Systems and methods for providing update notifications to mobile devices using mobile-IP extensions

• US 8,578,005 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Breau, Jeremy R., Santharam, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, LAN DAI T
• Application Number:
  US12/190,940
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/222, 709/202, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for notifying mobile devices of the presence of software and/or firmware updates using Mobile-IP extensions. When a mobile device seeks to engage in a Mobile-IP session, it sends a Mobile-IP registration request message. When it receives a reply to the registration request, the reply includes a Mobile-IP extension that indicates whether an update is available for the mobile device. If the extension indicates that an update is available, the mobile device responsively obtains the update.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network access server (NAS) device, a Mobile-IP registration request seeking to establish a Mobile-IP session for a mobile device;

in response to receiving the Mobile-IP registration request, transmitting, by the NAS device, an access-request to an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server device;

receiving, by the NAS device, an access-reply from the AAA server device, the access-reply indicating that an update is available for the mobile device;

transmitting, by the NAS device, the Mobile-IP registration request to a home agent device;

receiving, by the NAS device, a Mobile-IP registration reply from the home agent device;

appending, by the NAS device, a Mobile-IP extension to the Mobile-IP registration reply, the Mobile-IP extension indicating that the update is available for the mobile device; and

transmitting, by the NAS device, the Mobile-IP registration reply with the appended Mobile-IP extension to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Mobile-IP registration request is a Mobile-IPv4 registration request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the Mobile-IP registration request is a Mobile-IPv6 binding update.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the update to the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the update is a software update.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the update is a firmware update.

7. A network access server (NAS) device comprising:

a hardware processor;

data storage device; and

program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the processor to;

receive a Mobile-IP registration request seeking to establish a Mobile-IP session for a mobile device;

in response to receiving the Mobile-IP registration request, transmit an access-request to an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server device;

receive an access-reply from the AAA server device, the access-reply indicating that an update is available for the mobile device;

transmit the Mobile-IP registration request to a home agent device;

receive a Mobile-IP registration reply from the home agent device;

append a Mobile-IP extension to the Mobile-IP registration reply, the Mobile-IP extension indicating that the update is available for the mobile device; and

transmit the Mobile-IP registration reply with the appended Mobile-IP extension to the mobile device.

8. The NAS device of claim 7, wherein the Mobile-IP registration request is a Mobile-IPv4 registration request.

9. The NAS device of claim 7, wherein the Mobile-IP registration request is a Mobile-IPv6 binding update.

10. The NAS device of claim 7, wherein the update is provided to the mobile device.

11. The NAS device of claim 7, wherein the update is a software update.

12. The NAS device of claim 7, wherein the update is a firmware update.

13. A system comprising:

a network access server (NAS) device comprising a hardware processor and data storage device;

an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server device; and

a home agent device,

wherein the NAS device is configured to receive, from a mobile device, a Mobile-IP registration request seeking to establish a Mobile-IP session for the mobile device, and transmit an access-request to the AAA server device,

wherein the AAA server device is configured to receive, from the NAS device, the access-request, determine that an update is available for the mobile device, and transmit, to the NAS device, an access-reply indicating that the update is available for the mobile device,

wherein the NAS device is further configured to receive the access-reply from the AAA server device, and transmit the Mobile-IP registration request to the home agent device,

wherein the home agent device is configured to receive the Mobile-IP registration request from the NAS device, and transmit a Mobile-IP registration reply to the NAS device, and

wherein the NAS device is further configured to receive the Mobile-IP registration reply from the home agent device, append a Mobile-IP extension to the Mobile-IP registration reply, the Mobile-IP extension indicating that the update is available for the mobile device, and transmit the Mobile-IP registration reply with the appended Mobile-IP extension to the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the Mobile-IP registration request is a Mobile-IPv4 registration request.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the Mobile-IP registration request is a Mobile-IPv6 binding update.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the update is provided to the mobile device.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the update is a software update.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the update is a firmware update.