MXPA06009902A - Heterogeneous network system, network node and mobile host - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system that dynamically integrates a set of communication networks to increase the overall heterogeneous network system performance and capabilities. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique of providing a Dynamic Heterogeneous Network System, and providing a Network Node entity and a Mobile Host entity into the system to support the heterogeneous network. The network system according to the present invention has an architecture that includes at least five building blocks including a mobile host (1), an access network (7), a network node (2), an AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) node (13), and an external network (3).

Description

HETEROGENIC NETWORK SYSTEM. NODE OF NETWORK AND MOBILE HOST FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system that dynamically integrates a group of communication networks to increase the overall performance of the heterogeneous network system and its capabilities. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique for providing a heterogeneous network dynamic system, and providing a network node entity and a mobile host entity within the system, in order to support the heterogeneous network as described in the independent claims.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Although there is a large number of interest groups worldwide that recognize a common goal, to minimize the number of network techniques used in the market, it can be predicted that there will be and that there will be a large number of systems wired and standardized wireless that will be used locally and globally. Some of the network techniques have their roots in the past, and have experienced a lot of improvements and optimization activities over the years that have been in use, while some of these techniques are still in their early stages and can be based on in the use of new and sophisticated methods to meet the requirements imposed on them. Some of the new methods mentioned above have been impossible to achieve in commercial products, not until recent advances in circuit technologies and the capabilities of the processing platform become available. Also the differences in the requirements imposed on the different network techniques have a great influence on the level of ambition on the way in which the systems are implemented, some have been developed to operate almost anywhere in the world, with time requirements availability of 99.999% and data throughput rates of approximately thousands of kilobits per second, and some are aimed at a small area of personal coverage with very low cost and low power consumption and data flow rates of even hundreds of megabits per second, the rest of the systems are positioned between these two extremes. Also some systems are optimized for circuit switched services, such as voice and some are optimized for packet switched services, such as Internet browsing, computer networks and e-mail. This variable situation mentioned above, combined with the fact that each generation of the internationally standardized cellular system is much more complicated and becomes more expensive to develop than its predecessors, and also the structure of the operating cost of the new generations of the complete system can be difficult to calculate in advance, an ever-increasing number of experts in the field seek alternatives for the development of complete systems in each new generation of systems. One possibility is to use the new and existing technologies together, which is the trend in 4G research and standardization work, and a complete system is offered in harmonious use with the appropriate parts of each technology available in the particular traffic situation, and with this, obtain both synergies, economic and technical. The present invention is a measure as described. The current state of the art is that there is a large number of access technologies, both wired and wireless, examples of wireless are cellular systems (NMT, GSM, AMPS, CDMA, PDC, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, CDMA- 2000, Inmarsat) and the examples of wired network systems are the standards for service coverage of the restricted geographical area (WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, WBMA, UWB, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Infrared). Then there are several access technologies for wired accesses, the examples are ADSL, SDSL, VDSL, systems based on cable TV, systems based on modems over public telephone lines, HomePNA, FTTH. Several efforts have also been made to combine the different cellular and local area systems, together with the use of different techniques. The common denominator of these measures is that they are based on roaming between systems or even exchanges between systems (also known as vertical exchanges) to offer users the most appropriate way. An advanced measure in this field is described in the publications of patent applications US 2003/0048762 A1. US 2003/0048776 A1, US 2003/0050061 A1 and in patents (JP) 2001-272660, 2001-272661, 2001-317471, where wireless communication systems are combined with the use of a separate basic access network for integrate the different systems together and use the SDR technologies to allow the