System and method for roaming between wireless networks

• US 8,396,076 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Borella, Michael S., Raman, Sundar
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US13/335,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20120093142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/432.3, 455/433, 455/426, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 357/401, 357/465, 357/466, 357/467, 357/469, 357/331, 357/338, 357/345, 357/352, 357/356, 357/395.5, 357/395.51, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 709/230, 709/231, 709/232, 709/246, 709/249, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/469, 370/331, 370/338, 370/345, 370/352, 370/356, 370/395.5, 370/395.51
• US Class Current: 370/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Systems and methods for roaming between a mobile node and at least one serving node connected to a network are disclosed. The present application provides a method for roaming between. In the system and method, a first communication is established between the mobile node and one of the serving nodes through a control server, when an Ethernet transceiver is used by the mobile node. Ethernet is used for communications between the mobile node and the control server, and a wireless communication technology for communications between the control server and the serving node. The control server also translates communications between Ethernet and the wireless communication technology. In the system and method, a second communication is established between the mobile node and one of the serving nodes with the wireless communication technology, when a wireless communication technology transceiver is used by the mobile node.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving Point-to-Point over Ethernet (PPPoE) signaling messages from a first device;

receiving radio access network to packet data service node (R-P) signaling messages from a second device;

translating the received PPPoE signaling messages to R-P signaling messages for transmission to the second device; and

translating the received R-P signaling messages to PPPoE signaling messages for transmission to the first device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a Point-to-Point (PPP) session having the first device as a first end point of the PPP session and having the second device as a second end point of the PPP session.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

translating a PPPoE Active Discovery Request (PADR) PPPoE signaling message to a P-R Registration Request message.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

translating a R-P Registration Reply to a PPPoE Active Discovery Session-confirmation (PADS) message.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

translating a R-P Registration Reply to a PPPoE Active Discovery Terminate (PADT) message.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

translating a PADT message to a R-P Registration Request message having a lifetime field equal to zero.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

tearing down a PPP session having the first device as a first end point of the PPP session and the second device as a second end point of the PPP session.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the PPPoE signaling messages further comprises receiving the PPPoE signaling messages from the first device in a first network interface of a control server and wherein receiving the R-P signaling messages further comprises receiving the R-P signaling messages from the second device in a second network interface of the control server.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein translating the received PPPoE signaling messages to R-P signaling messages further comprises translating the received PPPoE signaling messages to R-P signaling messages in a first logic unit of a control server and wherein translating the received R-P signaling messages to PPPoE signaling messages further comprises translating the received R-P signaling messages to PPPoE signaling messages in a second logic unit of the control server.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the translated R-P signaling messages to the second device.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the translated PPPoE signaling messages to the first device.

12. A method comprising:

receiving Point-to-Point over Ethernet (PPPoE) signaling messages from a first device;

receiving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) signaling messages from a second device;

translating the received PPPOE signaling messages to GTP signaling messages for transmission to the second device; and

translating the received GTP signaling messages to PPPoE signaling messages for transmission to the first device.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

establishing a Point-to-Point (PPP) session having the first device as a first end point of the PPP session and having the second device as a second end point of the PPP session.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein receiving the PPPoE signaling messages further comprises receiving the PPPoE signaling messages from the first device in a first network interface of a control server and wherein receiving the GPRS signaling messages further comprises receiving the GPRS signaling messages from the second device in a second network interface of the control server.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein translating the received PPPoE signaling messages to GPRS signaling messages further comprises translating the received PPPoE signaling messages to GPRS signaling messages in a first logic unit of a control server and wherein translating the received GPRS signaling messages to PPPoE signaling messages further comprises translating the received GPRS signaling messages to PPPoE signaling messages in a second logic unit of the control server.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the translated GTP signaling messages to the second device.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the translated PPPoE signaling messages to the first device.