EP1554908A2 - Systeme de communication, unite de communication serveur, et procede de routage d'information - Google Patents

Systeme de communication, unite de communication serveur, et procede de routage d'information

Info

Publication number
EP1554908A2
EP1554908A2 EP03773730A EP03773730A EP1554908A2 EP 1554908 A2 EP1554908 A2 EP 1554908A2 EP 03773730 A EP03773730 A EP 03773730A EP 03773730 A EP03773730 A EP 03773730A EP 1554908 A2 EP1554908 A2 EP 1554908A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
communication
serving
communication unit
address
unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03773730A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Jin Motorola China Electronics Limited YANG
Jakub Motorola Limited TICHY
Gerry Motorola Limited FOSTER
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Motorola Solutions Inc
Original Assignee
Motorola Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Motorola Inc filed Critical Motorola Inc
Publication of EP1554908A2 publication Critical patent/EP1554908A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W8/00—Network data management
    • H04W8/02—Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
    • H04W8/08—Mobility data transfer
    • H04W8/12—Mobility data transfer between location registers or mobility servers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W8/00—Network data management
    • H04W8/26—Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the allocation of addresses in order for data to be routed to communication units.
  • the invention is applicable to, but not limited to, addresses used by the Core Network entities when subscriber units roam between public land mobile networks ⁇ PLMN S ) .
  • the communication units are generally allocated addresses that are read by a communication bridge, gateway and/or router, in order to determine how to transfer the data to the addressed unit.
  • the interconnection between networks is generally known as internetworking (or internet) .
  • IP Transfer Control Protocol
  • TCP Transfer Control Protocol
  • IP Internet Protocol
  • the Internet Protocol adds a data header on to the information passed from the transport layer.
  • the resultant data packet is known as an Internet datagram.
  • the header of the datagram contains information such as destination and source IP addresses, the version number of the IP protocol etc.
  • An IP address is assigned to each node and network element. It is used to identify the location of the network and any sub-networks.
  • Each node using TCP-IP communications requires an IP address that is then matched to its token ring or Ethernet MAC address.
  • the MAC address allows nodes on the same segment to communicate with each other.
  • each node In order for nodes on a different network to_ communicate with one another, each node must be configured with an IP address.
  • Nodes on a TCP-IP network are either hosts or gateways. Any nodes that run application software, or are terminals, are defined as hosts. Any node which is able to route TCP-IP packets between networks is called a TCP/IP gateway node, A TCP/IP gateway node must have the necessary network controller boards to physically interface to other networks.
  • a typical IP address consists of two fields
  • the IP address is 32 bits long and can therefore theoretically address 2 32 (over four billion) physical networks.
  • One problem, however, associated with using an IP address containing prefixes and suffixes lies in the decision on how large to make each field. If the prefix is too small, only a few networks will be able to be connected to the Internet. Eowever, if the prefix is made larger, then the suffix has to be reduced, which results in a network being able to support only a few hosts.
  • IPv4 Internet protocol addressing scheme
  • IPv4 Internet protocol addressing scheme
  • IPv4 Internet Protocol
  • PLMN Public Land Mobile Network
  • IP address can be defined in the form:
  • *aaa', *bbb r , *ccc' and dd f are integer values in the range 0 to 255.
  • the DNS server is reachable by all the hosts on the network via the IP transport protocol. Therefore the DNS protocol for performing address lookup can be carried over IP.
  • the directory network services on the Internet determine the IP address of the named destination user or application program. This has the advantage that users and application programs can move around the Internet and are not fixed to a particular node and/or IP address.
  • Dynamic addressing requires a pool of addresses to be maintained by an address allocation server, for example a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.
  • DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
  • a signalling process is performed between the host and DHCP server to assign an available IP address to the host. In order to do so, the host needs to send the DHCP server its unique ID.
  • the signalling process is de-activated, the IP address will be returned to the addressing pool and will wait to be assigned to other terminals.
  • the DHCP server recognises the need to identify the subscriber unit and typically informs a domain name server (DNS) that a new Internet Protocol address assignment has occurred. Subsequently, the local DNS can then map the subscriber unit's domain name to an Internet Protocol address allocated by the DHCP, and pass the address information to an Internet Host.
  • DNS domain name server
  • DHCP has been widely used in the Intranet environment to allocate IP addresses dynamically to any hosts that are connected to a network.
  • PDP packet data protocol
  • GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
  • GPRS General Packet Radio System
  • UMTS universal mobile telecommunication system
  • Information to be transmitted across the Internet is packetised, with packet switching routes established between a source node and a destination node.
  • GPRS and UMTS networks have been designed to accommodate packet switched data to facilitate Internet services, such as message service, information service, conversational service and casting service.
  • gateway GPRS service node When a GPRS or UMTS user roams to a foreign network, in many cases the user needs to use the gateway GPRS service node (GGS ) function from the user's home network to access internet or intranet data, The traffic is transported across a Gp interface over an inter-PLMN backbone. Although, from a roaming support viewpoint, it would be better to use public IP addresses for the network elements such as the serving GPRS service node SGSN, the GGSN, and a Charging Gateway etc., notably in many cases Operators prefer to use private IP addresses.
  • GRS gateway GPRS service node
  • NAT Network Address Translation
  • BG border gateway
  • NAT IP Network Address Translator
  • the NAT will fail to cope with the addresses when the SGSN and GGSN IP addresses are negotiated in the data packet payload using application layer protocols.
  • ALG Application Layer Gateway
  • the inventors of the present invention have recognised significant limitations and problems in the use of ALG to resolve the addressing problem when a data packet is communicated between two PL Ns.
  • a new product i.e. an ALG for GfP operation
  • the performance of the BG is seriously impacted, as the ALG would need to check each GTP packet and determine if it includes a target message.
  • the use of the ALG would increase the system latency, as each packet will be delayed whilst being processed by the ALG.
  • GTP-C encryption on GTP control
  • the ALG has no way to decode the GTP-C messages.
  • extra functionality has to be incorporated into the ALG to deal with issues such as encryption key management.
  • a method of routing information in a communication system is provided, in accordance with Claim 1.
  • a communication unit is provided, in accordance with Claim 11,
  • a serving communication unit is provided, in accordance with Claim 13,
  • GGSN gateway GPRS Service Node
  • a communication system is provided, in accordance with Claim 18.
  • a serving communication unit is provided, in accordance with Claim 24.
  • a visited SGSN determines when a PDP context message is destined for an alternative network, and in response to such a determination replaces the home network's SGSN private address with the visited SGSN / s public address, so that subsequent messages can be routed to the subscriber unit when supported by the visited SGSN.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an architecture involving intra-PLMN and inter-PLMN networks, adapted to support the preferred embodiments of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the address interaction between an SGSN and a BG operably coupled to a NAT adapted to support the inventive concepts of the preferred embodiments of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram and associated method to support a subscriber unit performing inter-PLMN roaming, in accordance with the inventive concepts of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 an architecture involving intra- PL ⁇ xiN and inter-PL N networks is illustrated, where the architecture is adapted to support the preferred embodiments of the present invention.
