SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SELECTIVE MOBILITY INVOCATION IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090207823A1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Andreasen, Flemming S., Vucetic, Vojislav, Brockners, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,942,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes invoking a mobile access gateway function based on an end user requesting an Internet Protocol (IP) address in a wireless or a wireline network. The invocation is selective such that the mobile access gateway function is invoked if the end user requires IP mobility services. The method also includes communicating with a gateway in order to obtain the IP address. The mobile access gateway function is coupled to a network element that receives packets for a communications flow from the end user that can conduct the flow through the wireless network and through the wireline network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

invoking a mobile access gateway function based on an end user requesting an Internet Protocol (IP) address in a wireless or a wireline network, wherein the invocation is selective such that the mobile access gateway function is invoked if the end user requests IP mobility services; and

obtaining the IP address for the end user, wherein the mobile access gateway function is coupled to a network element that receives packets for a communications flow from the end user that can conduct the flow through the wireless network and through the wireline network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating with a gateway to establish IP mobility binding and tunneling with the gateway.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is performed via interaction with an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) element when the end user requests the IP address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is performed via interaction with a policy element when the end user requests the IP address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is based on identifiers derived from an access network via Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) signaling.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is based on a response delivered by a device being used by the end user, the response being associated with a DHCP option or a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) option.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a DHCP server communicates option information as part of an IP address assignment procedure that indicates whether the IP mobility services are needed for the end user, and wherein the option information identifies IP address ranges, subnets, and next-hop IP gateways for each service to which the end user has access.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a mobile access gateway function that can be invoked based on an end user requesting an Internet Protocol (IP) address in a wireless or a wireline network, wherein the invocation is selective such that the mobile access gateway function is invoked if the end user requests IP mobility services, the mobile access gateway function communicating with a gateway in order to obtain the IP address, and wherein the mobile access gateway function is coupled to a network element that receives packets for a communications flow from the end user that can conduct the flow through the wireless network and through the wireline network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network element communicates with the gateway to establish IP mobility binding and tunneling with the gateway.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is performed via interaction with an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) element when the end user requests the IP address.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is performed via interaction with a policy element when the end user requests the IP address.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is based on identifiers derived from an access network via Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) signaling.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is based on a response delivered by a device being used by the end user, the response being associated with a DHCP option or a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) option.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a DHCP server communicates option information as part of an IP address assignment procedure that indicates whether the IP mobility services are needed for the end user, and wherein the option information identifies IP address ranges, subnets, and next-hop IP gateways for each service to which the end user has access.

15. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed by a processor operable to:

invoke a mobile access gateway function based on an end user requesting an Internet Protocol (IP) address in a wireless or a wireline network, wherein the invocation is selective such that the mobile access gateway function is invoked if the end user requests IP mobility services; and

communicate with a gateway in order to obtain the IP address, wherein the mobile access gateway function is coupled to a network element that receives packets for a communications flow from the end user that can conduct the flow through the wireless network and through the wireline network.

16. The logic of claim 15, wherein the code is further operable to:

communicate with the gateway to establish IP mobility binding and tunneling with the gateway.

17. The logic of claim 15, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is performed via interaction with an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) element when the end user requests the IP address.

18. The logic of claim 15, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is performed via interaction with a policy element when the end user requests the IP address.

19. The logic of claim 15, wherein a DHCP server communicates option information as part of an IP address assignment procedure that indicates whether the IP mobility services are needed for the end user, and wherein the option information identifies IP address ranges, subnets, and next-hop IP gateways for each service to which the end user has access.

20. A system, comprising:

means for invoking a mobile access gateway function based on an end user requesting an Internet Protocol (IP) address in a wireless or a wireline network, wherein the invocation is selective such that the mobile access gateway function is invoked if the end user requests IP mobility services; and

means for communicating with a gateway in order to obtain the IP address, wherein the mobile access gateway function is coupled to a network element that receives packets for a communications flow from the end user that can conduct the flow through the wireless network and through the wireline network.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is performed via interaction with an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) element when the end user requests the IP address.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is performed via interaction with a policy element when the end user requests the IP address.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is based on identifiers derived from an access network via Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) signaling.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein a decision as to whether the IP mobility services are needed is based on a response delivered by a device being used by the end user, the response being associated with a DHCP option or a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) option.