259 results about "Foreign agent" patented technology

A billing system is disclosed which performs processing in order to provide service to user terminals, and which performs billing for the service provided to the user terminals. In this billing system, user billing profiles UBP are stored in a user billing profile registration unit, by service type and in user terminal units; a billing condition generation unit within a service provider server compares the user billing profile UBP corresponding to a specified service type and to a user terminal with a server billing profile SBP to generate billing conditions, and a billing condition setting unit of a foreign agent sets the billing conditions in a billing unit; and based on the billing conditions thus set, the billing unit executes billing processing for each user terminal.

A mobile node may roam away from its home network to a foreign network. The mobile node may communicate using the Mobile Internet Protocol, and it may use Internet Protocol security to communicate with its home network. A foreign agent on the foreign network and a home agent on the home network may dynamically link a policy to be used for a Internet Protocol security session between the foreign agent and the home agent. The foreign agent and the home agent may dynamically create a filter to be used for the Internet Protocol Security session.

A mobile user terminal 402 accesses a packet data network 450 through one or more of several network access points 404-412. One or more control points 432-440 determines which network access point or points the user terminal is to access. Control may be retained in the current control point, or transferred to another control point, whenever it is convenient. There are preferably several routers, each having an associated home agent 418-420 which determines which foreign agents need to be accessed on behalf of each user terminal. There are several foreign agents 422-430, which forward packets received from a user terminal's home agent to the control point currently controlling communications with the user terminal.

Method and apparatus for establishing a tunnel between a mobile node and a routing device. The method includes the steps of utilizing the mobile node to place a call over a cellular network and gaining access to a foreign agent of the cellular network. A Mobile IP link is established between the foreign agent and a home agent and the call is authenticated. A tunnel is initiated between the home agent and the routing device and call data is tunneled between the home agent and the routing device.

Under Simple Multicast Extension for Mobile IP, when a mobile node arrives at a foreign wireless domain, it listens for an agent advertisement sent by a foreign agent. The foreign agent attaches a network access identifier (NAI) extension to the agent advertisement. The mobile node uses the NAI extension to decide which action to take. If the mobile node determines that it is receiving an agent advertisement message from the same foreign agent it previously was in communication with, no action is required. If the mobile node discovers that it has entered a new foreign domain, it sends a registration request to the foreign agent. If the mobile node identifies that it is still in the same domain but has moved from a previous foreign agent to a new one, it sends a multicast subscription request to the new foreign agent.If a home agent supports the Simple Multicast Extension for Mobile IP, it allocates a source specific multicast address and inserts the address in a source specific multicast address extension after the registration reply. In addition, tunneling is used to route datagrams from correspondent nodes to the mobile node while the mobile node is in a foreign domain. The destination address of the tunnel is set to the source specific multicast previously allocated. Finally, update messages are used to inform correspondent nodes of a mobile nodes' new location.

A gateway for mobile access includes a foreign agent that receives user profile data and session state data from a home authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) system of a mobile node, and a dynamic packet filter that performs multi-layer filtering based on the user profile data. The foreign agent transfers a session from a first network to a second network without session interruption, using the session state data, when the mobile node moves from the first network to the second network. The packet filter permits Internet access by the mobile node without passing Internet data requested by the mobile node through the first network. The mobility access gateway may be used in combination with a GPS signal receiver to provide Internet access to passengers of a mass transit vehicle and to propagate GPS location data to the Internet for tracking the mass transit vehicle.

A network system which provides each terminal user with differentiated service, dynamically changing service profiles even in the middle of a communication session. A service control database maintains service profile definitions. When a mobile node registers with a foreign agent to initiate a conmiunication session, a service profile setting controller in the mobile node's home server sets up a service profile for the mobile user. When an event occurs within a service profile updating controller, it indicates that some control condition specified in the service profile is met. The service profile updating controller then makes access to the service control database to obtain a new service profile and the mobile node's foreign server forwards it to the foreign agent, to which the mobile node is attached. The service profile that has been established in relevant network nodes, including the home agent and foreign agent, is dynamically updated with the new one.

