Mobile node, access gateway, location management device, and mobile packet communication system

• US 8,320,315 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Aramoto, Masafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, JUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/668,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20100202374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 370/203, 370204-215, 370229-240, 370241-253, 370310-337, 370338-350, 3703951-3953, 370/395.4, 370/395.41, 370/395.42, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/395.53, 370412-421, 370431-457, 370458-463, 370464-497, 370498-522, 370/523, 370520-529
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

When a mobile station 1 transmits a packet to a mobile station 2, the mobile station 1 selects an MAG 1 based on a primer flag of the MAG in a default router list, and transmits the packet to the MAG 1 as a default router. The MAG 1 receives the packet and resolves an LMA by finding that a destination of the packet is not a mobile station associated with the MAG 1 from a location information management table. Then the MAG 1 transfers the packet to the LMA. A transfer unit sets a transfer source as the MAG1 and a transfer destination as the LMA, and transfers the packet by a transfer technique using encapsulation, a transfer technique such as GRE tunneling, or MPLS. The LMA searches the location information management table based on the mobile station 2 as the destination of the packet, acquires an MAG 3 whose primer flag is ON, and then transfers the packet to the MAG 3. This allows each of the mobile stations to establish multiple communication paths via multiple communication networks, and to select an optimal path to deliver a packet in a mobile communication system complying with the Edge Mobility and provided with mobile stations, access gateways, and a location management device.

Claims

1. A mobile node in a packet communication system complying with the Edge Mobility and configured by including:

a mobile node;

first and second access gateways; and

a location management device holding the first and second access gateways as location information of the mobile node and setting a corresponding one of the first and second access gateways as a transfer destination of a packet addressed to the mobile node, the first and second access gateways connecting to a network through first and second access systems, which are distinct, of the mobile node and serving as respective connection points for the first and second access systems within a single core network that communicates with a single IP address, the location management device being a single location management device managed within the core network, the mobile node comprising;

a location registration notification unit including first and second transmitter-receivers respectively using the first and second network access systems connected to the core network, the first and second transmitter-receivers being configured to respectively request connection to the first and second access gateways to be connected with, the location registration notification unit being configured to cause location registrations to be performed from the first and second access gateways, respectively, with respect to the location management device;

a storage unit for acquiring and storing path information in the single core network that communicates with the single IP address and for the first and second access systems with respect to the first and second access gateways to be connected with via the first and second access systems of the respective first and second transmitter-receivers and for storing the path information;

a selection unit for selecting an access gateway to be preferentially used from the plurality of access gateways connected; and

a transmission unit for transmitting a packet to the selected access gateway based on the path information.

2. The mobile node according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notification unit for notifying of the access gateway thus selected.

3. The mobile node according to claim 2, wherein the selection unit selects an access gateway to be preferentially used on a basis of primary information stored in a location information management table provided in the location management device.

4. The mobile node according to claim 1, wherein the access systems are systems in a wireless LAN and a cellular phone.

10. The mobile node according to claim 2, wherein the access systems are systems in a wireless LAN and a cellular phone.

11. The mobile node according to claim 3, wherein the access systems are systems in a wireless LAN and a cellular phone.

5. An access gateway in a packet communication system complying with the Edge Mobility and configured by including:

a mobile node;

first and second access gateways; and

a location management device holding the first and second access gateways as location information of the mobile node and setting a corresponding one of the first and second access gateways as a transfer destination of a packet addressed to the mobile node, the first and second access gateways connecting to a network through first and second access systems, which are distinct, of the mobile node and serving as respective connection points for the first and second access systems within a single core network that communicates with a single IP address, the location management device being a single location management device managed within the core network, the access gateway comprising;

a unit for performing, with respect to the location management device, a location registration of a mobile node associated with the access gateway itself, for receiving a notification of access gateway selection with respect to the associated mobile node, and for notifying the location management device of the selected access gateway,

the location management device comprising;

a storage device for acquiring and registering the first and second access gateways as location information for the mobile node, for acquiring an access gateway selected by the mobile node, and for registering selection information; and

a packet transmission unit for transmitting a packet to the mobile node based on the selected access gateway and the location information.

6. A location management device in a packet communication system complying with the Edge Mobility and configured by including:

a mobile node;

first and second access gateways; and

a location management device holding the first and second access gateways as location information of the mobile node and setting a corresponding one of the first and second access gateways as a transfer destination of a packet addressed to the mobile node, the first and second access gateways connecting to a network through first and second access systems, which are distinct, of the mobile node and serving as respective connection points for the first and second access systems within a single core network that communicates with a single IP address, the location management device being a single location management device managed within the core network, the location management device comprising;

a registration unit for acquiring and registering the first and second access gateways as location information for the mobile node, for acquiring an access gateway selected by the mobile node, and for registering selection information, wherein

the location management device performs, within the core network, location management in which the first and second access gateways that serve as the respective connection points within the single core network that communicates with the single IP address are held as the location information of the mobile node and in which the corresponding one of the first and second access gateways is set as the transfer destination of the packet addressed to the mobile node.

