Multi-device Mobility Management via Identity Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current network technologies, such as Mobile IP, lack support for multi-device and multi-homed scenarios, failing to provide seamless mobility and identity management for users with multiple connected devices, leading to issues in maintaining continuous network access across different interfaces and locations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that collects and manages three identities - device identity, link layer identity, and user identity - to facilitate seamless mobility and identity management, allowing network devices to detect and manage connections across different network interfaces and locations, enabling continuous service access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If Mobile IP is used to provide mobility support, then basic mobility functionality is achieved, but multi-device and multi-homed scenarios are not supported
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identity management system into three distinct identity types: device identity (identifying the physical device), link layer identity (identifying the network interface), and user identity (identifying the user account). This segmentation allows each identity type to serve a specific function in multi-device and multi-homed scenarios, enabling the network to distinguish between different devices, interfaces, and users independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension to mobility management by introducing device identity as a separate layer beyond traditional user identity and link layer identity. This creates a three-dimensional identity space (user × device × link layer) that enables fine-grained control and tracking of multi-device, multi-homed connections, allowing the network to manage each dimension independently.
2Reliability
If traditional network access management is used, then single-device connectivity is maintained, but continuous network access across multiple devices and interfaces is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by collecting and storing all three identity types (device identity, link layer identity, and user identity) during the initial network attachment process. This pre-collection of identity information enables the network to quickly re-establish connectivity when a user moves between devices or interfaces, as the identity framework is already in place and does not require complex real-time negotiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the network gateway continuously monitors and compares the three identity types across different attachment events. By feedback-looping identity information from previous attachments, the system can automatically recognize returning users across different devices and interfaces, maintaining continuous network access without requiring complex user intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing identity management and mobility management are disclosed. The management scheme provides mobility in multi-device and multi-homed deployments. A collection of three identities, a device identity, a link layer identity, and a user identity, can be used to provide mobility for a number of devices under different use scenarios. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed for receiving messages from a mobile device at a mobility gateway, the messages including identifiers such as a user identifier, a link layer identifier, and a device identifier where identifiers are stored or retained at the mobility gateway. When a subsequent network attach request is received including one or more identifiers, a reconnection can occur, based on a result of comparing the stored identifiers with the received one or more identifiers.