mobile host to communicate with different wireless systems, one at a time, with the use of horizontal and vertical exchanges. The system defined in the aforementioned patents is also known from the literature as the MIRAI architecture. Other very useful readings about the use of the IETF session initiation protocol (SIP) in heterogeneous networks, known in the prior art is Schultzrinne et al., "Multimedia SIP sessions in a Mobile Heterogeneous Access Environment". S. Mangold wrote a very thorough study of 802.11e quality of service aspects in his writing: "Analysis of IEEE 802.11e and Application of Game Models for Support of Quality-of-Service in Coexisting Wireless Networks". For a person familiar with the field, it will be clear that given this complete description of the field of technology, the area is under an evolutionary turbulence never seen in the history of telecommunications, which is very difficult and especially when it is necessary to perform expeditiously The documents listed above are selected to provide simple guidelines to the reader about this situation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will enable a heterogeneous communication over an arbitrary number of access technologies (wired or wireless) simultaneously and the connections will be dynamically reconfigured when the level of service required for the user needs to be sustained. To have initial access, the user uses the mobility management and the authentication and authorization functions existing in the access networks, as is known in the prior art, which eliminates the need to build a separate and expensive access network only for that purpose Also the mobile host is a concept of adding several mobile host unit entities with different capacities and that respectively communicate with each other. The present invention also avoids exchanges between networks (also known as verticals), since they are expensive and complicated to develop, the tests and use are sufficient and are based on an ordinary connection setting and release mechanisms and only inform the user about applications when a reconfiguration of the network must be performed. Such a procedure also includes other necessary preparations made when the user begins to use the resources in the target network, such as subscriber authentication in such a network with the use of authentication mechanisms used in the network in question. Also, the mobile host, once provided with the access rights in the heterogeneous network, is the master control entity for the traffic routing in the heterogeneous network, this measure has several benefits when compared with the previous technique, a more centralized traffic control within the heterogeneous network, namely that the decision of the (re) configuration of the connections is carried out very close to the source of information, which indicates the form and reason of the activities of ( re) configuration, and thus savings can be obtained in the signaling of the interfaces of limited access of bandwidth and also minor delays are obtained in the response times. Also, the trend in the evolution of circuit technologies and processing power, respectively, as well as advances in the investigation of the digital signal processing of radio signals, indicates that more advanced portable systems will be available and more and more powerful and with more functions available in the market in the future, and this type of scenario is the natural evolution to advance the control of networks related to the responsibility of processing closer to the network. Another important benefit of having a mobile host controlling traffic routing in the heterogeneous network is to increase the overall robustness of the entire system, since access networks, in most cases overlap and in the present invention a visible result for the end user it is usually faced with several serious problems in the system, in this way, the heterogeneous measurement decreases the probability of this serious situation when compared to the prior art networks. Since the mobile host is in the center of action when it detects degradation in current connections, recovery actions can be initiated immediately, which is an important factor when the overall robustness of the system is increased and the duration of the system is minimized. the degradations in question. Also, by increasing the responsibility for controlling the heterogeneous network for the mobile host in the architecture of the present invention, it increases the possibilities for developing the system, so that the nodes involved in the traffic routing in the heterogeneous network do not need permanently store the data related to the subscriber, as was the situation in the prior art networks. The lack of data related to the subscriber in the network nodes involved in the routing of traffic facilitates the installation and operation of the network in an important way. A benefit of the present invention is to use normal components for the system, since many are possible, and minimizes the need for additions or changes in it. This improves competition and makes the entire system more economical to install and operate. The present invention is characterized by the content of the independent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following text offers a brief description of the drawings.

