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Title:
NOTIFICATION WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK USING A DHCP SERVER
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/026867
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a method for notifying at least one mobile device of a wireless communication network about an update to a database, wherein the update notification is transmitted to the mobile devices by means of a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server.

Inventors:
MELIA TELEMACO (FR)
ORLANDI BARBARA (FR)
Application Number:
PCT/EP2010/062817
Publication Date:
March 10, 2011
Filing Date:
September 01, 2010
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
ALCATEL LUCENT (FR)
MELIA TELEMACO (FR)
ORLANDI BARBARA (FR)
International Classes:
H04W8/16; H04L29/12; H04W8/18
Other References:
"3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Core Network and Terminals; Access to the 3GPP Evolved Packet Core (EPC) via non-3GPP access networks; Stage 3; (Release 8)", 3GPP STANDARD; 3GPP TS 24.302, 3RD GENERATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT (3GPP), MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE ; 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES ; F-06921 SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS CEDEX ; FRANCE, no. V8.2.0, 1 June 2009 (2009-06-01), pages 1 - 45, XP050365261
MOTOROLA: "ANDSF push not mandated in all access networks", 3GPP DRAFT; S2-090946_ANDSF_PUSH, 3RD GENERATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT (3GPP), MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE ; 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES ; F-06921 SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS CEDEX ; FRANCE, no. Budapest; 20090210, 10 February 2009 (2009-02-10), XP050333386
"Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); LTE; Architecture enhancements for non-3GPP accesses (3GPP TS 23.402 version 8.6.0 Release 8)", TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION, EUROPEAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS INSTITUTE (ETSI), 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES ; F-06921 SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS ; FRANCE, no. V8.6.0, 1 June 2009 (2009-06-01), XP014044537
SUBIR DAS TELCORDIA TECHNOLOGIES GABOR BAJKO NOKIA: "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCPv4 and DHCPv6) Options for Access Network Discovery and Selection Function(ANDSF) Discovery; draft-das-mipshop-andsf-dhcp-options-01.txt", DYNAMIC HOST CONFIGURATION PROTOCOL (DHCPV4 AND DHCPV6) OPTIONS FOR ACCESS NETWORK DISCOVERY AND SELECTION FUNCTION(ANDSF) DISCOVERY; DRAFT-DAS-MIPSHOP-ANDSF-DHCP-OPTIONS-01.TXT, INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE, IETF; STANDARDWORKINGDRAFT, INTERNET S, no. 1, 12 July 2009 (2009-07-12), XP015063380
DROMS R ET AL: "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for IPv6 (DHCPv6); rfc3315.txt", IETF STANDARD, INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE, IETF, CH, 1 July 2003 (2003-07-01), XP015009185, ISSN: 0000-0003
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
EL MANOUNI, Josiane (32 avenue de Kléber, Colombes, FR)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

A method for notifying at least one mobile device of a wireless communication network about an update to a database (3), wherein the update notification is transmitted to the mobile devices (7) by means of a dynamic host configuration protocol (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)) server (5).

A notification method according to claim 1 , wherein said database contains information about the network making it possible for at least one of said mobile device(s) (7) to choose an access network and/or optimize the handovers (HOs).

A notification method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said database (3) is managed by an automatic Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF).

A notification method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said database (3) uses the protocol defined by the Open Mobile Alliance-Device Management (OMA-DM) for communicating with mobile devices (7).

A notification method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps:

- editing/updating the database (101 ),

- sending a notification to the dynamic host configuration protocol server that the database has been edited/updated (102),

- transmitting a reconfiguration message from the dynamic host configuration protocol server to at least one mobile device (103),

- sending an information request from said at least one mobile device to the dynamic host configuration protocol server in response to the reconfiguration message (104),

- sending a reply message from the dynamic host configuration protocol server to said at least one mobile device in response to the information request (105),

- sending an acknowledgment of receipt message to the server managing the database (106).

6. A notification method according to claim 5, wherein the reconfiguration message comprises an identifier of at least one mobile device (7), an identifier of the dynamic host configuration protocol server, an authentication option, and a reconfiguration message type option, the reconfiguration message type field comprising an Information Request.

