SYSTEM AND METHOD OPERABLE TO ENABLE SHORTEST CONNECTION ROUTE

• US 20120014283A1
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synapse International SA
• Original Assignee: Synapse International SA
• Inventors: Bergqvist, Per, Willehadson, Stefam
• Granted Patent: US 9,749,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/253
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system operable to enable shortest connection roué for a mobile means of a subscriber, when the mobile means has roamed between a home network comprised in the system, and a foreign network comprised in the system. When the mobile means requests connection to Internet, a serving means comprised in the foreign network is operable to communicate with, and to receive information regarding the connection route from, a Home Location Register comprised in the home network. The serving means is operable to route a packet to a gateway means comprised in the foreign network. The gateway means is in turn operable to allocate an IP address for the mobile means and to function as an access point to Internet.

Claims

1. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber, when said mobile means has roamed between a home network comprised in said system, and a foreign network comprised in said system, wherein, when said mobile means requests connection to Internet, a serving means comprised in said foreign network is operable to communicate with, and to receive information regarding the connection route from, a Home Location Register comprised in said home network, wherein said serving means is operable to route a packet to a gateway means comprised in said foreign network, wherein said gateway means is operable to allocate an IP address for said mobile means and to function as an access point to Internet.

2. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 1, said gateway means also is operable to count every byte transferred to/from said mobile means, and to communicate said count of bytes to said home network.

3. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 1, wherein said serving means is operable to receive information regarding the connection route in the form of appointing of access point for General Packet Radio Services (GPRS).

4. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 1, wherein said serving means is operable to receive information regarding the connection route in the form of an attribute describing the roaming agreement.

5. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 2, wherein said gateway means is operable to communicate said count of bytes to said home network upon request.

6. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 2, wherein said gateway means is operable to communicate said count of bytes to said home network at the end of a session.

7. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 1, wherein said serving means is in the form of a Serving GPRS Support Node.

8. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 1, wherein said gateway means is in the form of a Gateway GPRS Support Node.

9. :

A system operable to enable shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 1, wherein said mobile means is in the form of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a mobile computer.

10. :

A method for enabling shortest connection route, with the aid of a system, for a mobile means of a subscriber, when said mobile means has roamed between a home network comprised in said system, and a foreign network comprised in said system, wherein said method comprises the steps;

with the aid of said mobile means, to request connection to Internet;

with the aid of a serving means comprised in said foreign network, to communicate with, and to receive information regarding the connection route from, a Home Location Register comprised in said home network;

with the aid of said serving means, to route a packet to a gateway means comprised in said foreign network; and

with the aid of said gateway means, to allocate an IP address for said mobile means, and to function as an access point to Internet.

11. :

A method for enabling shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 10, wherein said method also comprises the steps;

with the aid of said gateway means, to count every byte transferred to/from said mobile means; and

to communicate said count of bytes to said home network.

12. :

A method for enabling shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 10, wherein said step of receiving information regarding the connection route is performed by receiving an appointing of access point for General Packet Radio Services (GPRS).

13. :

A method for enabling shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 10, said step of receiving information regarding the connection route is performed by receiving an attribute describing the roaming agreement.

14. :

A method for enabling shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 11, wherein said step to communicate said count of bytes to said home network is performed upon request.

15. :

A method for enabling shortest connection route for a mobile means of a subscriber according to claim 11, wherein said step to communicate said count of bytes to said home network is performed at the end of a session.

16. :

At least one computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of at least one digital computer, comprising software code portions for performing the steps of claim 10 when said at least one product is/are run on said at least one computer.