Method and system for registering a nickname associated with a mobile node

• US 8,614,976 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Everson, John M., Delker, Jason R., Nichols, Jarrod A., McConnell, Von K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAGLO, EMMANUEL K
• Application Number:
  US12/749,107
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 370/270, 370/338, 455/411, 455/435.1, 455/41.2, 709/245, 715/273
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/365 Application layer names, e.g. buddy names, unstructured names chosen by a user or home appliance name
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A mobile node is associated with a username assigned by the mobile node'"'"'s wireless service provider and a nickname selected by the mobile node'"'"'s user. The nickname is different than the username. When the mobile node logs on for packet data services, the mobile node is assigned a home address and an on-line registration is established in a DNS server. The on-line registration associates the nickname with the home address. The DNS server may then be queried to determine that the mobile node with that nickname is on-line and/or to determine how to reach the mobile node with that nickname. When the mobile node goes off-line, the on-line registration may be changed to an off-line registration that associates the nickname with an address of a messaging server. The messaging server may receive messages for the mobile node and/or provide messages indicating that the mobile node is off-line.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a home agent receiving a registration request for a mobile node, wherein said mobile node is associated with a username and a nickname that is different than said username;

after receiving said registration request, said home agent assigning a home address to said mobile node; and

said home agent registering in a name server an association between said nickname and said home address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said registration request is a Mobile IP registration request that includes a care-of address for said mobile node.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

said home agent creating a mobility binding for said mobile node, wherein said mobility binding associates said home address with said care-of address.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said home agent instructing a firewall to allow external packets that are addressed to said home address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said registration request includes said username.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said registration request further includes said nickname.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

said home agent sending a request to an authentication server, said request including said username; and

said home agent receiving a response from said authentication server, said response including said nickname.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said name server is a domain name system (DNS) server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said nickname has been selected by a user of said mobile node and said username has been selected by a wireless service provider.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

said mobile node receiving a selection of said nickname from said user.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

said wireless service provider adding said nickname to a user profile associated with said mobile node.

12. A method, comprising:

a home agent receiving an initial Mobile IP registration request for a mobile node, said initial Mobile IP registration request including a care-of address for said mobile node;

said home agent receiving a nickname that has been selected by a user of said mobile node;

after receiving said initial Mobile IP registration request, said home agent assigning a home address to said mobile node;

said home agent creating a mobility binding that associates said home address with said care-of address; and

said home agent establishing an on-line registration for said mobile node in a domain name system (DNS) server, wherein said on-line registration associates said nickname with said home address.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

said home agent receiving a subsequent Mobile IP registration request for said mobile node, said subsequent Mobile IP registration request including a new care-of address for said mobile node; and

said home agent updating said mobility binding with said new care-of address without updating said on-line registration.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

said home agent receiving a notification that said mobile node is off-line;

in response to said notification, said home agent changing said on-line registration to an off-line registration, wherein said off-line registration associates said nickname with an address of a messaging server.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said home agent receiving a nickname that has been selected by a user of said mobile node comprises:

said home agent receiving a network access identifier (NAI) of said mobile node, said NAI including a username;

said home agent sending a query to an authentication server, said query including said NAI; and

said home agent receiving a response from said authentication server, said response including said nickname.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said nickname is different than said username.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said initial Mobile IP registration request includes said NAI.

18. A system, comprising:

a domain name system (DNS) server;

an authentication server, wherein said authentication server stores user profile information regarding a mobile node, said user profile information including a username selected by a wireless service provider and a nickname selected by a user of said mobile node, wherein said nickname is different than said username; and

a home agent, wherein said home agent is configured to receive a registration request that includes said username, assign a home address to said mobile node after receiving said registration request, and establish an on-line registration for said mobile node in said DNS server, wherein said on-line registration associates said nickname with said home address.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a messaging server, wherein said messaging server is configured to provide an off-line message when said mobile node is off-line.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said home agent is further configured to change said on-line registration to an off-line registration in response to a notification that said mobile node is off-line, wherein said off-line registration associates said nickname with an address of said messaging server.