to the device, wherein the device self-configures to set up a data carrier between the device and the network element based on the information from the network element, including at least the home agent address, without the use of a foreign agent.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a detector configured to detect an indication included in a signal sent by a communication device that at least one configuration parameter required by the communication device is unknown, the at least one configuration parameter including at least a home agent address, wherein the communication device roams to a visited network other than a home network of the device, and wherein the detector is located at the visited network;

a determiner located at the visited network configured to determine the information regarding the at least one configuration parameter in response to the detected indication included in the signal that the at least one configuration parameter required by the communication device is unknown; and

a sender configured to send information regarding the at least one configuration parameter to the communication device,

wherein the communication device is configured to self-configure to set up a data carrier between the communication device and the network element based on the information from the network element, including at least the home agent address, without the use of a foreign agent.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the apparatus is configured to provide the communication device with the at least one configuration parameter in response to the communication device detecting that the at least one configuration parameter is needed.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the detector is configured to detect if the communication device has included in the signal an indication that the at least one configuration parameter is unknown to the device for setting up a data carrier.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the detector is configured to detect if an additional information element is included, by the communication device, into a request for a data carrier.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the detector is configured to detect if a predefined field of a message requesting a data carrier is left empty by the communication device.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one configuration parameter comprises address information.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the address information comprises information about at least one of a home agent address and a home address.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

a gateway.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the gateway comprises any one of a gateway of a general packet radio service network, a gateway of a code division multiple access 2000 network, and a gateway of a wireless local area network.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the detector is configured to detect if a communication device needs to be provided with the at least one configuration parameter.

28. A system comprising:

a network element configured to detect an indication included in a signal sent by a communication device that at least one configuration parameter required by the communication device is unknown, the at least one configuration parameter including at least a home agent address, wherein the communication device roams to a visited network other than a home network of the communication device, the network element being located at the visited network, the network element configured to determine the information regarding the at least one configuration parameter in response to the detected indication included in the signal that the at least one configuration parameter required by the communication device is unknown, and to send information regarding the at least one configuration parameter to the communication device, wherein the communication device is configured to self-configure to set up a data carrier between the communication device and the network element based on the information from the network element, including at least the home agent address, without the use of a foreign agent.

29. An apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to communicate with an access network, wherein the apparatus roams to the access network, the access network being a visited network other than a home network of the apparatus; and

a controller configured to include in a signal an indication that at least one configuration parameter for setting up a data carrier is unknown to the apparatus, the at least one configuration parameter including at least a home agent address, interpret information received from the access network regarding the at least one configuration parameter to the apparatus, and configure the apparatus to set up the data carrier between the device and the network element in accordance with said information from the access network, including at least the home agent address, without the use of a foreign agent;

wherein the access network is configured to determine the information sent to the apparatus in response to receiving the signal with the indication that the at least one configuration parameter is unknown.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the interface comprises a radio part for wireless communication with the access network.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile internet protocol node.

32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein the information from the access network comprises at least one of a home agent internet. protocol address and a home internet protocol address.

33. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically configure the apparatus based on configuration information from the access network.

34. A method comprising:

communicating, by a device, with an access network via an interface, wherein the device roams to the access network, the access network being a visited network other than a home network of the device;

including, in a signal, an indication that at least one configuration parameter for setting up a data carrier is unknown, the at least one configuration parameter including at least a home agent address;

interpreting information received from the access network regarding the at least one configuration parameter; and

self-configuring the device to set up a data carrier between the device and the interface accordance with said information from the access network, including at least the home agent address, without the use of a foreign agent;

wherein the access network is configured to determine the information sent to the apparatus in response to receiving the signal with the indication that the at least one configuration parameter is unknown.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the interface comprises a radio part for wireless communication with the access network.

36. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the information from the access network comprises at least one of a home agent internet protocol address and a home internet protocol address.

37. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the self-configuring comprises dynamically self-configuring based on configuration information from the access network.

38. A computer program embodied within a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer program configured to control a processor to perform operations comprising:

communicating, by the device, with an access network via an interface, wherein the device roams to the access network, the access network being a visited network other than a home network of the device;

including, in a signal, an indication that at least one configuration parameter for setting up a data carrier is unknown, the at least one configuration parameter including at least a home agent address;

interpreting information received from the access network regarding the at least one configuration parameter; and

self-configuring the device to set up the data carrier between the device and the interface in accordance with said information from the access network, including at least the home agent address, without the use of a foreign agent;

wherein the access network is configured to determine the information sent to the apparatus in response to receiving the signal with the indication that the at least one configuration parameter is unknown.

39. An apparatus comprising:

interfacing means for communicating with an access network, wherein the apparatus roams to the access network, the access network being a visited network other than a home network of the apparatus; and

controlling means for including, in a signal, an indication that at least one configuration parameter for setting up a data carrier is unknown to the apparatus, the at least one configuration parameter including at least a home agent address, for interpreting information received from the access network regarding the at least one configuration parameter to the apparatus, and for configuring the apparatus to set up the data carrier between the device and the interfacing means in accordance with said information from the access network, including at least the home agent address, without the use of a foreign agent;

wherein the access network is configured to determine the information sent to the apparatus in response to receiving the signal with the indication that the at least one configuration parameter is unknown.