Figure 1 is an explanatory drawing of the architecture of how a heterogeneous network of individual access networks is constituted and how the mobile host, the access networks, the network node and the external network are connected to each other. the heterogeneous network. Figure 2 is an explanatory drawing of the internal architecture of the mobile host. Figure 3 is an explanatory drawing of the architecture of the way in which the mobile host and the network node are interconnected over the heterogeneous network. The connections to the external network and to the AAA node (authentication, authorization and account) are also shown. Figure 4 is an explanatory drawing of the internal architecture of the network node. Figure 5 is an explanatory drawing of the architecture of the interfaces between the entities within the network node and the mobile host. Figure 6 is a message sequence diagram showing the session establishment procedure initiated in the network where in this example, connections are established in two separate access network domains. Figure 7 is a continuation of the sequence of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a message sequence diagram that describes in more detail a sub-group of Figure 6, in this example, the initial connection to the mobile host is established with the use of a PDP context activation procedure initiated in the GPRS network. Figure 9 is a message sequence diagram showing the session establishment procedure initiated by the mobile host in the heterogeneous network. In this example, the user identities within each access network domain are known in advance in the mobile host. Figure 10 is a message sequence diagram that provides an example of a mobile host and an access point in a wireless access network; in this case, the access point is an 802.11x AP WLAN that supports the principles of the QoS mechanism as specified in 802.11e. Figure 11 is a graphical presentation of the signaling details in the physical radio interface described in Figure 10. Figure 12 is a study of the architecture of the data structures within the function of measurement and control database in the mobile host. Figure 13 is a message sequence diagram showing an example of the procedure in which an existing connection in an access network is re-routed in another access network initiated by the degraded service quality detection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Identification of the identities in the drawings is as follows: 1 mobile host, 2 network node, 3 external network, 4 mobile host X unit, 5 mobile host Y unit, 6 interface between the X units and Y of the mobile host, 7 access network, AC access networks with which the mobile host unit X has the ability to communicate, ac access interfaces for the previous networks, DG access networks with which the unit Y has capacity to communicate, dg access interfaces for the above networks, 8 control logic function in the mobile host, 9 traffic routing function in the mobile host, 10 control and measurement database function in the mobile host, 11 applications with the use of heterogeneous network communication services, 12 access points (also base stations or wired access) of individual access networks, 13 AAA- authentication node, auto rization and heterogeneous network account, 14 AAA - authentication interface function, authorization and account in the network node, 15 control logic function in the network node, 16 traffic routing function in the network node, 17 message INVITE to session initiation protocol (SIP), 18 protocol AAA (DIAMETER) questionnaire to request user subscription information, 19 SIP indication (SIP: 100 Attempting), 200 AAA protocol (DIAMETER) response for the initial connection establishment procedure 18, 21 with the mobile host in an access network, where the mobile host connects, 22 procedure for registration, AAA and user identity mapping in an access network through which the mobile host initiates a communication session, 23 a message containing the identity of the user assigned in the 22, 24 SIP indication 22, 24 (SIP: 180), the same procedure as 22 but for another access network domain, 26 a message containing the identity of the user assigned in the indication 25, 28 SIP (SIP: 200 OK), 29 SIP acknowledgment (SIP: ACK), 30 a procedure in which the media sessions are adjusted between the external network and each of the user identities assigned in 22 and 25 in the mobile host, the details of this procedure are not shown in detail, since are not relevant to the present invention, 31 SIP termination message (SIP.BYE), 33 gateway GPRS support node (GGSN), 34 home location register (HLR), 35 service GPRS support node (SGSN), 36 message packet data protocol PDU (PDP), 37 message (SRI) of routing information send part of the mobile application (MAP) for GPRS, 38 acknowledgment message for 37, 39 PDU notification request message, 40 PDU notification response message, 41 request PDP context activation message, 42 PDP context activation procedure, 43 establishment connection procedure (PAN), 44 procedure for scanning available access networks and obtaining their identities, message containing information on the available access networks, their QoS characteristics and the control information related to the particular access networks searched from the control and measurement database of the host mobile node, 46 message containing the access network candidate list, QoS contracts of each access network, authentication information for each access network, 47 a procedure in which mobile host preparations for roaming within networks are performed of access, such as the authentication of the subscriber in the access network, with the use of the information received in the 46 and obtain the identities such as the IP addresses, and the QoS information of the connections, 48 message containing the identities of the user, QoS information of the connections and control data sought from the control and measurement database in the mobile host, 49 branch for the SIP INVITE for the user identities, 50 activate the PDP context request message, 51 create the request message context PDP, 52 create PDP context response message, 