Method and apparatus for channel optimization during point-to-point protocol (PPP) session requests

• US 7,197,017 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2000
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rezaiifar, Ramin, Hsu, Raymond Tah-Sheng, Abrol, Nischal
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMANN, JORDAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/494,199
• Time in Patent Office: 2,615 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/331, 370/338, 455/436, 455/437, 455/442
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• 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 method and apparatus for requesting PPP instances from a packet data services network includes a mobile station configured to send an origination message to a packet data service node (PDSN) at which it has arrived upon leaving the vicinity of another PDSN. The message informs the new PDSN of the new location of the mobile station and indicates both the number of dormant PPP instances associated with the mobile station and a service reference identifier for each such PPP instance. A flag within the message may be used to indicate whether the PPP instances are dormant (i.e., whether the mobile station is engaged in a call). Communications channel resources of packet data services nodes are optimized by reducing the information included in messages from the Packet Control Function network element to the Packet Data Service Node network element, and by reducing the use of Mobile Internet Protocol agent advertisement.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing radio-access-network-packet-data-service-node interface communications channel resources in a communications network when a mobile station moves from a first infrastructure element to a second infrastructure element associated with a packet data services node of the communications network, the method comprising the step of:

transmitting from the second infrastructure element associated with the packet data services node a message including a number of dormant network connections associated with the mobile station and a reduced list of identifiers associated with the dormant network connections, wherein the dormant network connections are connections that are not being used to transmit traffic channel data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said reduced list does not include Service Request Identifiers.

3. A method of optimizing the Air Interface traffic channel resources in a communications network when a mobile station moves from a first infrastructure element of a packet data services network to a second infrastructure element of the packet data services network, the method comprising the step of:

transmitting from the mobile station a message including a number of dormant network connections associated with the mobile station and enhanced information associated with the dormant network connections when the mobile station moves from a first infrastructure element of the packet data services network to a second infrastructure element, wherein the dormant network connections are connections that are not being used to transmit traffic channel data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said enhanced information includes packet zone identification information.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said enhanced information is used to conserve traffic channel resources by reducing Point to Point Protocol session negotiation.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said enhanced information is used to conserve traffic channel resources by educing Mobile Internet Protocol registration.

7. A mobile station configured to inform a packet data services network of dormant network connections associated with the mobile station when the mobile station moves from a first infrastructure element of the packet data services network to a second infrastructure element of the packet data services network, the mobile station comprising:

an antenna;

a processor coupled to the antenna; and

a processor-readable medium accessible by the processor and containing a set of instructions executable by the processor to modulate and transmit from the mobile station a message including a number of dormant network connections associated with the mobile station and a reduced list of identifiers associated with the dormant network connections when the mobile station moves from the first infrastructure element of the packet data services network to the second infrastructure element, wherein the dormant network connections are connections that are not being used to transmit traffic channel data.

8. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the dormant network connections comprise point-to-point protocol connections.

9. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the first and second infrastructure elements comprise packet data service nodes.

10. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the identifiers are not comprised of service reference identifiers.

11. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the message comprises an origination message including an indicator that the dormant network connections are dormant.

12. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the message comprises packet zone identification information.

13. A mobile station configured to inform a packet data services network of dormant network connections associated with the mobile station when the mobile station moves from a first infrastructure element of the packet data services network to a second infrastructure element of the packet data services network, the mobile station comprising:

a device configured to transmit from the mobile station a message including a number of dormant network connections associated with the mobile station and a reduced list of identifiers associated with the dormant network connections when the mobile station moves from the first infrastructure element of the packet data services network to the second infrastructure element, wherein the dormant network connections are connections that are not being used to transmit traffic channel data.

14. The mobile station of claim 13, wherein the dormant network connections comprise point-to-point protocol connections.

15. The mobile station of claim 13, wherein the first and second infrastructure elements comprise packet data service nodes.

16. The mobile station of claim 13, wherein the identifiers are not comprised of service reference identifiers.

17. The mobile station of claim 13, wherein the message comprises an origination message including an indicator that the dormant network connections are dormant.

18. The mobile station of claim 13, wherein the message comprises packet zone identification information.

19. A mobile station configured to inform a packet data services network of dormant network connections associated with the mobile station when the mobile station moves from a first infrastructure element of the packet data services network to a second infrastructure element of the packet data services network, the mobile station comprising:

means for transmitting from the mobile station a message including a number of dormant network connections associated with the mobile station and a reduced list of identifiers associated with the dormant network connections when the mobile station moves from the first infrastructure element of the packet data services network to the second infrastructure element, wherein the dormant network connections are connections that are not being used to transmit traffic channel data.

20. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the dormant network connections comprise point-to-point protocol connections.

21. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the fist and second infrastructure elements comprise packet data service nodes.

22. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the identifiers are not comprised of service reference identifiers.

23. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the message comprises an origination message including an indicator that the dormant network connections are dormant.

24. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the message comprises packet zone identification information.