Supporting simple IP with address translation in a wireless communication device

• US 8,649,355 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Bertz, Lyle T., Belser, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamza, Faruk
• Assistant Examiner(s): LO, DIANE LEE
• Application Number:
  US12/873,993
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/085 involving hierarchical organized mobility servers, e.g. hierarchical mobile IP [HMIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Methods and devices for supporting simple Internet Protocol (IP) with address translation in a wireless communication device (WCD) are presented. The WCD may contain a translation module and an application module. The application module may be assigned a local IP address to which the application module binds. However, the translation module may attempt to hide the application module'"'"'s use of this local address. Thus, the translation module may translate the source address of packets sent by the application module from the local IP address to a different IP address that has been assigned to the WCD by a Proxy Mobile IP (PMIP) gateway.

Claims

1. A method performed at a wireless communication device (WCD), wherein the WCD contains (i) a translation module, and (ii) an application module that is assigned a local Internet Protocol (IP) address, the method comprising:

the WCD receiving, from a proxy mobile IP (PMIP) gateway, a roaming IP address;

in response to receiving the roaming IP address, the WCD storing a translation rule, wherein the translation rule instructs the translation module to translate between the local IP address and the roaming IP address when the local IP address is used by the application module, wherein the translation module translating between the local IP address and the roaming IP address comprises the application module forwarding a first packet to the translation module, wherein the first packet contains the local IP address as a source address, the translation module translating the source address in the first packet to the roaming IP address, and the translation module transmitting the first packet to the PMIP gateway;

the WCD receiving a renew message from the PMIP gateway;

in response to receiving the renew message, the WCD transmitting an address request message to a PMIP gateway;

the WCD receiving a home IP address from the PMIP gateway, wherein the home IP address is assigned by a mobile IP home agent; and

in response to receiving the home IP address, the WCD updating the translation rule so that the translation rule instructs the translation module to translate between the local IP address and the home IP address when the local IP address is used by the application module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the WCD receives the roaming IP address as part of a first Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) transaction with the PMIP gateway, wherein the WCD receives the home IP address as part of a second DHCP transaction with the PMIP gateway, and wherein the renew message is a DHCP FORCERENEW message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the translation module translating between the local IP address and the roaming IP address further comprises:

the translation module receiving a second packet from the PMIP gateway, wherein the second packet contains the roaming IP address as a destination address;

the translation module translating the destination address in the second packet to the local IP address; and

the translation module forwarding the second packet to the application module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the translation module translating between the local IP address and the home IP address comprises:

the application module forwarding a third packet to the translation module, wherein the third packet contains the local IP address as a source address;

the translation module translating the source address in the third packet to the home IP address; and

the translation module transmitting the third packet to the PMIP gateway.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the translation module translating between the local IP address and the home IP address further comprises:

the translation module receiving a fourth packet from the PMIP gateway, wherein the fourth packet contains the home IP address as a destination address;

the translation module translating the destination address in the fourth packet to the local IP address; and

the translation module forwarding the fourth packet to the application module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the application module binds to the local IP address before the translation module receives the roaming IP address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the application module binds to the local IP address after the translation module receives the roaming IP address.

8. A method comprising:

a proxy mobile Internet protocol (PMIP) gateway receiving a first address request message from a wireless communication device (WCD);

in response to receiving the first address request message, the PMIP gateway (i) assigning a roaming IP address to the WCD, and (ii) providing a simple IP service for the WCD;

while providing the simple IP service for the WCD, the PMIP gateway determining that the WCD is nearing a geographic boundary of the wireless coverage area;

based on the WCD nearing the geographic boundary of the wireless coverage area, the PMIP gateway determining to provide a PMIP service for the WCD instead of the simple IP service;

in response to determining to provide the PMIP service, the PMIP gateway transmitting a renew message to the WCD;

the PMIP gateway receiving a second address request message from the WCD, wherein the WCD generated the second address request message in response to receiving the renew message; and

in response to receiving the second address request message and determining to provide the PMIP service for the WCD instead of the simple IP service, the PMIP gateway (i) assigning a home IP address to the WCD, and (ii) switching from providing the simple IP service for the WCD to providing the PMIP service for the WCD.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the WCD is nearing the geographic boundary of the first wireless coverage area comprises:

the PMIP gateway receiving geographic coordinates of the WCD; and

the PMIP gateway determining that the geographic coordinates of the WCD are within a given range of the geographic boundary of the first wireless coverage area.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the WCD is served by a wireless coverage area, and wherein determining to providing the PMIP service comprises:

the PMIP gateway determining that the WCD is receiving a wireless signal from the wireless coverage area below a threshold level.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the assignment of the home IP address and the assignment of the roaming IP address are controlled by different parties.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first address request message and the second address request message are both Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) messages, and wherein the renew message is a DHCP FORCERENEW message.

13. A wireless communication device (WCD) comprising:

a processor;

a data storage;

an application module that is assigned a local Internet Protocol (IP) address;

a translation module; and

program instructions, stored in the data storage and executable by the processor, for the translation module to (i) receive, from a proxy mobile IP (PMIP) gateway, a roaming IP address with which to use in translating the local IP address, (ii) in response to receiving the roaming IP address, store a translation rule, wherein the translation rule instructs the translation module to translate between the local IP address and the roaming IP address when the local IP address is used by the application module, and wherein the translation module translating between the local IP address and the roaming IP address comprises the application module forwarding a first packet to the translation module, wherein the first packet contains the local IP address as a source address, the translation module translating the source address in the first packet to the roaming IP address and the translation module transmitting the first packet to the PMIP gateway, (iii) receive a renew message from the PMIP gateway, (iv) in response to receiving the renew message, transmit an address request message to a PMIP gateway, (v) receive a home IP address from the PMIP gateway, wherein the home IP address is assigned by a mobile IP home agent, and (vi) in response to receiving the home IP address, update the translation rule so that the translation rule instructs the translation module to translate between the local IP address and the home IP address when the local IP address is used by the application module.

14. The WCD of claim 13, wherein the WCD receives the roaming IP address as part of a first Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) transaction with the PMIP gateway, wherein the WCD receives the home IP address as part of a second DHCP transaction with the PMIP gateway, and wherein the renew message is a DHCP FORCERENEW message.

15. The WCD of claim 13, wherein the program instructions for the translation module to translate between the local IP address and the home IP address comprises:

program instructions for the translation module to (i) receive a second packet from the application module, wherein the second packet contains the local IP address as a source address, (ii) translate the source address in the second packet to the home IP address, and (iii) transmit the second packet to the PMIP gateway.

16. The WCD of claim 13, wherein the application module binds to the local IP address before the translation module receives the roaming IP address.

17. The WCD of claim 13, wherein the application module binds to the local IP address after the translation module receives the roaming IP address.