53 activate PDP context acceptance message, 53 activate PDP context acceptance message, 54 pun Access (AP) 802.11x, 55 MAC action action message 802.11, ADDTS QoS action request message containing the QoS request information for the traffic stream, 56 the process where the user is authorized and analyzed the QoS request, 57 MAC 802.11 handling action message, ADDTS offer information QoS in response to the QoS action, 58 a new sequence of traffic stream allocation when the response code for 57 suggested changes in current creation of attempted traffic, 59 procedure where the connections are established, QoS control information and measurement negotiated between the unit Y 5 of the mobile host and the access point 54, 60 poll-CF QoS (+) CAP containing the results of the QoS measurements made on the 54 AP side, 61 storing the results of 60 within the control and measurement database 10, 62 QoS (+) CF_ACK with QoS measurements from the Y 5 unit of the mobile host, 63 AP 5) processes the information of 63, 64 the exemplary procedure of periodic QoS negotiation in an 802.11x 802.11x support environment, 65 transmission time of target light (TBTT), 66 beacon, 67 QoS (+) CF-polling, 68 request to send (RTS), 69 erase to send (CTS), 70 data (MSDU), 71 data (ACK ), 72 CF-terminate, 73 containment-free period (CFP), 74 contention period (CP), 75-82 different access network technologies, 83 different domains of access networks (eg, network operators) within of the individual access network technologies, 84 data record of an access network case, 85 data record of the highest QoS service class, 86 data record of the highest QoS service class, 87 record of medium QoS class of service data, 88 lower QoS class of service data record, 89 QoS of the detected connection without meeting the requirements, 90 a message indicating about in re-routing connection, 91 a procedure for cutting a degraded QoS connection and release the resources and update the control and measurement database in the mobile host in accordance with it.

The following provides a description of the preferred embodiments. To achieve the above objectives, the present invention uses the following means: In a heterogeneous network system that integrates communication systems, a common network node that supports the plurality of access networks and carries out the traffic functions and the authentication, authorization and account functions in cooperation with the mobile host. The heterogeneous network system allows the mobile hosts to roam simultaneously in a plurality of access networks, the system uses the mobility management and authentication / authorization functions of the access networks to locate the roaming mobile host and to establish the Initial communication between the network node and the mobile host. The mobile host has the ability to communicate simultaneously over a plurality of access networks, which may consist of wired and wireless access networks. With the initial communication established between the network node and the mobile host, authentication and authorization of the subscriber is performed in the heterogeneous network and a plurality of simultaneous connections are established through the pluralities of access networks. The mobile host is authenticated and authorized in each of the access networks based on the information received from the network node, and the identities, such as the IP addresses, used by the mobile host in each access network are assigned and they are stored in the mobile host and are communicated at the beginning of the sessions. The actual start of the establishment of the requested sessions is based on the service quality requirements for the connections, the authorization information of the subscriber in the heterogeneous network and the control information stored in the mobile host. The quality of service of the established connections is monitored by the mobile host and by the counted part access network entities, and the information is made available in the mobile host for connection adjustment, release decisions and reconfiguration for the transition of the network from a source network to the destination network, from both measurements in the mobile host and from the measurements in the counted part access network entity. Quality of service is measured locally by the mobile host and by the counterswitch access network entities and the end-to-end quality of service is measured by the user's applications. The local quality of service measurements are those used in the decisions to perform network reconfiguration within the heterogeneous network during traffic. The end-to-end quality of service observations are under which applications are executed. Quality of service is measured as a data throughput, delay, vibration, packet error ratios, and packet loss ratios. The service quality requirements for the connections are a sub-group thereof, in addition to the class of priority service class of the connection. The nature of the connection reconfigurations is to use the connection establishment and the break mechanisms when it is performed in re-routing a particular connection on an alternative route in the destination network during the operation. This eliminates the need to create complex exchange mechanisms between the numerous access network technologies, other necessary preparations can also be made, such as the subscriber authentication in the target network with the mechanisms used in the network, in a simple way and controlled with the use of the principles. Applications are informed about re-routing so that they can perform the appropriate corrective activities when necessary. The heterogeneous network system is based on the fact that horizontal exchanges are carried out within access networks without the need for the stratum of the heterogeneous network to participate in the process, provided that, for example, the quality of service requirements are met. One embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the access technologies in the drawings are wireless, but wired access technologies can also be used in any combination in conjunction with the wireless access technologies within the invention.

