Supporting simple IP with address translation in a proxy mobile IP gateway
First Claim
1. A method performed by a proxy mobile Internet protocol (PMIP) gateway, wherein the PMIP gateway serves wireless communication devices (WCDs) via either a PMIP mode or a simple IP with address translation mode, wherein the PMIP mode involves the PMIP gateway forwarding packets between the WCD and a mobile IP home agent, the method comprising:
- serving, by the PMIP gateway, a given WCD in the simple IP with address translation mode wherein serving the given WCD in the simple IP with address translation mode comprises translating IP addresses of packets to and from the given WCD according to a translation rule, and wherein the PMIP gateway is operated by a first party and the home agent is operated by a second party;
determining, by the PMIP gateway, that the given WCD is to be handed off to a network that requires the PMIP mode or a mobile IP mode, wherein determining that the given WCD is to be handed off to the network comprises determining that the given WCD is receiving, from a first wireless coverage area serving the given WCD, a wireless signal below a threshold level, and determining that a second wireless coverage area is a candidate target of the handoff, wherein the second wireless coverage area is controlled by the network; and
in response to determining that the given WCD is to be handed off to the network, changing, by the PMIP gateway, to serve the given WCD with the PMIP mode, wherein changing to serve the given WCD with the PMIP mode comprises deactivating the translation rule.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for supporting simple Internet Protocol (IP) with address translation in a proxy mobile IP (PMIP) gateway are presented. A PMIP gateway may be operable to serve wireless communication devices (WCDs) via either a PMIP mode or a simple IP with address translation mode. While the PMIP gateway is serving a given WCD in the simple IP with address translation mode, the PMIP gateway may determine that the given WCD is likely to be handed off to a network that requires the PMIP mode or a mobile IP mode. In response to making this determination, the PMIP gateway may switch to serve the given WCD with the PMIP mode.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method performed by a proxy mobile Internet protocol (PMIP) gateway, wherein the PMIP gateway serves wireless communication devices (WCDs) via either a PMIP mode or a simple IP with address translation mode, wherein the PMIP mode involves the PMIP gateway forwarding packets between the WCD and a mobile IP home agent, the method comprising:
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serving, by the PMIP gateway, a given WCD in the simple IP with address translation mode wherein serving the given WCD in the simple IP with address translation mode comprises translating IP addresses of packets to and from the given WCD according to a translation rule, and wherein the PMIP gateway is operated by a first party and the home agent is operated by a second party; determining, by the PMIP gateway, that the given WCD is to be handed off to a network that requires the PMIP mode or a mobile IP mode, wherein determining that the given WCD is to be handed off to the network comprises determining that the given WCD is receiving, from a first wireless coverage area serving the given WCD, a wireless signal below a threshold level, and determining that a second wireless coverage area is a candidate target of the handoff, wherein the second wireless coverage area is controlled by the network; and in response to determining that the given WCD is to be handed off to the network, changing, by the PMIP gateway, to serve the given WCD with the PMIP mode, wherein changing to serve the given WCD with the PMIP mode comprises deactivating the translation rule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method performed by a proxy mobile Internet protocol (PMIP) gateway, wherein the PMIP gateway is operable to communicate with a home agent, the method comprising:
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receiving, by the PMIP gateway, an address request message from a wireless communication device (WCD), wherein the PMIP gateway is operated by a first party and the home agent is operated by a second party; in response to receiving the address request message, conducting, by the PMIP gateway, a PMIP transaction with the home agent to acquire a home IP address for the WCD, wherein the home IP address is an IPv4 address; in response to acquiring the home IP address, transmitting the home IP address to the WCD for use by the WCD; determining, by the PMIP gateway, that the PMIP gateway is to translate between the home IP address and a roaming IP address for the WCD instead of performing PMIP services for the WCD; in response to the determining that the PMIP gateway is to translate between the home IP address and a roaming IP address, storing, by the PMIP gateway, a translation rule, wherein the translation rule instructs the PMIP gateway to translate between the home IP address and the roaming IP address on behalf of the WCD; determining, by the PMIP gateway, that the WCD is receiving, from a wireless coverage area serving the WCD, a wireless signal below a threshold level, wherein the wireless coverage area is provided by the first party; and in response to determining that the WCD is receiving, from the wireless coverage area, a wireless signal below a threshold level, deactivating, by the PMIP gateway, the translation rule. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A proxy mobile Internet protocol (PMIP) gateway, wherein the PMIP gateway serves wireless communication devices (WCDs) via either a PMIP mode or a simple IP with address translation mode, wherein the PMIP mode involves the PMIP gateway forwarding packets between the WCD and a mobile IP home agent, the PMIP gateway comprising:
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a processor; a data storage; program instructions, stored in the data storage and executable by the processor, to (i) serve a given WCD in the simple IP with address translation mode, wherein serving the given WCD in the simple IP with address translation mode comprises translating IP addresses of packets to and from the given WCD according to a translation rule, and wherein the PMIP gateway is operated by a first party and the home agent is operated by a second party (ii) determine that the given WCD is to be handed off to a network that requires the PMIP mode or a mobile IP mode, wherein determining that the given WCD is to be handed off to the network comprises (a) determining that the given WCD is receiving, from a first wireless coverage area serving the given WCD, a wireless signal below a threshold level, and (b) determining that a second wireless coverage area is a candidate target of the handoff, wherein the second wireless coverage area is controlled by the network, and (iii) in response to determining that the given WCD is to be handed off to the network, change to serve the given WCD with the PMIP mode, wherein changing to serve the given WCD with the PMIP mode comprises deactivating the translation rule. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification