Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Particular communication authentication technique
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-15
2001-10-23
Trammell, James P. (Department: 2161)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Particular communication authentication technique
C370S329000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308267
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns an arrangement and method for mobile communications utilizing a mobility server to enable matching of formats of an IP-network that is linked to a mobile radio network.
Mobile communication and computer-supported communication via Internet have, in a short time, become important determinants of social life and driving forces of economic development in all developed countries. In both fields, global markets with huge potential for development have formed within a very short time out of a rapidly transpiring process of innovation.
The effects of certain limitations are already noticeable today in spite of the comparatively high speed with which the extremely complex standards currently applied (e.g., GSM) were developed and established, and with which future standards (e.g., UMTS) are being developed, and also in spite of the considerable market success of the present systems,. Thus, there is still significant potential for simplification of mobile communication given the broad, international global use (also characterized as “roaming”.) So far, there have been limitations and difficulties in the use of the constantly and dramatically expanding opportunities of the Internet for subscribers of the mobile radio networks.
The merging of technologies of public mobile radio networks and the Internet harbors a high potential for innovation with respect to new network architectures and cost-efficient products. In this context, new architectures and protocols for mobility administration are of particular significance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is therefore based on an object to indicate an arrangement for mobile communication, with which a simplified roaming of subscribers of the mobile communication also becomes possible between the Internet (IP-network) and the public mobile radio network, and that contributes overall to a simplification of global voice and data communication.
This and other objects are attained according to an embodiment of the present invention including at least one mobile radio network, one mobile radio terminal device and an IP-network having the mobility server configured to administer mobility specific subscriber data. The mobility server is further configured to format match at least one of various particles, addressing schemes and name schemes of at least one of the IP-network and the mobile radio network.
The invention includes the fundamental technical concepts to realize an IP-based arrangement that can be accessed both for IP-based mobile stations (hereinafter also referred to as “IP-MS”) as well as for mobile stations (also referred to as “MS”) according to the conventional mobile radio standard and wherein roaming is realized using a specific mobility server (hereinafter also referred to as MPS=mobility proxy server) that is allocated to the IP-network provided therein.
The mobile stations of the individual subscribers, whether mobile computers or mobile telephones, obtain access to an IP-network via a radio access network (also referred to as RAC=radio access network). Via the RAC access is possible to a public mobile radio network (hereinafter also referred to as PLMN=public land mobile network), the GSM- network or the future UMTS-network. Of course, direct access of a conventional mobile station (mobile telephone) to the PLMN is also possible in the conventional manner.
An essential function of the mobility server (MPS) is the administration of mobility-specific subscriber data (given integration of local data bases (HLR(IP)=home location register (IP)). Another function of the MPS is a facilitator having a uniform protocol interface between a network coupling unit (access server/IWU=interworking unit) or a visitor location register (IP)=(VLR(IP)) and the mobility-specific subscriber data. Yet another function of the MPS is the scheduling of the protocol sequence between the components involved. Also, the MPS functions to format match between different addressing and name schemes as well as different protocols of the IP-network and connected networks (mobile radio networks or also company networks LAN=local area networks). Furthermore, the MPS can administer security-related subscriber data (authentication data) that are held in a specific data base in particular (AUC=authentication).
The proposed arrangement in a preferred embodiment specifically for large networks having a large number of subscribers can comprise data base servers for linking mobility servers with the local data bases.
In addition to the recited administration functions, there is an important function of the mobility server in another embodiment for the conversion of network access identifiers (NAI=network access identifier) transmitted by the connected data terminals into IP-addresses, wherein a separation of mobile subscriber identification and network addressing is attained in an advantageous manner.
An advantage of the architecture outlined above lies in the separation of data bank functions (e.g., subscriber administration, HLR) from the protocol conversion and addressing. This separation namely enables one to leave the exact methods of the data access invisible in the interest of the increase in data security of the system for the client who makes inquiries at the MPS. A further significant advantage of the architecture lies in its modularity affording protocol changes at an interface that are basically limited to the interface and not necessarily affect others.
Scalability of the system can be easily achieved in an embodiment having proxy-mechanisms support of a hierarchic proxy server design (that is already known as such from the Internet practice).
The extensive use of open interfaces enables the relatively simple use of (in the sense of the IETF) standardized server protocols (e.g., the protocol RADIUS or gatekeeper). Hence, the use of these network components remains possible, now as before, for the implementation of the tasks previously assigned to them by design.
Additional advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows and, in part, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly point out in the appended claims.
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Elisca Pierre Eddy
Schiff & Hardin & Waite
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Trammell James P.
LandOfFree
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