The architecture relationships within the entities in the heterogeneous network are shown in Figure 1. As can be seen in Figure 1, the mobile host 1 communicates with a number of networks 7, AG, ag, access connected to the node 2 of the network and with the external network 3. Due to the technical problems of the drawing, only networks A and G are connected directly to the external network 3, any number of access networks 7 can have direct connections with the external network 2 in the present invention. In Figure 1, the mobile host 1 consists of two mobile host units, the mobile host unit X 4 and the mobile host unit Y 5. The present invention does not limit the number of units, which are characterized by having the capacity to support a sub-group of the total number of access techniques supported by the heterogeneous network, by any means, since they only need to have a medium to support the architecture functionality of the heterogeneous network. As an example, the mobile host unit X 4 may be a multi-band mobile telephone unit, with GSM / GPRS / EDGE / UMTS capabilities, etc., and the mobile host unit Y 5 may be a computer terminal equipped with a number of WLAN / WMAN / WBMA / UWB capabilities, etc., and the interface between the mobile host units 6 may be, for example, wired, infrared, Bluetooth, Zigbee or an internal equipment interface. The distribution of the functionality of the mobile host of the present invention is not limited to the cases of the mobile host unit of the complex mobile host described above, but can be assigned partially or completely in any other appropriate platform. Figure 2 shows the internal architecture of the mobile host. The user applications 11 offer the services of the heterogeneous network by having access to the control logic function 8 and by accessing the traffic routing function 9. The control logic function 8 is primarily responsible for establishing, breaking and reconfiguring the connections within the heterogeneous network, and the traffic routing functions 9 monitor the actual routing of the traffic payload as instructed by the function 8 of control logic. The control and measurement database 10 assists the control logic function 8 and the traffic routing function 9 with the control parameters and the results of the measurement of the quality of service. The X and Y entities of the mobile host unit (it should be noted that in this context, they represent the interfaces, not the physical units), communicate to the access networks A-C and D-G. The access control strata within the access networks ensure the quality of service of the connections, as well as carry out the measurements of the quality of service. The results of the measurements are stored in the measurement and control database 10. Figure 3 shows a synthesis of the architecture, on the way in which the mobile host 1 communicates with the network node 2 on the individual access networks 7 and their access points or base stations or access 12 wired, after , the network node 2 connects to the external network 3 and to the node 13 AAA (authentication, authorization and account). Also, the individual access networks 7 may have direct connections to the external network 3. Figure 4 shows the internal architecture of the network node 2. The node AAA communicates with the use of an AAA protocol interface function 14 with the control logic function 15. The control logic function communicates with the external network 3 and the traffic routing function 16, which is connected to the external network 3 and the access networks 7. Figure 5 shows communication interfaces between the control logic function in the mobile host 8, the control logic function in the network node 15 and the AAA protocol interface function in the network node 14. Figure 6 and Figure 7 show a message sequence diagram of the session establishment procedure initiated in the network in the heterogeneous network. In this example, connections are adjusted with the use of IETF protocols, such as SIP, SDP and other necessary protocols. The connections can also be established with the use of other appropriate protocols, when desired and for example, the connections can be in packets or circuit switched. The section is used only to clarify the possible use of the present invention. The SIP session initiation protocol is described in IETF RFC 3261 (http://www.ietf.org) and the base protocol DIAMETER is described in IETF RFC 3588. The external network 3 sends a SIP INVITE message containing the user identity 17 for network node 2. With the use of the user's identity, the network node 2 sends a message 18 questionnaire to the node 13 AAA and sends a response TRYING SIP 100 to the caller on the external network 3. The node AAA responds with a message 20 containing information on whether the user is authorized in the heterogeneous network and with a list of the candidate access networks with the user's identities to be used in the access networks for the establishment of the Initial connection to the mobile host. The network node 2 has the functionality to advance in the list in