Mobile IP data communication system comprising a mobile router that detects a change in connection status

• US 8,565,227 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nakata, Tsuneo, Ono, Masahiro, Momona, Morihisa, Okanoue, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, DUNG LE
• Application Number:
  US10/526,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20060182128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,441 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/401, 370/389, 370/331, 370/328, 709/245, 709/238, 709/225, 709/227, 709/223
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/048 mobile agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

The present invention provides a data communication technology which is capable of securing flexibly a bandwidth for a traffic that is generated and which enables effective use of access lines or wireless resource. A mobile router uses a plurality of communication means, retains a plurality of narrow band communication routes for communicating with the home agent, and configures a broad band communication route by using the plurality of the narrow band communication routes as a single logical communication route. This enables a bandwidth to be flexibly secured in accordance with the traffic which is generated in the mobile network. In this case, the home agent is enabled to effectively use the access lines by referring to the route information so as to determine the destination address. Furthermore, it is possible to save the wireless resource under the initiative of the user by dynamically connecting to an alternative line or disconnecting a line which is being used in response to a request of the user.

Claims

1. A data communication system comprising a home agent, a correspondent node capable of communicating with the home agent, a mobile router, and a mobile network node capable of communicating with the mobile router, the mobile router comprising:

a plurality of communication equipment of a communication service containing a same or different types of services;

a control table which stores a plurality of addresses each respectively assigned to one of the plurality of communication equipment, and respective route information of the plurality of communication equipment, such that respective address and route information are associated with each other; and

a transferor which receives a packet from the mobile network node to the correspondent node, selects usable communication equipment based on information of the control table, and transfers the packet to the home agent,

the home agent comprising;

an address identifier that identifies the address assigned to the usable communication equipment of the mobile router;

a home agent control table which stores the identified address and route information of the address, such that the address and the route information are associated with each other; and

transferor which receives a packet from the correspondent node addressed to the mobile network node, selects an address based on information of the home agent control table, and transfers the packet to the address, wherein a logical line, through which the mobile network node and the correspondent node communicate with each other, is configured by combining lines of the plurality of communication equipment.

2. A data communication system comprising a home agent and a mobile router,

the mobile router comprising:

a plurality of communication equipment of a communication service containing same or different types of services;

a control table which stores a plurality of addresses each respectively assigned to one of the communication equipment, and respective route information of the plurality of communication equipment, such that respective address and route information are associated with each other; and

a transferor which receives a packet, selects usable communication equipment based on the control table, and transfers the packet to the home agent,

and home agent comprising;

an address identifier that identifies an address assigned to usable communication equipment of the mobile router;

a home agent control table which stores the identified address and route information of the address, such that the address and the route information are associated with each other; and

a home agent transferor which receives a packet, selects an address based on information of the home agent control table, and transfers the packet to the address, wherein a logical line, through which the home agent and the mobile router communicate with each other, is configured by combining lines of the plurality of communication equipment.

3. The data communication system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile router comprises:

a detector that detects a change in connection status of the communication equipment currently-in-use; and

a notifier that notifies the home agent of the change in connection status and an address assigned to the communication equipment, and the home agent comprises an updater that updates based on the notification, information in the home agent control table that manages an address of the communication equipment of the mobile router.

4. A data communication system comprising a home agent, a correspondent node capable of communicating with the home agent, a mobile router, and a mobile network node capable of communicating with the mobile router, the mobile router comprising:

a plurality of communication equipment which communicate with the home agent;

a control table which stores route information containing a plurality of addresses each respectively assigned to one of the plurality of communication equipment; and

a packet receiver that receives a packet from the mobile network node addressed to the correspondent node, selects at least one of the communication equipment based on information of the control table, and transfers the packet to the home agent,

the home agent comprising;

an address identifier that identifies an address assigned to usable communication equipment of the mobile router;

a home agent control table which stores route information containing the identified address; and

a home agent packet receiver that receives a packet from the correspondent node addressed to the mobile network node, selects at least one address based on information of the home agent control table, and transfers the packet to the address, wherein a logically multiplexed line, through which the mobile network and the correspondent node communicate with each other, is configured by combining the plurality of communication equipment between the mobile router and the home agent.