A Packet Core Function (PCF) and method of consistently selecting a Packet Data Service Node (PDSN) from a plurality of PDSNs in a packet data network to host a data session for a Mobile Node (MN). In a first embodiment, a static lookup table in the PCF is used to associate a list of identifiers for MNs and a list of the plurality of PDSNs in the network. The PCF obtains an identifier for the MN and utilizes the lookup table and a hash function to associate the identifier for the MN with a PDSN. The PDSN is then selected by the PCF to host the data session for the MN. In another embodiment, the PCF also includes a cache timer and a cache memory that stores the identifier for the MN and the IP address of the selected PDSN for a predetermined time period following the handoff of the MN to another PCF. If the MN returns to the PCF within the predetermined period of time, the PCF reselects the same PDSN to host the data session. In another embodiment, following the initial selection of a PDSN to host the data session, the EP address of the PDSN is sent to the MN which then passes the IP address of the PDSN to any subsequent PCFs where the MN roams. A PDSN zone ID may be utilized in lieu of the fill IP address.

A method and system capable of providing mobility support for IPv4 / IPv6 inter-networking to a mobile node is disclosed. The mobile node in the system has an address mapper, an IPv4 protocol stack and an IPv6 protocol stack in the network layer. When moving from IPv4 to IPv6 networks, the mobile node registered an IPv4 address receives router advertisement packets from an IPv6 router, so as to obtain a IPv6 care-of-address, and resolve the IPv6 care-of-address by an IPv4 care-of-address. The address mapper issues an IPv4 message to register the IPv4 care-of-address. When moving from IPv6 to IPv4 networks, the mobile node registered an IPv6 address receives agent advertisement messages from a foreign agent, so as to obtain an IPv4 care-of-address, resolve the IPv4 care-of-address by an IPv6 care-of-address. The address mapper issues an IPv6 message to register and update binding information by the IPv6 care-of-address.

Systems and techniques to communicate information between foreign agents and paging controllers are described. An apparatus may comprise a foreign agent having a foreign agent idle mode manager to store at least one paging controller identifier associated with an idle mode mobile station for a subnet. The subnet may have multiple paging controllers and associated paging groups. The foreign agent may send a paging request with a mobile station identifier for the idle mode mobile station to at least one of the multiple paging controllers corresponding to the at least one paging controller identifier. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Method for forwarding data from a source of the data to a mobile wireless node, such as a portable computing device, that undergoes a transition to an idle state. A home agent receives the data from the source. The home agent determines that there is no current or active mobility binding record for the mobile node, so it sends a data indication message to a home agent control node. The home agent control node looks up the mobile node in an idle mobility binding record database and identifies the last foreign agent that the idle mobile node was connected to. The home agent control node sends a page request to the identified foreign agent. If the mobile node responds to the page within a predetermined period of time, it will establish a connection with the foreign agent. Data is tunneled from the home agent to the foreign agent for delivery to the mobile node. If the mobile node does not answer the page within the time limit (such as in the case where the power to the mobile node has been turned off), the home agent queues some of the data for transmission to the mobile node when it connects later on, and drops the rest.

Systems and methods for bridging packet flows to bypass call legs and / or tunnels are provided. A tunnel initiator, which can be an access gateway, a foreign agent, and a mobility anchor point, for example, provides a bypass for certain packets that have a destination serviced by the same tunnel initiator. The bridge allows the packets to bypass a backhaul loop and reduces latency and frees bandwidth for other purposes in the network. The bridging can be implemented in a tunnel initiator for mobile to mobile packet flows, mobile to land line packet flows, and land line to mobile packet flows. Route optimization can also be provided in certain embodiments.

Methods and apparatus for enabling mobility of a node that does not support Mobile IP include sending a node attachment message from an access point to a Foreign Agent indicating that a node has been detected in a vicinity of the Foreign Agent. The Foreign Agent composes and sends a registration request to a Home Agent on behalf of the node. The Home Agent sends a registration reply to the Foreign Agent. The Foreign Agent then sends an attachment acknowledgment message to the access point indicating whether the node is now capable of receiving packets via the Foreign Agent. While the node is visiting the Foreign Agent, the access point redirects packets sent by the node to the Foreign Agent.

Permitting a mobile host to roam in a foreign network, with multiple access node handoffs, while permitting foreign network multicasting by (i) having the mobile node (MN) use a persistent address, for purposes of multicasting, and (ii) relaxing or modifying reverse path forwarding checks, and (iii) modifying the forwarding of multicast packets sent from a non-local source address. The persistent address, used in mobile networks as the source address in the IGMP Membership reports and the multicast packets, may be the permanent and hence stable host home address (HoA). This enables the HoA to be supported as a source address by foreign agents (FAs) and multicast routing protocols in foreign networks.

