GB2352939A

GB2352939A - Communication method with notification of route change

Info

Publication number: GB2352939A
Application number: GB0013669A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Martin Randle
Original assignee: NEC Technologies UK Ltd
Current assignee: NEC Technologies UK Ltd
Priority date: 1999-06-07
Filing date: 2000-06-05
Publication date: 2001-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-05
Also published as: GB9913209D0; GB2352939B; GB0013669D0

Abstract

When a user of a receiving apparatus 1 accessing a data store 2 such as the Internet moves from one location to another, the initial route set up for transmitting information to the mobile station is no longer valid. When a communication path changes, the receiving apparatus notifies the data store either of a changed gateway 3,6 through which communications with the receiving apparatus may be made, or a change in address for the apparatus. This enables information may be transmitted to the apparatus using a new route.

Description

2352939 COMMUNICATION METHOD This invention relates to a method and

apparatus for use in communicating between an information store, such as the Internet, and apparatus which is able to receive information from the store via a link, a part of which may be a wireless link. Apparatus which is suitable for transmitting and receiving information includes mobile telephones and personal computers, and fixed equipment.

The following description will be made with reference to wireless mobile telephony and data transceivers, as examples, for the sake of simplicity, and the exemplary store is the Internet.

Consideration will first be given to the way in which the invention may be applied. It is assumed that a receiving and transmitting apparatus employed by a user may be capable of moving between two networks, which may or may not be similar. The apparatus normally operates in a first network, and an access route from the store, which may be an internet server, for information to be transmitted from the store to the apparatus is initially established. Should the apparatus be moved to an area which is within that served by another network, the initially established access route for information to be sent to the apparatus will no longer be effective. Even 2 should the apparatus remain within the area of the first network, the route may be rendered ineffective as a result of a change in intermediate equipment on the route, f or example, there may be a change f rom one gateway to another between the store and the receiving apparatus.

In this situation, in order that there shall be no interruption in the transmission of information from the store to the user, it is necessary for the user, in previously proposed arrangements, to notify a provider of the information of any change. Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example, arrangements which are useful in illustrating the invention. 15 In the drawings:Fig. 1 is a block schematic diagram of a first arrangement, Fig. 2 is a block schematic diagram of a second arrangement, and 20 Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a third arrangement. Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a user's mobile wireless receiving apparatus 1 operating on a mobile communications network A in cooperation with a server 2 via a gateway 3, and a fixed line network 4. The gateway 3 may be a part of the mobile network A or be on a fixed line network between the server 2 and the gateway 3.

The apparatus I in the particular example is shown 3 initially at time t=O operating in the mobile network A, and later at time t=l operating in the mobile network B. It is assumed that, when the apparatus 1 is operating in the mobile network A, it is able to receive an unsolicited message la from the server 2 via the gateway 3.

When the user's apparatus I is moved to operate in mobile network B, the user notifies the server 2 about its change of gateway address from gateway 3 to a gateway 6, and the user may also notify the server 2 of the change of address of the apparatus 1. In this way the server 2 is able to send a message 2a, including an unsolicited message, to the user of the apparatus 1 at time t=l at the new address in mobile network B. Of course the operational route for information may change within a network, for example from being transmitted from the server 2 via one gateway to being transmitted via another gateway on the same network, and the user will notify the gateways and the server 2 of the change of gateway, and, if necessary, of any address change.

In summary, it will be seen that when an apparatus 1 moves either from network A to network B, or within a network, the server will be notified by the user of the new address of the apparatus 1 and of the new address of any intermediary equipment.

Furthermore, any network elements that may store unsolicited messages may be notified by the user of the 4 change of address. Thus a gateway which incorporates a message store would be notified of the change.

Examples of information flows which may be used to notify network equipment about the user's change of address will now be described, by way of example, with reference to Fig. 2.

In Fig. 2, the user's apparatus 1 is shown having moved from mobile network A to mobile network B. A message is sent by the user to notify gateway 3 about the change of address, as indicated by the chain-dotted line 8. All messages that are stored in gateway 3 are then transferred to gateway 6 over the fixed line internet, as shown by the broken line 9.

The user then sends a message detailing changes in the address of the apparatus 1 and of the intermediate equipment to all servers that operate a subscribed unsolicited messaging service, as shown by the solid line 10.

The information flow via the line 10 enables the user to send one or more messages detailing any changes in the addresses of the user and of intermediate equipment, and may be sent directly to a server or via intermediate equipment, such as gateways, proxies,message stores, and third party servers. 25 Both the user's apparatus and the server will have agreed a standard format for any change of address message, in order to promote interoperability. In the Figure 3, a wireless mobile telephony/data network 11 includes mobile stations 12 which are able to roam from the network 11 to other wireless networks, for example that indicated at 13, which may be in another country, and still send and receive information.

