Efficient mobility management scheme for a wireless internet access system

• US 6,421,714 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1998
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rai, Girish, Chuah, Mooi, Parsons, Philip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/138,681
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/220, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/229, 709/230, 709/238, 709/250, 709/249, 709/313, 455/422, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0038 of security context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A wireless data network that provides communications with a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) server is disclosed. A home network includes a home mobile switching center and a wireless end system, the home mobile switching center including a home registration server and a home inter-working function, the wireless end system including an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the home registration server. The wireless data network also includes a PPP server, wherein a message is coupleable from the end system through the home inter-working function to the PPP server.

Claims

1. A wireless data network comprising:

a home network that includes a home mobile switching center and a wireless end system, the home mobile switching center including a home registration server and a home inter-working function, the wireless end system including an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the home registration server;

a PPP server, a message being coupleable from the end system through the home inter-working function to the PPP server;

a foreign network that includes a foreign base station with a foreign access hub, the foreign access hub including a first serving inter-working function; and

a second mobile end system subscribed to the home network and operating within the foreign network, a first message being transportable between the first mobile end system and a first communications server through the first home inter-working function and through the first serving inter-working function of the foreign access hub in the foreign base station.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the first message is transportable from the second mobile end system through the first home inter-working function to the first communications server.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the second mobile end system includes a wireless modem coupleable to the foreign access hub.

4. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

a third end system subscribed to the home network and operating as a fixed end system within the home network; and

a home base station that includes a home access hub with a second home inter-working function, a second message being transportable between the third end system and a second communications server through the second home inter-working function.

5. The network of claim 1, further comprising:

a third end system subscribed to the home network and operating as a mobile end system within the home network;

a home mobile switching center having a second home inter-working function, and

a home base station that includes a home access hub with a second serving inter-working function, a second message being transportable between the second end system and a second communications server through the second serving inter-working function and through the second home inter-working function.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the first home inter-working function includes a home accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first home inter-working function.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein:

the home mobile switching center includes a home accounting server; and

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a home accounting server.

8. The network of claim 7, wherein:

the home network further includes a home billing processor; and

the home accounting server includes a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the home accounting server.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein:

the home network further includes a home billing processor;

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the first serving inter-working function includes a foreign accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

10. A wireless data network comprising:

a home network that includes a home mobile switching center and a wireless end system, the home mobile switching center including a home registration server and a home inter-working function, the wireless end system including an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the home registration server;

a PPP server, a message being coupleable from the end system through the home inter-working function to the PPP server;

a foreign network that includes a foreign mobile switching center and a base station, the foreign mobile switching center including a serving registration server, the base station including an access hub, the access hub including a proxy registration agent; and

a second end system subscribed to the home network and operating within the foreign network, the second end system including an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the proxy registration agent, the proxy registration agent being coupled to the serving registration server, the serving registration server being coupled to the home registration server,

wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the foreign network is authorized to host the end system;

wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the end system is authorized to receive services of the home network;

wherein the serving registration server includes a module to authenticate that the end system is a subscriber of the home network;

wherein the home network further includes a home billing processor;

wherein the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor; and

wherein the first serving inter-working function includes a foreign accounting collection module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

11. A wireless data network comprising:

a home network that includes a home mobile switching center and a wireless end system, the home moble switching center including a home registration server and a home inter-working function, the wireless end system including an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the home registration server;

a PPP server, a message being coupleable from the end system through the home inter-working function to the PPP server;

a foreign network that includes a base station with an access hub and a foreign mobile switching center with a serving registration server, the access hub including a serving inter-working function, the serving inter-working function including a foreign accounting collection module;

the home inter-working function including a home accounting collection module, and

a second end system subscribed to the wireless data network and coupl cable to the foreign access hub, the home and server accounting collection modules collecting accounting data on message traffic transported between the second end system and a communications server through the home inter-working function and through the serving inter-working function.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported from the second end system through the home inter-working function to the communications server.

13. The network of claim 11, wherein:

the foreign mobile switching center includes a foreign accounting server; and

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server.

14. The network of claim 11, wherein:

the home mobile switching center includes a home accounting server;

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the home accounting server.

15. The network of claim 14, wherein:

the home network further includes a home billing processor; and

the home accounting server includes a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the home accounting server.

16. The network of claim 11, wherein:

the foreign network further includes a foreign accounting server and a foreign billing processor;

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to collect accounting data on message traffic transported through the first serving inter-working function, the foreign accounting collection module further including a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to the foreign accounting server, the foreign accounting server including a module to send accounting reports to the foreign billing processor, the foreign billing processor including a module to send accounting reports to the home billing processor, the home billing processor including a module to prepare customer bills based on the accounting reports from the foreign billing processor.

17. The network of claim 11, wherein:

the foreign mobile switching center includes a foreign accounting server;

the home mobile switching center includes a home accounting server;

the foreign accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a foreign accounting server; and

the home accounting collection module includes a sub-module to periodically send accounting reports to a home accounting server.

18. A wireless data network comprising:

a home network that includes a home mobile switching center and a wireless end system, the home mobile switching center including a home registration server and a home inter-working function, the wireless end system including an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the home registration server;

a PPP server, a message being coupleable from the end system through the home inter-working function to the PPP server;

a foreign network that includes a foreign mobile switching center with a serving registration server;

the home mobile switching center includes a plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions; and

a second end system subscribed to the home network and operating within the foreign network, the second end system including an end registration agent to form a registration request, the end registration agent sending the registration request through the serving registration server to the home registration server, the home registration server including a module to select an active home inter-working function from the plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions based on the registration request.

19. The network of claim 18, wherein:

the serving inter-working function is regarded as an active serving inter-working function;

the foreign network further includes a plurality of serving inter-working functions; and

the serving registration server includes a module to select the active serving inter-working function from the plurality of serving inter-working functions based on the registration request.

20. The network of claim 18, wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the foreign network is authorized to host the second end system.

21. The network of claim 18, wherein the home registration server includes a module to authenticate that the second end system is authorized to receive services of the home network.

22. The network of claim 18, wherein the serving registration server includes a module to authenticate that the second end system is a subscriber of the home network.

23. The network of claim 18, wherein:

the registration request includes service type information; and

the home registration server includes a module to control the selection of the active home inter-working function based on the service type information.

24. The network of claim 23, wherein the service type information specifies a request for one of public internet service and private intranet service.

25. The network of claim 23, wherein the service type information specifies a request for one of mobile service and fixed service.

26. The network of claim 18, wherein:

the registration request includes quality of service information; and

the home registration server includes a module to control the selection of the active home inter-working function based on the quality of service information.

27. The network of claim 26, wherein the quality of service information specifies a request for one of constant bit rate service, real time variable bit rate service, non-real time variable bit rate service, unspecified bit rate service and available bit rate service.

28. A wireless data network comprising:

a home network that includes a home mobile switching center and a wireless end system, the home mobile switching center including a home registration server and a home inter-working function, the wireless end system including an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the home registration server;

a PPP server, a message being coupleable from the end system through the home inter-working function to the PPP server;

a foreign network that includes a foreign mobile switching center and a base station, the base station including an access hub with a serving inter-working function; and

a roaming end system subscribed to the home network and operating within the foreign network, a message being transportable between the roaming end system and the home inter-working function through the serving inter-working function using a protocol that ensures in sequence delivery of data packets.