  • the preferred embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to communication between two PLMNs (PLMN A 11Q and PLMN B 150) via an inter-PLMN backbone 140 and a packet data network 130.
  • PLMN A 11Q and PLMN B 150 two PLMNs
  • inter-PLMN backbone 140 an inter-PLMN backbone 140
  • packet data network 130 packet data network
  • Every intra-PLMN backbone network 120, 160 is a private IP network intended for packet domain data and signalling only.
  • a private IP network is an IP network to which an access control mechanism is applied in order to achieve a required level of security.
  • the two intra-PLMN backbone networks 120, 160 are connected via the Gp interface 124 using Border Gateways (BGs) 118, 158 and the inter- LMN backbone network 140.
  • the particular inter- LMN backbone network 140 functions under a roaming agreement that includes the security functionality of the respective BGs 118, 158.
  • the BGs 118, 158 are not defined within the scope of the packet domain.
  • the inter-PLMN backbone 140 may be a Packet Data Network such as PDN 130.
  • An example of the PDN 130 would be the public Internet or a leased line,
  • SG Ns 112, 114, 152 are operably coupled to respective GGSNs 116, IS6 and BGs 118, 158 via the respective intra- P1,MN backbones 120, 160, as known in the art.
  • one or more SGSN 112, 114, 152 are adapted to provide enhanced features. Let us assume that a subscriber unit is registered with PLMN A 110, but has roamed into PLMN B 150. Furthermore, let us assume that the subscriber unit wishes to communicate and transmits a create PDP contex ' message to its currently serving SGSN 152.
  • the SGSN 152 in PLMN A 150 processes the PDP context to determine if the target GGSN 116 belongs to another PLMN A 110. Preferably, checking the Access Point Name (APN) within the PDP context makes this determination.
  • the SGSN source node
  • the SGSN is addressed using a private IP address, where each SGSN is aware of a public IP address associated with it.
  • the SGSN 152 determines that the target GGSN 116 does belong to another PLMN, (PLMN A 110), the SGSN 152 incorporates the public IP address for the "SGSN address" field within the ⁇ Create PDP context" message. In this manner, the public " IP address will be used by the NAT function at BG 158.
  • the SGSN 152 again uses its public IP address for the "SGSN address* field in the "Update PDP context” message. In this way, subsequent data packets may be routed to the subscriber unit supported by SGSN 152.
  • the NAT is configured with a static mapping facility to map between the public IP address and the private address for the respective SGSNs, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 2 the mapping arrangement 200 is illustrated in more detail, but with regard to PLMN A 110.
  • An SGSN 112 within PLMN A 110 includes a private IP address (10.1.1,1) 212 and an associated public address (195.1.1.1) 214.
  • the SGSN 112 communicates PDP context messages to its respective BG 118, including the private IP address (10.1.1.1) 212 and an associated public address ⁇ 195.1.1.1) 214.
  • the NAT 220 operating with the BG 118, performs standard network address translations using these private and associated public IP addresses 212, 214. in this manner, the BG is able to route messages to/from the respective SGSN.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the particular process messages/steps used in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG, 3 illustrates a preferred example of how inter-PLMN roaming, between PLMN A 110 and PLMN B 150, is supported.
  • the relevant PLMN configurations are: PLMN A 110:
  • the home GGSN 116 has a private IP address (10,1.1.1) 212, and is associated with a public IP address (195.1.1.1) 214.
  • the BG/NAT 118 of PLMN A 110 has a (permanent) static mapping from the private IP address (10.1.1,1) 212 to the associated public IP address (195.1.1.1) 214.
  • the visiting SGSN 152 also has a private IP address (10.1.1.1) 312, and is associated with a public IP address (196.1.1.1) 314.
  • the BG/NAT Of the visited PLMN B 150 has a (permanent) static mapping from (10.1,1,1) to (196.1.1,1).
  • a subscriber unit 310 associated with PLMN A 110 roams into PLMN B 150.
  • the subscriber unit 310 requests, in tep 350, a PDP context indicating an APN in its home
  • the Visiting SGSN (VSGSN) 152 attempts to resolve the APN within the PDP context message to the IP address of the GGSN 116 to be used.
  • the VSGSN 152 checks, in step 355, with the local DNS server 330 associated with PLMN B 150.
  • the local DNS server 330 sends a request to the DNS server 340 in PLMN-A 110.
  • the request is, for example, based on the w Operator-lD" part of the APN, or "root” of the ".gprs" domain.
  • Such requests can be supported by, for example, GSM Association, as known to those skilled in the art.
  • the local DNS server 320 eventually resolves the mapping from the APN to the IP address of the DNS server 330 of the home GGSN (HGGSN) 116 in PLMN A 110,
  • the local DNS server 320 and the home DNS server 330 preferably use the standard address resolution protocol (ARP) to inform the VSGSN 152 of the APN.
  • ARP standard address resolution protocol
  • the VSGSN 152 then sends a ⁇ Create PDP Context" " request to the HGGSN 116.
  • the VSGSN 152 processes the "Create PDP Context" request received from the subscriber unit and determines that the identified GGSN 116 belongs to another PLMN (PLMN A 110).
  • PLMN A 110 PLMN
  • the SGSN includes a receiver portion (not shown) and a transmitter portion (not shown) for receiving and transmitting messages from/to other network elements or subscriber units.
  • the SGSN includes one or more processors, for example digital signal processors or processing boards, to process and interpret signals/messages.
  • the SGSN processor (s) is also operably coupled to a memory element (not shown) to store address data.
  • the adaptation of one or more SGSN to implement the aforementioned inventive concepts may be effected in any suitable manner.
  • new apparatus may be added to a conventional SGSN or alternatively existing parts of a conventional SGSN may be adapted, for example by reprogra ming one or more processors therein.
  • the required adaptation may be implemented in the form of processor-impiementable instructions stored on a storage medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, PROM, RAM or any combination of these or other storage multimedia.
  • VSGSN 152 incorporates its public IP address ' (196.1.1.1) 312 into the value of SG N Address" field.
  • This message is then sent to the address (195.1.1,1) 214 of the GGSN 116, in step 375.
  • the message is routed via BG B 158, in step 365, that translates the source address. It is also routed via BG- A, in step 370, which translates the destination address ( from SGSN s public address (195.1.1.1) 214) to the home SGSN 112 private address (10,1,1.1) 212 of PLMN A 110.
  • the GGSN 116 records the VSGSN address (196.1.1.1) 312 as part of the PDP context. After the PDP context has been set up, the GGSN 116 is now able to forward data packets using the GPRS transport protocol (GTP) to the subscriber unit 310, in step 390.
  • GTP GPRS transport protocol
  • the GTP packet is sent to VSGSN 152 using the public address (196.1.1,1) 314 of VSGSN 152.
  • BG A 118 is able to replace the source address of SGSN 112, in S tep 380.
  • BG B 158 then translates the destination address from the public address (196.1.1.1) 314 of VSGSN 152 to PLMN B's 150 internal (private) address (10.1.1.1) 312, in step 385,
  • GTP data packets can be routed between ' PLMNs, for example for a roaming subscriber unit, without incurring the addressing problems that currently require development of specific ALGs.
  • the above-mentioned inventive concepts can be incorporated as enhancements on the SGSN using a software upgrade, by re-programming one or more processors as described above.
  • - - A key benefit of the above-mentioned addressing methodology is that it allows the use of private address space for most addressing needs within a PLMN's network infrastructure. This minimises the use of public IP addresses, as only a few network components that are directly involved in inter-PLMN communication (including SGSN, GGSN and DNS server) are allocated with public IP addresses.
  • the invention has been described with reference to inter-PLMN communication using GTP messages, with the address translation performed by the SGSN instead of the NAT, it is envisaged that the inventive concepts are equally applicable to any other wireless communication system supporting roaming of data communication units.
  • Encryption for example on GTP-C, can be used without any limitation.
  • the enhancement to the SGSN functionality can be performed using software upgrade.
  • the present invention finds particular application in wireless communication systems such as the UMTS or GPRS systems, employing GTP for packet data communication.
  • wireless communication systems such as the UMTS or GPRS systems, employing GTP for packet data communication.
  • GTP packet data communication