Permitting a mobile host to roam in a foreign network, with multiple access node handoffs, while permitting foreign network multicasting by (i) having the mobile node (MN) use a persistent address, for purposes of multicasting, and (ii) relaxing or modifying reverse path forwarding checks, and (iii) modifying the forwarding of multicast packets sent from a non-local source address. The persistent address, used in mobile networks as the source address in the IGMP Membership reports and the multicast packets, may be the permanent and hence stable host home address (HoA). This enables the HoA to be supported as a source address by foreign agents (FAs) and multicast routing protocols in foreign networks.

A communication network providing mobile IP services to mobile nodes sharing the same private IP address. A mobile node visits a foreign network from its home network and transmits a registration request including its private IP address to a foreign agent on the foreign network. If the foreign agent determines that another mobile node with a valid registration shares the same private IP address, the foreign agent requests the mobile node to use a temporary address. The temporary address is sent along with the registration request to the registering mobile node's home agent. When the home agent receives a packet addressed to its mobile node, it creates two tunnels. An outer tunnel is created using a care-of address associated with the foreign agent. An inner tunnel is created using the temporary address assigned to mobile node. The packet is then forwarded via the two tunnels. Upon receipt of the tunneled packet by the foreign agent, it de-tunnels the outer tunnel to uncover the inner tunnel, and forwards the inner tunnel to the mobile node. The mobile node de-tunnels the inner tunnel to recover the original packet.

The mobile network system and the service control information changing method are disclosed in which by transmitting a registration request message containing change information of service content from the mobile terminal equipment to a foreign agent apparatus, the service control information concerning the mobile terminal equipment that is possessed by each of the foreign agent apparatus, a foreign server apparatus, a home server apparatus, a home agent apparatus, and a correspondent node is updated.

Methods and apparatus for sending a registration request packet on behalf of a node that supports PPP but does not support Mobile IP is implemented in a Foreign Agent. The method comprises accepting a call from the node and receiving authentication information associated with a PPP authentication protocol from the node, the authentication information enabling a PPP node to be authenticated. From this authentication information, a PPP node profile is obtained. The PPP node profile includes registration information associated with the node that enables proxy registration to be performed by the Foreign Agent on behalf of the node, where the registration information associated with the node identifies a Home Agent associated with the node. The registration information may also include other information that may be pertinent to the composition of a registration request packet. A registration request packet including the registration information associated with the node is then composed and sent to the Home Agent on behalf of the node. The registration request packet that is sent by the Foreign Agent also may include a registration indicator indicating whether registration being performed by the Foreign Agent on behalf of the node is a re-registration by the Foreign Agent or an initial registration by the Foreign Agent. More particularly, in accordance with one embodiment, the registration request packet includes a sequence number indicating an order within a sequence of one or more registrations performed by one or more Foreign Agents on behalf of the node. From the sequence number, a Home Agent receiving the registration request packet may determine whether the Foreign Agent is performing a re-registration or an initial registration on behalf of the node.

A gateway for mobile access includes a foreign agent that receives user profile data and session state data from a home authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) system of a mobile node, and a dynamic packet filter that performs multi-layer filtering based on the user profile data. The foreign agent transfers a session from a first network to a second network without session interruption, using the session state data, when the mobile node moves from the first network to the second network. The packet filter permits Internet access by the mobile node without passing Internet data requested by the mobile node through the first network.

In the preferred embodiments, a system and / or method is disclosed for performing an MPA proactive handover of a mobile node in a Mobile IP scenario which includes, employing a care-of address assigned by a previous foreign agent (pFA-CoA) as a mobile node's tunnel outer address of a forward proactive handover tunnel from a new foreign agent to the mobile node.

Disclosed is a method for controlling a routing path for a voice-over-internet protocol service based on a mobile internet protocol and a session initiation protocol, the method including the steps of sensing a mobile terminals entry into a different network and performing a mobile internet protocol re-registration; the mobile terminal transmitting a register message, which includes a Foreign Agent Care-of Address and a home address of the mobile terminal, to a session initiation protocol server after performing the mobile internet protocol re-registration through a foreign agent, thereby carrying out a session initiation protocol registration; the session initiation protocol server creating a tunnel between the session initiation protocol server and the foreign agent with reference to the register message when receiving an invite message from a correspondent terminal after the session initiation protocol registration is carried out, and transmitting the invite message to the mobile terminal through the tunnel.

