Sprint Communications Comapny L.p.

John H Bennett, Iii

Frederick Carl Rogers

Jeremy Richard Breau

Joseph Christopher Shojayi

Terry Daniel Nebergall

Robert J Pierce

Dale E Winn

Serge M Manning

C Brent Hirschman

Chidambaram Pavanasam

Benjamin E Bittfield

Brent A Scott

Charles Brent Hirschman

Ezzat Atieh

Brent B Hirschman

Austin C Castaldi

Tianson Yuan

Wei Chen

Methods and systems are provided for facilitating routing of data to a DNS server for a user device based on the IP version capability of the user device. During a session set up for the user device in a wireless communications network, a first DNS server is allocated to the user device. The gateway identifies an IP version with which the user device is capable of communicating. If the user device is capable of communicating in the wireless communications network using IPv6 only, it is determined, by the gateway, that data associated with the user device is to be rerouted to a second DNS server. If the user device is not capable of communicating in the wireless communications network using IPv6 only, data associated with the user device continues to be routed through the first DNS server in the current session.

Facilitating routing of data based on an internet protocol version capability of a user device

Methods and systems are provided for allocating a Domain Name System server to a user device based on the Internet Protocol version capability of the user device. During a session set up for the user device in a wireless communications network, an IP version that the user device is capable of communicating with in the wireless communications network is determined. If the user device is capable of communicating in the wireless communications network using IP IPv4 and IPv6, a first Domain Name System (DNS) server is allocated to the user device for use in a current session. If the user device is capable of communicating in the wireless communications network using IPv6 only, a second DNS server is allocated to the user device for use in a current session, where the first DNS server is different than the second DNS server.

User device parameter allocation based on internet protocol version capabilities

Methods and systems are provided for allocating user device parameters based on one or more Internet Protocol versions with which a user device is capable of communicating. An indication is received that the user device is requesting to be authenticated in a wireless communications network. It is determined that the user device is capable of communicating in the wireless communications network using IPv6 only. One or more configurable user device parameters, such as a DNS server, are assigned to the user device based, at least, on the user device being capable of communicating using IPv6 only and not IPv4 only or IPv6 and IPv4. This eliminates a need for a new APN to be configured on the user device.

Systems and methods for assigning unique network identifiers in a packet-switched wireless network are provided. A request for a unique network identifier for a wireless device is received. A socket-based unique network identifier, including an IP address and one or more ports, is assigned to the wireless device. The unique network identifier is created by combining an IP address and one or more ports. This allows multiple unique network identifiers to be created from a single IP address, where each unique network identifier consists of the same IP address combined with a different group of one or more ports.

Socket-based internet protocol for wireless networks

Methods are described for communicating a reregistration timer to a mobile device. A request is received from a mobile device to establish an IP communication session so that the mobile device is able to communicate by way of a wireless communication network. An allocation component assigns an IP address to the mobile device, in addition to a lifetime value that indicates a length of time after which the IP communication session expires. A threshold value is determined, which is a length of time prior to the expiration of the IP communication session when the session is to be renewed to avoid expiration. Based on the lifetime value and the threshold value, an existing lifetime timer is set and communicated to the mobile device, along with the assigned IP address.

Communicating reregistration information based on the lifetime of a communication session

Systems and methods for assigning unique network identifiers in a packet-switched wired network and methods for communicating with a network device in a packet-switched wired network are provided. A request for a unique network identifier for a network device is received. A socket-based unique network identifier, including an IP address and one or more ports, is assigned to the network device. The unique network identifier is created by combining an IP address and one or more ports. This allows multiple unique network identifiers to be created from a single IP address, where each unique network identifier consists of the same IP address combined with a different group of one or more ports.

Socket-based internet protocol for wired networks

Methods are provided for assigning a static IPv6 address to a mobile device by accessing a database to determine whether a static IPv6 address is stored in the database for that mobile device. A mobile device communicates a request for a static IPv6 address, and it is then determined that a static IPv6 address is defined in a customer-profile database in association with the mobile device. The network portion and the host portion of the static IPv6 address are sent to the mobile device so that the mobile device is able to communicate by way of a communications network.