the established order and try to establish the initial connection with the mobile host 1 in each of the access networks 7. This is terminated when the connection is established or when all the candidates in the list have been tried. In the method 21, the initial communication is established with the mobile host 1, the mobile host 1 informs the network node 2 of the available access networks 7 and the network node 2, with the help of the node AAA, provides the host mobile 1 with the necessary data to obtain access in the appropriate access networks 7. In procedure 22, mobile host 1 has access to the first access network 7; the necessary preparations are made, such as the authentication of the user in the network and the identity is assigned to the user in that domain of the access network. The identity is sent from the mobile host 1 to the network node 2 on the 23 and the network node 2 sends a SIP 180 SOUND response to the caller on the external network 3. The same procedure as in 22 and 23 is carried out in another access network in 25 and 26, and after sending the answer 24 SONAR SIP 180, the network node 2 sends a response 28 OK SIP 200 with the identities of the user in all domains of the access network 7 to the caller in the external network 3. The caller on the external network 3 sends 29 ACK SIP messages to the users in the mobile host 1, and the media sessions are established towards each of the user's identities in the mobile host 1 in the procedure 30 with the use of the protocol Description of SDP session (IETF RFC 2327) and protocols related to the reservation of resources - this part is not described here in greater detail -. When the media session is terminated, the user in the mobile host 1 sends a 31 BYE SIP message to the caller in the external network 3, which responds with an OK SIP 200 response 28. Figure 8 shows an example in more detail of the sequence shown in steps 21-30 in Figure 6 and in Figure 7, in this example, the initial connection with the mobile host is adjusted with the use of a GPRS network service. In this example, the mobile host unit X 4 has an active GPRS subscription, and also has network coverage and access to the GPRS network in question. The network node 2 sends a PDP PDU 36 to the gateway GPRS support node GGSN 33, which sends a sending routing information message (SRI) part of the mobile application (MAP) to the location register 34 address (HLR), and replies back with a 38 SCK SRI message to GGSN 33. Then, GGSN 33 sends a PDU notification request message 39 to service support node GPRS (SGSN) 35, which responds back with a PDU notification response message 40. Then, the SGSN 35 sends a PDP context activation request message 41 to the mobile host unit X 4, and the PDP context activation procedure is performed in the 42. Now the mobile host unit X 4 and the mobile host unit Y 5 establish the connection 43 and the mobile host unit Y 5 carries out the scanning 44 of the available access networks, and sends a message 45 to the GGSN 33 which contains the information of the available access networks 7 together with their QoS characteristics and the control information from the control and measurement database 10 in the mobile host 1. The GGSN 33 sends the message 45 again to the node 2 of net. The network node 2 together with the node 13 AAA processes the content of the message 45 and replies it to the unit Y 5 of the mobile host with a message 46 which contains a list of the candidate access networks 7 together with the QoS contracts and the Authentication and authorization information for each network. The unit Y5 of the mobile host carries out the preparations, such as user authentication in the access networks in question, to roam within the access networks 7 with the use of the information and obtain the user's identities in the domains of the access network and the QoS information in 47, that the mobile host unit Y 5 sends to the network node 2 in a message 48, the network node frames the SIP INVITE message with the user's identities in the 49, and the media sessions and resources allocated in the necessary networks are established towards all the identities 30 of the user. Figure 9 shows a message sequence diagram of an example, where the sessions are initiated on the mobile host. In the example, the mobile host has already been prepared to roam in the access network, so that it has already been authenticated and authorized in the access networks in question, and the user identities required in each domain of the access networks are known in advance in the mobile host. Also, in this particular example, the GPRS network is used as the message bearer from the mobile host to the network node, any access network with the ability to establish communication between the mobile host and the mobile host can be used in the present invention. the network node, for a mobile host authenticated and authorized for the purpose of signaling the network in the heterogeneous network. The sequence begins when the mobile host unit Y 5 initiates a communication 43 with the mobile host unit X 4, which sends a