Nortel Networks Corporation

Avaya Inc.

Apple Inc.

Jerry Louis Mizell

David J Lauson

Curtis M Provost

Peter W Wenzel

Steven Currin

Fred Walter Rink

Larry DeWayne Lewis

Serge M Manning

Kalyan K Basu

Chung-Ching Wang

Christopher Richards

Stewart Hodde Maxwell

Stephen Bennett Elliott

Mark Hanson

Stone H Tseng

Donald Bruce Keeler

Cecil L Taylor

Kent E Fisher

Isa Bisher Atallah

Dave Lauson

James Yuhn

James Bankhead

Bala Balachander

Martin L J Gallant

Rob Cameron

The present invention enables the monitoring of application layer metrics of data packets for subscribers or groups of subscribers. In one embodiment, an edge routing node, such as an edge router or the like, between an access network and a core network will identify a subscriber associated with the incoming data packets and then identify an application layer policy to apply to the data packets. The application layer policy may identify the application layer metrics to monitor, how to analyze the application layer metrics, and perhaps actions to take in light of identifying certain application layer metrics, as well as identifying how, where, and when to report the application layer metrics, or an aggregation thereof. With the present invention, application layer metrics can be obtained and analyzed in real time on a subscriber-by-subscriber basis.

Application layer metrics monitoring

A serving GPRS node (SGSN) is made content aware by passing content based rate information in the GPRS tunnel protocol (GTP) header. The SGSN uses the PDP context request to inform a GPRS support node (GGSN) that it is content aware and can process the content based rate information. In one embodiment, the rate information is passed in a GTP extension header. A new GTP header type tells the SGSN that rate information is present in the GTP header content field. In an alternate embodiment, the rate information is passed in a fourth octet of a four octet tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID).

Method for extending content aware accounting to a serving GPRS node

A first access point name associated with an access gateway node involved in a data session of a mobile station over a first type of wireless network is received. In response to handoff of the mobile station from the first type of wireless network to a second, different type of wireless network, the first access point name is transmitted to enable continued use of the access gateway node for the data session of the mobile station over the second type of wireless network.

Using an access point name to select an access gateway node

The present invention supports account monitoring for a mobile node by a home agent communicating with an AAA server computer. The home agent maintains accounting attribute information on system usage by a mobile node on a network. Attribute information is maintained and metered on the home agent in a data table. The home agent generates and transmits accounting messages containing the accounting attributes to the AAA server computer. The AAA server computer stores the attribute information in a memory for later billing.

Method for generation of a single accounting stream during heterogeneous access network mobility

A home agent and a mobile terminal communicate to facilitate the home agent becoming aware of whether the mobile terminal is notification capable meaning the mobile terminal is able to receive notifications of specified events without an open browser window. If the mobile terminal is notification capable, the home agent provides notifications based upon specified events and conditions. The mobile terminal then provides an indication of the notification to the user even though a browser window is not open for displaying user messages. More specifically, the mobile IP registration process according to a mobile IP protocol is modified to add parameter extensions that allow the mobile terminal to provide this indication that it is notification capable. The home agent is notification capable as well and provides specified notifications to the mobile terminal upon the occurrence of a specified event either in a registration reply or during a data session or call.

Mobile IP notification

A mobile communications system includes a system controller and cell sites having base station systems. The network between the system controller and the base station systems is a packet-switched network, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network. In one embodiment, the mobile communications system is a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) system. The system controller is a serving GPRS support node (SGSN), and the network between the SGSN and the base station systems includes a Gb network. In one arrangement, IP addressing is used to communicate messages between the base station systems and the SGSN.

Packet-switched communications in a mobile network

A method and apparatus are presented for generating unique MSIDs for access terminals (AT) that do not present an MSID to the access network controller (ANC). The electronic serial number (ESN) of the AT is first converted to an ASCII character string representing the unsigned decimal equivalent of the 32 bit ESN. The ASCII string is padded with leading '0' (zeros), if necessary, to create a 10 character string. The ANC generates a 5 character string unique to all 1xEVDO networks then concatenates the two strings to create a unique 15 character string. The created 15 character string is then presented to the PDSN to establish a network session.

Method for generation of unique mobile station IDs in a 1&#xd7;EVDO network

The present invention supports a secure transmissions protocol for information packet transmission between a Mobile Node and a Foreign Agent. The information packets are encrypted and decrypted using an integrated software client that combines mobile IP communication support and encrypting and decrypting protocols.