A gateway for mobile communications comprises a cache for storing network data recently downloaded from a network, a foreign agent, and a packet filter that directs requests for the network data from a mobile node to the cache. The packet filter directs the requested network data from the cache to the mobile node by way of the foreign agent, without forwarding the requested network data to a home agent of the mobile node.

A system for handing off a mobile node includes a mobile node and a target agent. The mobile node can communicate with an anchor agent, and can also be handed off from the anchor agent. The mobile node can establish a physical-layer connection between the mobile node and a target base station associated with the target agent. Also, the target agent can establish a tunnel between the target agent and the anchor agent. Thereafter, the mobile node can establish a link-layer connection between the mobile node and the target agent via the anchor agent and the tunnel. Then, the mobile node can register with the target agent to thereby bind the mobile node to the target agent such that data packet(s) pass through the target agent, across the link-layer connection and the physical-layer connection, and independent of the anchor agent and the tunnel.

The embodiment of the invention discloses a switching processing method, a communication system and associated equipment. According to the invention, after a double-mode terminal is switched to a heterogeneous network, it can be ensured that the double-mode terminal will not be exited from the original network, so that the correctness of a mobile IP can be ensured under such a switching mode. Themethod of the embodiment of the invention is applied to a switching process of a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) network that uses a proxy mobile IP (PMIP) to a non- WiMAX network. The method comprises the following steps that: an authenticator of a WiMAX network receives an information authentication secret key counting updating request; if it is determined that an agencyfor a PMIP is terminated according to the information authentication secret key counting updating request, a foreign agent is informed to terminate the agency for the PMIP. The embodiment of the invention also provides a communication system and associated equipment. According to the embodiment of the invention, it can be effectively ensured that the double-mode terminal will not be exited from the original network, after the double-mode terminal is switched to the heterogeneous network, so that the correctness of the mobile IP can be ensured under such a switching mode.

A method and system for call monitoring in a wireless network by querying various network components for information about a call path through the wireless network. The network components in the wireless network may include foreign agent control nodes, home agent control nodes, packet data serving nodes, home agents, and / or authentication, authorization, and accounting servers. These network components may be queried to determine the foreign agent and the home agent to which a call is assigned. The foreign agent and the home agent may also define information about a call on the wireless network, i.e., the state of the call. Advantageously, the information provided by the foreign agent and the home agent may allow for monitoring a call path through the wireless network.

A mobile internet protocol regional paging network 10 includes a paging foreign agent for handling a regional registration of a mobile node visiting a paging area, which includes internet protocol subnetworks. In operation, the mobile node periodically can provide an idle mode request to the paging foreign agent to enter an idle mode so as to deactivate one or more components for energy-saving purposes and reduce active communication with the mobile internet protocol regional paging network. The invention provides a small and link-layer independent extension to Mobile Internet Protocol with Regional Registrations to support power-constrained operation in the mobile nodes and to reduce routing state information in the visited domain. The extension allows a Mobile Node to enter a power saving Idle Mode during which its location is known with the coarse accuracy defined by a Paging Area. The mobile node and the visited domain may optionally agree on time slots used for Agent Advertisements and paging. The mobile node 14 may include a mobile phone, a pager, or any telecommunications device capable of wireless communicating, including communication over the internet.

Methods and apparatus for supporting a Mobile IP mobile router are disclosed. A method of establishing a multicast session, thereby enabling multicast IP data packets to be transmitted to the multicast mobile router, include registering the mobile router with its Home Agent. Upon receipt of a registration reply from the Home Agent, the mobile router sends a join host group message. The join host group messages specifies a multicast group address and requests that a source or rendezvous point send packets destined to the multicast group address to a Foreign Agent to which the multicast mobile router has roamed when the multicast group address is a global scope address. Thus, multicast IP data packets may be received from the Home Agent when the data packets are addressed to an administrative scope address, while multicast IP data packets are received from the Foreign Agent when the data packets are addressed to a global scope address.