7. A notification method according to claim 6, wherein after the step of transmitting a reconfiguration message from the dynamic host configuration protocol server to at least one mobile device (7), said at least one mobile device (7) verifies, based on the identifier of the dynamic host configuration protocol server and on the authentication option, that it is communicating with the correct peer in accordance with the DHCP protocol.

8. A notification method according to one of the claims 5 to 7, wherein said reply message comprises update information concerning the server managing the database (3).

9. A notification method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the update notification being received by said at least one mobile device (7) causes said at least one mobile device (7) to connect to the server managing the database (3).

10. A notification method according to claim 9, wherein the connection of said at least one mobile device to the server managing the database is carried out according to an Open Mobile Alliance-Device Management (OMA-DM) protocol. 1 1 . An Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) server (1 ) comprising means for managing a database (3) of access networks and means for sending a notification of said database's update to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server (5). 12. A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server (5) comprising means for receiving a notification of an update to a database (3) managed by an Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) server (1 ) and means for transmitting said update notification to at least one mobile device (7).

13. A communication network comprising an Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) server (1 ) according to claim 11 and a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server (5) according to claim 12, wherein the updating of a database managed by the ANDSF server (1 ) is transmitted to at least one mobile device of the network by means of the DHCP server (5).

Description:
NOTIFICATION WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK USING A DHCP SERVER

This invention pertains to the field of wireless communication networks, and more particularly, the sending of notifications to mobile devices of the network.

Telecommunications networks continue to evolve, particularly access networks. Thus, in order for the users' mobile devices to take into account these evolutions, these mobile devices must carry out updates from a database.

Additionally, in order to minimize the exchanges with the database, it is preferable for a notification to be sent to the users' mobile devices in order to inform them that the database has been modified.

Nonetheless, in the state of the art, the means that enable a notification to be sent to the users' mobile devices exhibit significant limitations depending on the type of access network being used. In particular, in the Open Mobile Alliance-Device Management (OMA-DM) protocol, one solution consists of using SMS (Short Message System) messages, but this solution is difficult to implement for a LTE (Long Term Evolution) network, and is completely inapplicable for WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) networks.

Another alternative from the state of the art consists of using a TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) connection between the OMA-DM server or the ANDSF (Access Network Discovery and Selection Function) box that manages the database and the mobile devices. However, this solution may cause scalability problems as a result of maintaining many TCP connections, and may thereby affect the entire network's performance.

Therefore, one object of embodiments of the present invention is to overcome these aforementioned drawbacks from the state of the art and to provide an independent access- technology notification method (whether it is standardized by the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project): GSM/GPRS, UMTS, LTE or by the WMF (WiMAX Forum): WiMAX).

To that end, embodiments of the invention pertain to a method for notifying at least one mobile device of a wireless communication network about an update to a database, wherein the update notification is transmitted to the mobile devices by means of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

According to another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, said database contains information about the network enabling at least one of said mobile devices to choose an access network and/or to optimize the handovers (HO).

According to another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, said database is managed by an automatic Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF).

According to an additional aspect of embodiments of the present invention, said database uses the protocol defined by the Open Mobile Alliance-Device Management (OMA-D)) to communicate with the mobile devices. According to an additional aspect of embodiments of the present invention, the method comprises the following steps

- editing/updating the database,

- sending a notification to the dynamic host configuration protocol server that the database has been edited/updated,

- transmitting a reconfiguration message from the dynamic host configuration protocol server to at least one mobile device,

- sending an information request from said at least one mobile device to the dynamic host configuration protocol server in response to the reconfiguration message,

- sending a reply message from the dynamic host configuration protocol server to said at least one mobile device in response to the information request,

- sending an acknowledgment of receipt message to the server managing the database.

According to another aspect of embodiments of the present invention, the reconfiguration message comprises an identifier of at least one mobile device, an identifier of the dynamic host configuration protocol server, an authentication option, and a reconfiguration message type option, the reconfiguration message type field comprising an Information Request. According to additional aspect of embodiments of the present invention, after the step of transmitting a reconfiguration message from the dynamic host configuration protocol server to at least one mobile device, said at least one mobile device verifies, based on the identifier of the dynamic host configuration protocol server and on the authentication option, that it is communicating with the correct peer in accordance with the DHCP protocol.

According to an additional aspect of embodiments of the present invention, said reply message comprises update information concerning the server managing the database.

