Selecting an address provider using a dynamic indicator

• US 8,589,590 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Breau, Jeremy R., Doerr, Ray R., Belser, John E., Rieschick, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIU, HO T
• Application Number:
  US11/852,649
• Time in Patent Office: 2,262 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses

Abstract

A method and system are provided to select address providers that provide mobile internet protocol devices with addresses for communication. An embodiment of the method includes obtaining an address request having a dynamic indicator. Upon obtaining an address request with a dynamic indicator, associating the dynamic indicator with one or more address providers based on the dynamic indicator. The address request is then communicated to one of the address providers associated with the dynamic indicator.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed perform a method for selecting address providers that provide mobile internet protocol devices with addresses to use for communication, the method comprising:

obtaining an address request from a mobile device, the address request having a dynamic indicator being selected from a plurality of dynamic indicators, wherein the dynamic indicator comprises a first dynamic indicator or a second dynamic indicator and indicates a desire for a dynamic home agent assignment, wherein the first dynamic indicator is different from the second dynamic indicator;

associating the dynamic indicator with a plurality of home agents in accordance with the dynamic indicator within the address request, wherein

(1) the dynamic indicator is associated with a first plurality of home agents within a home network when the dynamic indicator of the address request comprises the first dynamic indicator, and

(2) the dynamic indicator is associated with a second plurality of home agents within the home network when the dynamic indicator of the address request comprises the second dynamic indicator;

assigning the address request to one of the plurality of home agents associated with the dynamic indicator, wherein assigning the address request comprises populating the address request with an indication of the one of the plurality of home agents; and

communicating the address request to the one of the plurality of home agents associated with the dynamic indicator.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first dynamic indicator comprises an all-zeros IP address dynamic indicator and the second dynamic indicator comprises an all-ones IP address dynamic indicator.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the first dynamic indicator comprises a primary dynamic indicator and the second dynamic indicator comprises a secondary dynamic indicator.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 further comprising identifying the dynamic indicator.

5. A method for selecting address providers that provide mobile internet protocol devices with addresses to use for communication, the method comprising:

obtaining an address request having a dynamic indicator being selected from a plurality of dynamic indicators, wherein the dynamic indicator comprises a first dynamic indicator or a second dynamic indicator and indicates a desire for selecting an address provider for data communication, wherein the first dynamic indicator is different from the second dynamic indicator;

associating the dynamic indicator with a plurality of address providers in accordance with the dynamic indicator within the address request, wherein

(1) the dynamic indicator is associated with a first plurality of address providers within a foreign network when the dynamic indicator of the address request is the first dynamic indicator, and

(2) the dynamic indicator is associated with a second plurality of address providers within the foreign network when the dynamic indicator of the address request is the second dynamic indicator;

assigning the address request to one of the plurality of address providers associated with the dynamic indicator, wherein assigning the address request comprises populating the address request with an indication of the one of the plurality of address providers; and

communicating the address request to the assigned address provider.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of address providers comprise home agents.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising obtaining an address reply.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising identifying the dynamic indicator.