Security transmission protocol for a mobility IP network

A method and apparatus are provided for dynamically redirecting mobile terminal home agent selection in a mobile IP network. A provisioning server assigns a preferred home agent to a group of mobile terminals based on one of a subscriber special services, subscriber connectivity, and home agent capacity. The provisioning server transmits the preferred home agent address to a home authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server which updates a AAA database. The mobile terminal seeking access to the mobile IP network first registers with a configured home agent address stored in the mobile terminal. The configured home agent communicates with the home AAA server to authenticate the mobile terminal. The home AAA server fails the mobile terminal authentication request and provides the address of the preferred home agent. The mobile terminal reregisters with the preferred home agent to access the mobile IP network.

Home agent redirection for mobile IP

A method and apparatus provide for the reservation of dynamic IP addresses to enable a push server to initiate a PDP context as a part of providing push service without timing out. More specifically, in one embodiment of the invention, a push server generates a query to a domain name server to get the subscriber's IP address based upon the provided domain name. In this case, the subscriber is the person that is to receive the push data. The domain name server then generates a message to a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server to prompt it to reserve a dynamic IP address for the mobile subscriber. The DHCP server then returns the reserved 'leased address' to the DNS server to enable it to perform a dynamic DNS update. The DNS server then returns the subscriber address to the push server. The push server then initiates a context activation. A gateway GPRS support node then requests ID information from the DHCP server for the leased address and initiates context activation with the received ID information resulting therefrom.

Method and apparatus for network-initiated context activation using dynamic DNS updates

The previously described shortcomings are solved by a system and method herein that allows for the creation of scaleable wireless data packet networks notwithstanding capacity restrictions of routers used within the network. More specifically, a GGSN is formed to receive an address that is assigned to a different GGSN for support. Stated differently, a GGSN supports an address that is assigned to a different GGSN for support by being responsible for creating a PDP context for that address. Accordingly, because subnet addresses will be assigned to specific GGSNs in one embodiment of the described invention, each GGSN is formed to examine a received address, determine what GGSN is responsible for supporting that address and to forward the address to the responsible GGSN along with an initially requested APN and with vendor specific attributes. The GGSN to which the address is being forwarded is sent to the APN so that it will know the destination network with which the context activation is to be established. The vendor specific attributes are sent so that additional functionality such as billing may be properly performed and implemented. Accordingly, the modified GGSN supports the creation of scaleable networks because each GGSN is able to determine whether an address that it received from a remote DHCP server is one that it can support, and if not, what GGSN is able to support it. Thus, the networks may be grown and/or modified in a scaleable manner while minimizing impact to the existing network elements.

PDP context distribution among multiple GGSNs

A foreign agent routes data packets according to policy based routing information maintained by the home network. The policy may be network based or may be subscriber profile based as defined in an authentication, authorization, and accounting server. The policy routes data packets according to one of an address specified in the mobile IP header and an application type. The address specified in the mobile IP header is typically within a range of addresses within the home network. The foreign agent routes data packets of the specified policy type directly to the home agent server. Data packets that are not of the specified policy type are routed directly to an Internet access point.

Policy based mobile IP

A method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a home agent and a mobile terminal that communicate to facilitate the home agent becoming aware of a device type and access technology being used to gain access to a network by way of the home agent so that the home agent may provide appropriate billing and network control. More specifically, the mobile IP registration process according to a mobile IP protocol is modified to add parameter extensions that allow the mobile terminal to provide this information. The two specific parameters that are added include one that defines the access technology and another that defines the device type in the described embodiments of the present invention. Specifically, the extension that defines the access technology includes a mobile IP client that has operator definable configurations that relate to the access technology. The mobile IP client specifies whether a wireless local area network or wireless cellular network is being used and, in one embodiment of the invention, which type of wireless local area network or cellular network is being used.

Mobile IP node device and access information

A system for delivering SMS messages to a mobile terminal includes an apparatus and method that deliver the SMS messages either using legacy SMS message formats or data packet formats. Additionally, a connection is created between a message center and a gateway GPRS support node wherein SMS messages may be transmitted to the gateway GPRS support node in a data packet format. To provide this capability, the gateway GPRS support node includes a unique port address for receiving SMS messages and circuitry for processing SMS messages received in a data packet format. A serving GPRS support node is formed to include circuitry for determining whether to transmit the SMS message to the mobile terminal in a data packet format or in a legacy SMS message format.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Jerry Louis Mizell