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de routage d'information dans un système de communication: une unité de communication serveur dessert une pluralité d'unités d'abonné au moyen d'une ressource de communication et est identifiée par une adresse publique et privée. Le procédé comprend les étapes suivantes: recherche itinérante d'une unité d'abonné (310) depuis un réseau de communication de rattachement (110) vers un réseau de communication de visite (150), et demande (350) d'une ressource de communication, par le biais d'un message de protocole de transport du service général de paquets radio (GPRS). Une unité de communication serveur visitée (152) traite la demande pour en extraire une adresse privée d'unité de communication serveur. Une fois établi que cette adresse identifie une unité de communication serveur d'un réseau de communication différent (110), l'unité de communication serveur (152) incorpore son adresse publique dans la demande et la transmet (375) à une unité de communication serveur de rattachement (112) contenant son adresse publique (312). Ainsi, les messages ultérieurs à l'unité d'abonné peuvent être acheminés via l'unité de communication serveur visitée au moyen de l'adresse publique de celle-ci. L'invention concerne également un système de communication et des unités de communication serveurs, par exemple un noeud de service GRPS serveur et un noeud de service GRPS passerelle.
EP03773730A 2002-10-12 2003-10-06 Systeme de communication, unite de communication serveur, et procede de routage d'information Withdrawn EP1554908A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0223855A GB2394148B (en) 2002-10-12 2002-10-12 Communication system, serving communication unit and method of routing information
GB0223855 2002-10-12
PCT/EP2003/050695 WO2004036948A2 (fr) 2002-10-12 2003-10-06 Systeme de communication, unite de communication serveur, et procede de routage d'information

