Packet-data-network-specific addressing solutions for clients relying on proxy-based mobility

• US 8,953,609 B1
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Zhao, Fan, Faccin, Stefano, Damle, Ameya
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Weibin
• Application Number:
  US14/102,058
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/389, 370/392, 370/393, 370/395.1, 370/395.5, 370/395.54, 370/400, 370/409, 709/217, 709/218, 709/220, 709/222, 709/227, 709/228, 709/238, 709/245
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/503 using an authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] protocol, e.g. remote authentication dial-in user service [RADIUS] or Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update

Abstract

A wireless client terminal includes an application module, a service mapping module, and an address determination module. The application module determines first and second services requested by applications. The service mapping module stores a table that maps services to access point names. Each access point name identifies a respective packet data network. The address determination module transmits an address request message, including access point names corresponding to the services, to a media access gateway and receives an address response message. The address determination module determines first and second addresses based on address information in the address response message. The application module transmits a first packet to the media access gateway. The source address of the first packet is set to the first address when the first packet is related to the first service and to the second address when the first packet is related to the second service.

Claims

1. A wireless client terminal comprising:

an application module configured to determine a first set of services requested by applications, wherein the first set of services includes at least a first service and a second service;

a service mapping module configured to store a table that maps a plurality of services to respective access point names, wherein each access point name identifies a respective packet data network, wherein the application module is configured to consult the table to determine a first set of access point names corresponding to the first set of services, and wherein the first set of access point names includes a first access point name and a second access point name;

a wireless network interface configured to wirelessly communicate with a media access gateway; and

an address determination module configured to

construct an address request message, wherein the address request message includes the first set of access point names,

transmit the address request message to the media access gateway via the wireless network interface,

receive an address response message from the media access gateway via the wireless network interface, wherein the address response message includes a first set of address information, and

determine at least one address of a first set of addresses in response to the first set of address information, wherein the first set of addresses includes a first address and a second address, wherein the first address corresponds to the first access point name, and wherein the second address corresponds to the second access point name,

wherein the application module is configured to

transmit a first packet to the media access gateway via the wireless network interface,

in response to the first packet being related to the first service, provide the first access point name to the wireless network interface in association with the first packet, and

in response to the first packet being related to the second service, provide the second access point name to the wireless network interface in association with the first packet, and

wherein the wireless network interface is configured to

in response to receiving the first access point name in association with the first packet, set a source address of the first packet to the first address, and

in response to receiving the second access point name in association with the first packet, set a source address of the first packet to the second address.

2. The wireless client terminal of claim 1, wherein the first set of address information includes a first set of address prefixes, and wherein the first set of address prefixes includes a first address prefix and a second address prefix.

3. The wireless client terminal of claim 2, wherein the address determination module is configured to determine the first address based on the first address prefix and determine the second address based on the second address prefix.

4. The wireless client terminal of claim 1, wherein the address request message includes a router solicitation message, and wherein the address response message includes a router advertisement message.

5. The wireless client terminal of claim 4, wherein:

the first set of address information includes a first set of address prefixes;

the first set of address prefixes includes a first address prefix and a second address prefix; and

the address determination module is configured to determine the first address using stateless autoconfiguration based on the first address prefix and determine the second address using stateless autoconfiguration based on the second address prefix.

6. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein the address response message includes a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) reply.

7. The wireless client terminal of claim 1, wherein the first and second addresses are Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

8. The wireless client terminal of claim 1, wherein the first set of services includes at least one of voice over IP (VoIP), text messaging, push e-mail, and World Wide Web browsing.

9. The wireless client terminal of claim 1, wherein the table maps a third service to the first access point name.

10. The wireless client terminal of claim 1, wherein the address determination module is configured to:

receive a second address response message from the media access gateway via the wireless network interface, wherein the second address response message includes a second set of address information; and

determine at least another address of the first set of addresses in response to the second set of address information.

11. The wireless client terminal of claim 1, wherein the service mapping module is configured to obtain information from a home subscriber server to populate the table that maps the plurality of services to respective access point names.

12. A method of operating a wireless client terminal, the method comprising:

storing a table that maps a plurality of services to respective access point names, wherein each access point name identifies a respective packet data network;

determining a first set of services requested by applications, wherein the first set of services includes at least a first service and a second service;

consulting the table to determine a first set of access point names corresponding to the first set of services, wherein the first set of access point names includes a first access point name and a second access point name;

constructing an address request message, wherein the address request message includes the first set of access point names;

wirelessly transmitting the address request message to a media access gateway;

wirelessly receiving an address response message from the media access gateway, wherein the address response message includes a first set of address information;

determining at least one address of a first set of addresses in response to the first set of address information, wherein the first set of addresses includes a first address and a second address, wherein the first address corresponds to the first access point name, and wherein the second address corresponds to the second access point name; and

wirelessly transmitting a first packet to the media access gateway, including

in response to the first packet being related to the first service, setting a source address of the first packet to the first address, and

in response to the first packet being related to the second service, setting the source address of the first packet to the second address.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first set of address information includes a first set of address prefixes, and wherein the first set of address prefixes includes a first address prefix and a second address prefix.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining the first address based on the first address prefix and determining the second address based on the second address prefix.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the address request message includes a router solicitation message, and wherein the address response message includes a router advertisement message.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first set of address information includes a first set of address prefixes;

the first set of address prefixes includes a first address prefix and a second address prefix; and

the method further includes determining the first address using stateless autoconfiguration based on the first address prefix, and determining the second address using stateless autoconfiguration based on the second address prefix.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the address response message includes a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) reply.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second addresses are Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the first set of services includes at least one of voice over IP (VoIP), text messaging, push e-mail, and World Wide Web browsing.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the table maps a third service to the first access point name.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving a second address response message from the media access gateway, wherein the second address response message includes a second set of address information; and

determining at least another address of the first set of addresses in response to the second set of address information.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising obtaining information from a home subscriber server to populate the table that maps the plurality of services to respective access point names.