Lucent Technologies Inc.

Girish Rai

Mooi Choo Chuah

Philip M Parsons

Peretz Moshe Feder

Haim Shalom Ner

Jerome Edward Rog

Kurt A Vangsness

William E Barker

Michael P Foley

Lisa M Connelly

Kenneth R Macfarlane

Marvin A Eggert

Apparatus for transferring packet data incorporates a 'hand-off' feature that allows the transfer of an existing PPP connection from one packet server to another packet server. Such a hand-off control message or call continue transaction can be initiated by any of the servers involved in the transactions. For instance, assume an initial arrangement where a point-to-point call is set up and in progress between a user and a private network via a first packet server (e.g., a first Serving LAC) and a second packet server (e.g., an Anchor LAC). If, for example, the user moves out of the region served by the first packet server into a region served by a third packet server (e.g., a second Serving LAC), then a hand-off control message transaction, according to the invention, is initiated. Either the second Serving LAC or the Anchor LAC may initiate the call continue transaction. Alternatively, radius servers respectively associated with the packet servers may be employed to perform the call continue transaction. Furthermore, assuming that a communication path is not yet established between the second packet server (e.g., Anchor LAC) and the third packet server (e.g., the second Serving LAC), a communication path (e.g., tunnel), set-up control message transaction may be performed concurrent with the call continue transaction. Still further, at least one packet server (e.g., the Anchor LAC) monitors state variables associated with the packet servers (e.g., the second Serving LAC and the private network) from which it receives packet data.

Mobile point-to-point protocol

A Network Access Server incorporates a &ldquo;hand-off&rdquo; feature that allows the NAS to transfer an existing PPP connection from one NAS to another NAS. In particular, 3 new control messages are defined for use in the NAS. Namely: (i) Continued Call Request, (ii) Continued Call Reply, and (iii) Continued Call Connect. These 3 new control messages comprise a L2TP control message header, message identifier (e.g., continued call request, etc.), and a number of fields.

A coupled data network with a system for registering end systems is disclosed. A foreign network includes a foreign mobile switching center and a foreign base station. The foreign mobile switching center includes a serving registration server, the foreign base station includes a foreign access hub, and the foreign access hub includes a proxy registration agent. A home network includes a home mobile switching center with a home registration server. A first end system subscribes to the home network and operates within the foreign network. The end system includes an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the proxy registration agent, the proxy registration agent being coupled to the serving registration server, and the serving registration server being coupled to the home registration server.

Registration scheme for network

A wireless data network includes a wireless packet switched data network for end users that divides mobility management into local, micro, macro and global connection handover categories and minimizes handoff updates according to the handover category. The network integrates MAC handoff messages with network handoff messages. The network separately directs registration functions to a registration server and direct routing functions to inter-working function units. The network provides an intermediate XTunnel channel between a wireless hub (also called access hub AH) and an inter-working function unit (IWF unit) in a foreign network, and it provides an IXTunnel channel between an inter-working function unit in a foreign network and an inter-working function unit in a home network. The network enhances the layer two tunneling protocol (L2TP) to support a mobile end system, and it performs network layer registration before the start of a PPP communication session.

Mobility management system

A Message and communication system in a coupled data network is disclosed. The coupled data network includes a foreign network and a home network. The foreign network includes a foreign base station with a foreign access hub, the foreign access hub including a first serving inter-working function. The home network includes a first home inter-working function. A first mobile end system is a subscriber to the home network and operates within the foreign network. A first message is transportable between the first mobile end system and a first communications server through the first home inter-working function and through the first serving inter-working function of the foreign access hub in the foreign base station.

Message and communication system in a network

A wireless data network which provides communications with a Point-to-Point Protocol server is disclosed. The network includes a home network that includes a home mobile switching center, a wireless modem and one or more end system. The wireless modem and the end systems are connected together via an ethernet link. The network also includes a PPP server, wherein PPP information sent from PPP server for the end system is encapsulated buy the wireless modem in an ethernet frame and sent to the end system via the ethernet link.