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1554908A2 true EP1554908A2 (fr) 2005-07-20

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03773730A Withdrawn EP1554908A2 (fr) 2002-10-12 2003-10-06 Systeme de communication, unite de communication serveur, et procede de routage d'information

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1554908A2 (fr)
AU (1) AU2003282113A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2394148B (fr)
WO (1) WO2004036948A2 (fr)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106612299B (zh) * 2015-10-22 2020-07-10 阿里巴巴集团控股有限公司 访问请求的处理方法和装置

Family Cites Families (3)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19742681C2 (de) * 1997-09-26 2003-03-06 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M GPRS-Teilnehmerauswahl von mehreren Internet-Dienstanbietern
NL1013273C2 (nl) * 1999-10-12 2001-04-17 Koninkl Kpn Nv Werkwijze en systeem voor het verzenden van IP berichten.
FR2825555B1 (fr) * 2001-05-30 2004-03-12 Nilcom Systeme de messages courts, notamment de messages prepayes

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2004036948A3 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2004036948A3 (fr) 2004-09-16
AU2003282113A8 (en) 2004-05-04
GB2394148A (en) 2004-04-14
WO2004036948A2 (fr) 2004-04-29
GB2394148B (en) 2006-03-15
GB0223855D0 (en) 2002-11-20
AU2003282113A1 (en) 2004-05-04

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