The wireless networks 11 and 13 are able to provide communication links for the mobile stations 12 with the Internet, shown at 14, via gateways indicated at 15, 16 and 17, which are located at a so-called dividing line indicated by a broken line. Consequently, these gateways act as intermediaries between the two types of network, and conduct protocol/service translations between them. Internet connected servers 18 to 23 are located within the Internet.

In one method of operation, a user of a mobile station 12, which is associated with the network 11 may, by means of the appropriate protocol and applications, "surf the net" via, for example, a gateway 15 and an Internet connected server 18.

The Internet.connected server 18 is able to respond to a request for information from a mobile station 12 sent via the gateway 15, by sending the requested information from the server 18 via the gateway 15 to the station 12.

This system of operation is given the name PULL, because it functions by pulling information from the Internet store, upon the receipt of a request from a mobile station.

However, on occasions it is desired to send out 6 information from a storej such as the Internet, in an unsolicited manner, i.e. without a specific request from a mobile station.

This information will normally be of the type which becomes available from time to time, such as conference details, or changes in the prices of particular stocks on the stock exchange.

This system of operation is given the name PUSH, because information is pushed out, without a specific request from a mobile station.

In this situation, since the association of the transmitting or receiving apparatus 12 and its associated Internet gateway 15, 16 or 17 respectively may change, it is not possible for an Internet connected server 18 to know via which gateway the information is to be sent to a receiver 12.

For examplej the Internet connected server 18 will push information via the Internet to the appropriate gateway 15-17. Then the gateway will forward the information via the wireless network to its associated mobile station 12.

In this situation, since the association between the mobile station 12 and its particular respective gateway 15, 16 or 17 may change, it is not possible for the Internet connected server 18 to know via which gateway the information is to be sent to a mobile station.

In the particular method of operation being described, by way of example, a mobile station will have 7 an association (also termed a subscription) with a groug of Internet connected servers for services in respect of which it is desired that, from time to time, information will be forwarded through an appropriate gateway 15, 16 or 17 to the mobile station 12. The information relating to these services will be retrievable by the mobile station.

When a mobile station is associated with a different gateway from that with which it is normally associated the Internet connected servers will be notified about the change of gateway. This will ensure that the particular Internet server will know to which gateway address (such as IP address or URI/URL) the pushed information is to be sent. The notification may take the form of a message that will include the identification of the user/mobile station and the gateway. The subscription records of the Internet connected server's service may then be updated.

The notification will be sent to each associated Internet connected server from a network element by means which may include the following paths:- a) from a mobile station through the gateway to the associated Internet connected server, e.g. from station 12 via gateway 15-17 to server 18. This is the most likely route.

b) from a gateway 15-17 to an Internet connected server, i.e. via path 15-17 to server 18.

c) from a 3rd party Internet connected server upon a request originating from a mobile station 12 or gateway 8 15-17, i.e. via path to server 18 upon a request from station 12 or gateway 15-17.

It will be understood that, although a particular arrangement has been described, by way of example with reference to the single figure of the accompanying diagram, variations and modifications thereof, as well as other arrangements may be conceived within the scope of the present invention.

As examples, a mobile station may be a mobile handset, personal digital assistant, or a portable personal computer. All such devices will include a wireless link and microprocessor. For example, an analog or digital public cellular network, or a private wireless network.

The subscription information may, for example, be stored at the mobile station, or on any other network element.

It will be understood, that a change of gateway will result from the mobile station changing to another mobile network (e.g. from gateway 15 to 17), the mobile station being switched to another gateway due to gateway maintenance or load re-distribution (e. g. from gateway 15 to 16).

It will also be appreciated that the method of operation described may be employed with fixed stations within a network, such as that shown in Fig. 3 at 11 and 13, as well as with mobile stations, and that the link may be a wired link throughout.

9 CL&IMS 1. A method of communicating between an information store and apparatus for receiving information via a link from the store, in which a receiving apparatus is normally associated with a specific server or information store, including the step, when a route for information to be communicated to a receiving apparatus from the store is changed, of notifying the information store, server or servers of the change either of a gateway through which communication with the receiving apparatus may be made, or of a change in the address of the receiving apparatus.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the notification of the change is sent from a receiving apparatus via a gateway to the information store, server or servers.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the notification of the change is sent from a respective gateway to the information store server or servers.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the notification of the change is sent from a third party internet connected server upon request from a receiving apparatus or gateway.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to any one of Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.