Point-to-point protocol encapsulation in ethernet frame

Apparatus for transferring packet data incorporates a &ldquo;hand-off&rdquo; feature that allows the transfer of an existing PPP connection from one packet server to another packet server. Such a hand-off control message or call continue transaction can be initiated by any of the servers involved in the transactions. For instance, assume an initial arrangement where a point-to-point call is set up and in progress between a user and a private network via a first packet server (e.g., a first Serving LAC) and a second packet server (e.g., an Anchor LAC). If, for example, the user moves out of the region served by the first packet server into a region served by a third packet server (e.g., a second Serving LAC), then a hand-off control message transaction, according to the invention, is initiated. Either the second Serving LAC or the Anchor LAC may initiate the call continue transaction. Alternatively, radius servers respectively associated with the packet servers may be employed to perform the call continue transaction. Furthermore, assuming that a communication path is not yet established between the second packet server (e.g., Anchor LAC) and the third packet server (e.g., the second Serving LAC), a communication path (e.g., tunnel) set-up control message transaction may be performed concurrent with the call continue transaction. Still further, at least one packet server (e.g., the Anchor LAC) monitors state variables associated with the packet servers (e.g., the second Serving LAC and the private network) from which it receives packet data.

A virtual dial-up service is provided via multiple Internet Service Provides (ISPs). In particular, a remote user accesses the virtual dial-up service by establishing a connection to a serving ISP. The Serving ISP establishes a first tunnel to an anchor ISP. The latter establishes a tunnel to, e.g., a private intranet. As a result, a virtual private network (VPN) service is provided that enables remote access, via multiple tunnels, to a private network.

Multi-hop point-to-point protocol

A wireless data network that provides communications with a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) server is disclosed. A home network includes a home mobile switching center and a wireless end system, the home mobile switching center including a home registration server and a home inter-working function, the wireless end system including an end registration agent, the end registration agent being coupled to the home registration server. The wireless data network also includes a PPP server, wherein a message is coupleable from the end system through the home inter-working function to the PPP server.

Efficient mobility management scheme for a wireless internet access system

A coupled data network which ensures in sequence delivery of messages is disclosed. The copuled data network includes a foreign network and a home network. The foreign network includes a foreign mobile switching center and a base station, the base station including an access hub with a serving inter-working function. The home network includes a home mobile switching center, the home mobile switching center including a home inter-working function. A roaming end system is a subscriber to the home network and operates within the foreign network, a message being transportable between the roaming end system and the home inter-working function through the serving inter-working function using a protocol that ensures in sequence delivery of data packets.

Sequence delivery of messages

Optimum routing system

An inter-working function selection system in a coupled data network is disclosed. The coupled data network includes a foreign network and a home network. The foreign network includes a foreign mobile switching center with a serving registration server. The home network includes a home mobile switching center with a home registration server and a plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions. A first end system is a subscriber to the home network and operates within the foreign network. The first end system includes an end registration agent to form a registration request, the end registration agent sending the registration request through the serving registration server to the home registration server, the home registration server including a module to select an active home inter-working function from the plurality of unassigned home inter-working functions based on the registration request.

Inter-working function selection system in a network

A coupled data network with an accounting system is disclosed. The coupled data network includes a foreign network and a home network. The foreign network includes a base station with an access hub and a foreign mobile switching center with a serving registration server, the access hub including a serving inter-working function, the serving inter-working function including a foreign accounting collection module. The home network includes a home mobile switching center with a home inter-working function, the home inter-working function including a home accounting collection module. An end system is a subscriber to the wireless data network and coupleable to the foreign access hub. The home and serving accounting collection modules collect accounting data on message traffic transported between the end system and a communications server through the home inter-working function and through the serving inter-working function.

Accounting system in a network

In accordance with the invention, a method is provided for remotely managing a plurality of network element of a telecommunications network through a special communication link including a computer internet such as a local area network, the world wide web or the Internet. A management computer is connected to an element management system server through a communication link including the computer internet. At least one of the plurality of network elements is also coupled to the element management server through the computer internet and the at least one of the plurality of network elements is managed via communications conveyed through the element management server between the management computer and the at least one network element.

Growing community of inventors

Bartlett, IL, United States of America

Girish Rai