7. A packet communication system complying with the Edge Mobility and configured by including:

a mobile node;

first and second access gateways; and

a location management device holding the first and second access gateways as location information of the mobile node and setting a corresponding one of the first and second access gateways as a transfer destination of a packet addressed to the mobile node, the first and second access gateways connecting to a network through first and second access systems, which are distinct, of the mobile node and serving as respective connection points for the first and second access systems within a single core network that communicates with a single IP address, the location management device being a single location management device managed within the core network, the packet communication system comprising;

the mobile node comprising;

a location registration notification unit including first and second transmitter-receivers respectively using the first and second access systems connected to the core network, the first and second transmitter-receivers being configured to respectively request connection to the first and second access gateways to be connected with, the location registration notification unit being configured to cause location registrations to be performed from the first and second access gateways, respectively, with respect to the location management device;

a storage unit for acquiring and storing path information in the single core network that communicates with the single IP address and for the first and second access systems with respect to the first and second access gateways to be connected with via the first and second access systems of the respective first and second transmitter-receivers;

a selection unit for selecting, from the first and second access gateways to be connected with, an access gateway that is to be used preferentially;

a notification unit for making a notification regarding the selected access gateway; and

a packet transmission unit for transmitting a packet to the selected access gateway;

the first and second access gateways each comprising a unit for performing, with respect to the location management device, a location registration of a mobile node associated with the access gateway itself, for receiving a notification of access gateway selection with respect to the associated mobile node, and for notifying the location management device of the selected access gateway; and

the location management device comprising;

a storage device for acquiring and registering the first and second access gateways as location information for the mobile node, for acquiring an access gateway selected by the mobile node, and for registering selection information; and

a packet transmission unit for transmitting a packet to the mobile node based on the selected access gateway and the location information.

8. A mobile node control method for a packet communication system complying with the Edge Mobility and configured by including:

a mobile node, first and second access gateways; and

a location management device holding the first and second access gateways as location information of the mobile node and setting a corresponding one of the first and second access gateways as a transfer destination of a packet addressed to the mobile node, the first and second access gateways connecting to a network through first and second access systems, which are distinct, of the mobile node and serving as respective connection points for the first and second access systems within a single core network that communicates with a single IP address, the location management device being a single location management device managed within the core network, the control method comprising;

a location registration notification step in which first and second transmitter-receivers, which respectively use the first and second access systems connected to the core network, respectively request connection to the first and second access gateways to be connected with, and in which location registrations are caused to be performed from the first and second access gateways, respectively, with respect to the location management device;

a storage step in which path information in the single core network that communicates with the single IP address and for the first and second access systems with respect to the first and second access gateways to be connected with via the first and second access systems of the respective first and second transmitter-receivers is acquired and stored;

a step of selecting an access gateway to be preferentially used from the plurality of access gateways connected;

a step of notifying of the access gateway thus selected; and

a step of transmitting a packet for the selected access gateway.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program which when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a mobile node control method for a packet communication system complying with the Edge Mobility and configured by including:

a mobile node, first and second access gateways; and

a location management device holding the first and second access gateways as location information of the mobile node and setting a corresponding one of the first and second access gateways as a transfer destination of a packet addressed to the mobile node, the first and second access gateways connecting to a network through first and second access systems, which are distinct, of the mobile node and serving as respective connection points for the first and second access systems within a single core network that communicates with a single IP address, the location management device being a single location management device managed within the core network, the control method comprising;

a location registration notification step in which first and second transmitter-receivers, which respectively use the first and second access systems connected to the core network, respectively request connection to the first and second access gateways to be connected with, and in which location registrations are caused to be performed from the first and second access gateways, respectively, with respect to the location management device;

a storage step in which path information in the single core network that communicates with the single IP address and for the first and second access systems with respect to the first and second access gateways to be connected with via the first and second access systems of the respective first and second transmitter-receivers is acquired and stored;

a selecting step in which an access gateway to be preferentially used is selected from the first and second access gateways; and

a transmitting step in which a packet is transmitted to the selected access gateway based on the path information.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the mobile node control method further comprises a step in which, from among a plurality of access gateways, a frequently used access gateway is selected, a notification is made regarding the selected access gateway, and a packet is transmitted to the selected access gateway.