5. A mobile router in a data communication system comprising a home agent, a correspondent node capable of communicating with the home agent, a mobile router, and a mobile network node capable of communicating with the mobile router, the mobile router comprising:

a plurality of communication equipment of a communication service containing same or different types of services;

a control table which stores a plurality of addresses each respectively assigned to one of the plurality of communication equipment, and respective route information of the communication equipment, such that respective address and route information are associated with each other; and

a transferor that receives a packet from the mobile network node addressed to the correspondent node, selects usable communication equipment based on information of the control table, and transfers the packet to the home agent,

wherein a logical line, through which a packet addressed to the correspondent node from the mobile network node is transferred to the home agent, is configured by combining lines of the plurality of communication.

6. A mobile router in a data communication system comprising a home agent and a mobile router,

the mobile router comprising:

a plurality of communication equipment of a communication service containing same or different types of services;

a control table which stores a plurality of addresses each respectively assigned to one of the plurality of communication equipment, and respective route information of the plurality of communication equipment, such that respective address and route information are associated with each other; and

a transferor that receives a packet, selects usable communication equipment based on the control table, and transfers the packet to the home agent,

wherein a logical line, through which the mobile router and the home agent communicate to each other, is configured by combining lines of the plurality of communication equipment.

8. The mobile router according to claim 6, further comprising:

a detector that detects a change in connection status of the communication equipment currently-in-use; and

a notifier that notifies the home agent of the change in connection status and an address assigned to the communication equipment.

7. A mobile router in a data communication system comprising a home agent, a correspondent node capable of communicating with the home agent, a mobile router, and a mobile network node capable of communicating with the mobile router, the mobile router comprising:

a plurality of communication equipment which communicate with the home agent;

a control table which stores route information containing addresses respectively assigned to the plurality of communication equipment; and

a transferor which receives a packet from the mobile network node addressed to the correspondent node, selecting at least one of the communication equipment based on information of the control table, and transfers the packet to the home agent,

wherein a logically multiplexed line, through which a packet addressed to the correspondent node from the mobile network node is transferred to the home agent, is configured by combining lines of the plurality of communication equipment.

9. A home agent in a data communication system comprising a home agent and a mobile router,

the home agent comprises:

an address identifier that identifies an address assigned to usable communication equipment among a plurality of communication equipment of a communication service containing same or different types of services of the mobile router;

a control table which stores the identified address and route information of the address, such that the address and the route information are associated with each other; and

a packet receiver that receives a packet, selects an address based on information of the control table, and transfers the packet to the address,

wherein a logical line, through which the home agent communicates with the mobile router, is configured by combining lines of the plurality of communication equipment.

10. The home agent according to claim 9, further comprising:

an updater that updates the information of the control table that manages an address of the communication equipment of the mobile router, based on a change in connection status with the mobile router and notification of the address assigned to the communication equipment.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for execution by a processor-controlled mobile router in a data communication system comprising a home agent and a mobile router,

the program causing the mobile router

to function as a plurality of communication equipment of a communication service containing a same or different types of services;

to function to receive a packet, select usable communication equipment based on a control table which stores a plurality of addresses each respectively assigned to one of the plurality of communication equipment, and respective route information of the communication equipment, such that respective address and route information are associated with each other, and transfers the packet to the home agent,

wherein a logical line, through which the mobile router and the home agent communicate to each other, is configured by combining lines of the plurality of communication equipment.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the program causes the mobile router to

detect a change in connection status of the communication equipment currently-in-use;

and

notify the home agent of the change in connection status and an address assigned to the communication equipment.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for execution by a processor-controlled home agent in a data communication system comprising a home agent and a mobile router,

the program causing the home agent

to identify an address assigned to a communication equipment which is usable among a plurality of communication equipment of a communication service containing same or different types of services;

and

to receive a packet, select an address based on information of a control table which stores the identified address and route information of the address, such that the address and the route information are associated with each other, and transfer the packet to the address,

thereby configuring a logical line by combining lines of the plurality of communication equipment, and communicating with the mobile router through this line.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, characterized in that the program causes the home agent to update information in the control table that manages an address of the communication equipment of the mobile router, based on notification of a change in connection status and an address assigned to the communication equipment.