Assigning internet protocol addresses in a network

Computer systems, computer-readable media, and computerized methods for resolving fractional IP addresses using domain name system (DNS)-enabled devices are provided. The system includes a local DNS server that accesses a correlation table, which maintains a mapping between fractional IP addresses and domain names. The fractional IP addresses each represent an IPv4 address paired with a respective value of an IP version field. The system also includes a client device that is capable of transmitting to the local DNS server a request message, which includes a destination name of a device targeted by the client device. Upon receiving the request message, the local DNS server compares the destination name against the correlation table. When a match is discovered within the domain names populated within the correlation table, the local DNS server identifies and transmits to the client device a fractional IP address mapped to the matching domain name.

Employing a hierarchy of servers to resolve fractional IP addresses

Systems and methods for assigning unique network identifiers in a packet-switched wireless network and methods for communicating with a wireless device in a packet-switched wireless network are provided. A request for a unique network identifier for a wireless device is received. A socket-based unique network identifier, including an IP address and one or more ports, is assigned to the wireless device. The unique network identifier is created by combining an IP address and one or more ports. This allows multiple unique network identifiers to be created from a single IP address, where each unique network identifier consists of the same IP address combined with a different group of one or more ports.

Methods and computer-readable media are provided to allow for the establishment of an Internet protocol (IP) data session with a dual-stack mobile communications device by authenticating the device. An IP data session is requested, and a home agent sends an indication of this request. A DNS server that will be assigned to a device is identified by querying a database and is identified based on the device's capabilities. The device capabilities are determined by a device-capability identifier that is associated with the user of the device or the device itself, such as a network access identifier. The capabilities may include the device type, applications, programs, or services that the user of the device is subscribed to, or capabilities that are inherent to the phone. Once the DNS server is identified, a server identifier is sent to the home agent, which assigns the DNS server to the device.

Assignment of domain name system (DNS) servers

Methods and computer-readable media are provided to dynamically update a home agent with location-based information for a mobile device such that a third party, such as a law enforcement agency, may access the information to determine a location associated with the mobile device and, therefore, with the user of the mobile device. A signaling message is sent to a packet-routing component. The signaling message contains location-based information for a communications session. A transaction update is sent from the packet-routing component to the home agent each time the location-based information is updated, such as when the mobile device enters a new coverage area. A binding table is populated with the updated information. An acknowledgment is then sent from the home agent to the packet-routing component indicating that the information has been updated in the binding table. The third party is now able to access the location-based information via the home agent.

Dynamically updating a home agent with location-based information

Computer systems, computer-readable media, and computerized methods for assigning network identifiers in a network are provided. A dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server is employed to allocate various fractional IP addresses that include a common IPv4 address paired with a value of an IP version field within a data packet, wherein the value is selected from a plurality of available values. In order to differentiate between fractional IP addresses that share a common IPv4 address, a particular value of the IP version field is selected by the DHCP server and assigned to a client device when that particular value is not currently or previously assigned to another client device. Upon assignment to the client device, a fractional IP address that includes the common IPv4 address together with the particular value of the IP version field uniquely identifies the client device as a destination of a data packet within the network.

Allocating IP version fields to increase address space

Computer systems, computer-readable media, and computerized methods for determining a media access (MAC) address that corresponds with a network identifier in a wireless or wired network are provided. A dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server is employed to allocate a set of socket IP addresses that include a common IPv4 address paired with a selected group of ports, where none of the ports in the selected groups overlap. When assigned to a client device, the socket IP address uniquely identifies the client device within the network. A host device within the network is configured to broadcast an address resolution protocol (ARP) request to other devices within the network, such as the DHCP server, where the ARP request includes a socket IP address associated with recipient(s) of communications from the host device. In response to the ARP request, the appropriate device or DHCP server returns a MAC address of the recipient.

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Lawrence, KS, United States of America

John H Bennett, Iii