Method for obtaining a mobile internet protocol address

• US 8,023,484 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clearwire Ip Holdings LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Clear Wireless LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Zhu, Lei, Huang, Feng, McGinniss, David S., Partovi, Mohammad Hassan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/264,955
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/352, 370/401, 370/410, 709/228
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

In various embodiments, methods and systems are provided for acquiring a mobile internet protocol address in a communication network. In an embodiment, a gateway node generates an extension where the extension comprises an authentication node identifier associated with a user identifier. The gateway node then sends a mobile internet protocol request message to a mobile network internet node where the mobile internet protocol request message comprises the extension. The mobile network internet node can then send a mobile internet protocol access request message to an authentication node utilizing the authentication node identifier obtained from the extension. In response to receiving a mobile internet protocol access accept message at the mobile network internet node transferred from the authentication node where the mobile internet protocol access accept message comprises the mobile network internet node key, the mobile network internet node assigns the mobile internet protocol address to the mobile station associated with the user identifier. A mobile internet protocol session accept message is sent to a mobile station wherein the mobile internet protocol session accept message comprises the mobile internet protocol address.

Claims

1. A method for acquiring a mobile internet protocol address in a communication network, the method comprising:

generating an extension at a gateway node wherein the extension comprises an authentication node identifier associated with a user identifier;

sending a mobile internet protocol request message from the gateway node to a mobile network internet node wherein the mobile internet protocol request message comprises the extension;

sending a mobile internet protocol access request message transferred from the mobile network internet node to an authentication node utilizing the authentication node identifier;

assigning the mobile internet protocol address at the mobile network internet node to the mobile station associated with the user identifier in response to receiving a mobile internet protocol access accept message at the mobile network internet node transferred from the authentication node wherein the mobile internet protocol access accept message comprises the mobile network internet node key; and

sending a mobile internet protocol session accept message to a mobile station wherein the mobile internet protocol session accept message comprises the mobile internet protocol address.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a data link request message at the authentication node transferred from the mobile station wherein the data link request message comprises the user identifier and wherein the authentication node comprises the authentication node identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the mobile network internet node key and a mobile network internet node identifier based upon the user identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a data link accepted message to a gateway node wherein the data link accepted message comprises the mobile network internet node key and a mobile network internet node identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a data link at the gateway node for the mobile station.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a mobile internet protocol session request message at the gateway node transferred from the mobile station utilizing a data link.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a mobile internet protocol reply message at the gateway node transferred from the mobile network internet node wherein the mobile internet protocol reply message comprises the mobile internet protocol address.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the mobile internet protocol session accept message to the mobile station comprises transferring the mobile internet protocol session accept message from the gateway node to the mobile station.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a data link request message at the authentication node transferred from the mobile station wherein the data link request message comprises the user identifier and wherein the authentication node comprises the authentication node identifier;

generating the mobile network internet node key and a mobile network internet node identifier based upon the user identifier;

sending a data link accepted message to the gateway node wherein the data link accepted message comprises the mobile network internet node key and the mobile network internet node identifier;

establishing a data link at the gateway node for the mobile station; and

receiving a mobile internet protocol session request message at the gateway node transferred from the mobile station utilizing the data link.

10. A method for acquiring a mobile internet protocol address in a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a mobile internet protocol session request message at a gateway node transferred from a mobile station utilizing a data link;

generating an extension at the gateway node wherein the extension comprises an authentication node identifier associated with a user identifier;

sending a mobile internet protocol request message from the gateway node to a mobile network internet node wherein the mobile internet protocol request message comprises the extension;

sending a mobile internet protocol access request message transferred from the mobile network internet node to an authentication node utilizing the authentication node identifier;

receiving a mobile internet protocol access accept message at the mobile network internet node transferred from the authentication node wherein the mobile internet protocol access accept message comprises the mobile network internet node key;

assigning the mobile internet protocol address at the mobile network internet node to the mobile station associated with the user identifier;

receiving a mobile internet protocol reply message at the gateway node transferred from the mobile network internet node wherein the mobile internet protocol reply message comprises the mobile internet protocol address; and

sending a mobile internet protocol session accept message transferred from the gateway node to the mobile station wherein the mobile internet protocol session accept message comprises the mobile internet protocol address.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a data link request message at the authentication node transferred from the mobile station wherein the data link request message comprises the user identifier and wherein the authentication node comprises the authentication node identifier.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating the mobile network internet node key and a mobile network internet node identifier based upon the user identifier.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending a data link accepted message to a gateway node wherein the data link accepted message comprises the mobile network internet node key and a mobile network internet node identifier.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising establishing a data link at the gateway node for the mobile station.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the gateway node comprises an access service network gateway.

16. The method claim 10 wherein the mobile network node comprises a mobile internet node home agent.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the authentication node comprises an authentication, authorization and accounting node.