According to an additional aspect of embodiments of the present invention, an update notification being received by said at least one mobile device causes said at least one mobile device to connect to the server managing the database. According to an additional aspect of embodiments of the present invention, the connection of said at least one mobile device to the server managing the database is carried out according to an Open Mobile Alliance-Device Management (OMA-DM) protocol.

Embodiments of the invention also pertain to an Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) server comprising means for managing a database of access networks and means for sending a notification of said database's update to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

Embodiments of the invention also pertain to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server comprising means for receiving a notification of an update to a database managed by an Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) server and means for transmitting said update notification to at least one mobile device.

Embodiments of the present invention also pertain to a communication network comprising an Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) server and a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, wherein the updating of a database managed by the ANDSF server is transmitted to at least one mobile device of the network by means of the DHCP server. Other characteristics and benefits of embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given with reference to the attached drawings, which by way of a non- limiting example depict one possible embodiment.

In these drawings:

- Figure 1 depicts a diagram of part of a communication network;

- Figure 2 is a synoptic diagram of various steps of embodiments of the present invention;

In the following description, generally: The term "ANDSF" is an acronym for "Access Network Discovery and Selection Function";

The term "DHCP" is an acronym for "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol";

The term "OMA-DM" is an acronym for "Open Mobile Alliance-Device Management" and designates the protocol defined by this workgroup within that alliance as well;

The term "IP" is an acronym for "Internet Protocol";

The term "3GPP" is an acronym for "Third Generation Partnership Project";

The term "LTE" is an acronym for "Long Term Evolution".

The term "WiMAX" is an acronym for "Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access"; The term "TCP" is an acronym for "Transmission Control Protocol";

bodiments of the present invention aim to establish a "push" method enabling telecommunications network to cause the updating of the network's mobile devices by sending notifications to the mobile devices in order to inform them of the availability of updates.

Figure 1 depicts part of a telecommunication network comprising an ANDSF server 1 equipped with a database 3, a DHCP server 5 and a mobile device or DHCP client 7. The database 3 comprising information for the mobile devices. It should be noted that the ANDSF server may be replaced with another type of server using the OMA-DM protocol, so that embodiments of the invention are not limited to the use of an ANDSF server, but rather for any type of server using the OMA-DM protocol. Figure 2 depicts the various steps of a method according to embodiments of the present invention.

The first step 101 corresponds to updating/editing the database 3.

In order to inform the network's mobile devices of that edit/update, the server (ANDSF or type using the OMA-DM protocol) 1 transmits a notification to the DHCP server 5 (step 102). This notification serves to inform the DHCP server 5 of the update to the database 3 so that the server will transmit the information to the network's client 7.

The DHCP server 5 then transmits a reconfiguration message to each DHCP client 7, comprising the identifier of the DHCP client 7, the identifier of the DHCP server 5, the authentication option, and the reconfiguration message type option (step 103) indicating an Information Request.

When the reconfiguration message is received, the DHCP client 7 checks that it is communicating with the correct peer in accordance with the DHCP protocol, and responds to the DHCP server 5 with an information request for the options that the ANDSF/OMA-DM server 1 wishes to update (step 104).

The DHCP server 5 then sends back a reply message comprising the updated information regarding the database 3 (step 105).

These updates may relate to the neighboring cells and access networks which are available, as well as their priority for the purposes of optimizing the cell handover process.

Furthermore, the DHCP server 5 also sends an acknowledgment of receipt message back to the ANDSF/OMA-DM server 1 in order to inform it of the communication with the DHCP client 7 and concludes the exchange of messages (step 106).

The DHCP client 7 is therefore informed of the availability and nature of the updates to the database 3 and may thereby retrieve these updates by directly contacting the ANDSF/OMA-DM server 1 (step 107). The connection between the DHCP client 7 and the ANDSF/OMA-DM server 1 is done using the OMA-DM communication protocol.

Thus, the various aspects of embodiments of the present method enable the ANDSF/OMA-DM server 1 to trigger a mobile device update procedure so that they can connect to the database 3 of the ANDSF/OMA-DM server 1 and retrieve the corresponding information. By using a method based on an IP infrastructure and employing a well-established DHCP protocol, the embodiments of the present invention offer a solution that may be used by the various types of access networks: not only 3GPP networks such as LTE, but also WiMAX networks, and make it possible to improve the network's performance and reduce scalability problems, such as by making it unnecessary to keep TCP connections active or use trigger SMSs.