message 50 of activating PDP context to the SGSN 35, which sends a message 51 of creating the PDP context request to the GGSN 33. The GGSN 33 responds to the SGSN 35 with a response message 52 of creating PDP context and the SGSN 35 sends a message 53 to accept to activate the PDP context to the mobile host unit X 4. Here, the mobile host unit Y 5 and the network node 2 have an established communication (those skilled in the art will understand that trivial messages are not shown here due to technical drawing reasons). In order to facilitate reading to copy the following messages with the RFC 3261 specification of lETF SIP, analogies can be used to have each user identity in the mobile host 1 as a UAC, and the network node 2 will be viewed as a UAS It should be noted that this is only an example, the present invention is not limited to this analogy in any sense. In the following example, the sessions in the mobile host 1 are initiated in the mobile host unit Y 5. The unit Y of the mobile host sends a SIP INVITE message 17 to the network node 2, which sends a message 17 SIP INVITE to the external network 3 and sends a response 19 TRYING SIP 100 to the unit Y 5 of the mobile host. The external network 3 responds with a response 24 SONAR SIP 180 to the network node 2, which sends a response 24 SONAR SIP 180 to the unit Y 5 of the mobile host. The external network 3 sends an OK SIP 200 response 28 to the network node 2, which sends a 28 OK SIP 200 response to the mobile host unit Y 5. The sequence from the SIP INVITE message 17 from the mobile host unit Y 5 to the network node 2 for the SIP 200 OK response 28, from the network node 2 to the mobile host unit Y 5 is carried out for all the identities of the user, and when this is done, the mobile host unit Y 5 sends an ACK SIP message 29 to the external network 3. The actual media sessions are then established between the identities of the user in the mobile host 1 and the calling party in the external network 3 in the procedure 30, the details of which will not be shown. The sessions are terminated when the calling party on the external network 3 sends a 31 SIP BYE message to the mobile host unit Y 5, which responds with a 32 OK SIP 200 response to the external network 3. Figure 10 is a message sequence diagram of an example of signaling between the unit Y 5 of the mobile host and access point 54. 802.11x WLAN that supports the principles. The details of how QoS mechanisms are supported in other access network techniques (for example, 802.16, 802.20, 802.15 UWB and UMTS PS RAB) may vary, but the basic principles in this example can be used in other technologies of access network. The unit Y 5 of the mobile host, which in this WLAN access network enabled with 802.11e contains a QSTA station enabled with quality of service, and authenticates in the 802.11 access network in question and is associated with the access point 54, sends a QoS action request 55 of MAC 802.11 ADDTS management action message, which contains the QoS request information in the form of traffic stream parameters to access point 54 enabled with 802.11e quality of service (QAP), and the access network carries out a process 56 where the user is authorized and the content of the QoS request is analyzed with the help of the admission control, as is known to those skilled in the art. Then, the QAP access point 54 responds with an action response message QoS response action QoS 57 of 802.11 ADDTS MAC with the information of available QoS offerings supported to the Y unit 5 of the mobile host, which can respond with a new sequence 58 ADDTS, which contains the required QoS assignment information, when the response result code 57 of response QoS ADDTS action suggests changes in the creation of the requested traffic stream. After the traffic stream has been successfully established, then procedure 59, wherein the connections, the QoS control and measurement information negotiated between the mobile host unit Y 5 and the access point 54 is executed. As an example of using the parameterized QoS services as they are supported in 802.11e, here the behavior of the system during the operation of the current session is explained, where the access point carries out the controlled channel access 64 negotiations (HCCA) , which consist of articles 60-63. The message 60 is a CF-CAP QoS (+) probe containing the results of the QoS measurements made at the AP 54 site, the results of which are stored in the mobile host unit Y5 in the procedure 61 within the database 10 control and measurement, then, the message 62 is CF-ACK (+) QoS with the measurement results from the mobile host unit Y 5, which then the AP 54 processes in the 63. A person familiar with the field, knows that the 802.11e also supports other QoS mechanisms, such as distributed channel access (EDCA), which are not explained in this example. Figure 11 shows in more detail the way in which communication is sent between the mobile host unit 5 and the access point 54 within the main structure 802.11e. The destination beacon transmission time 65 is the time points indicated with the beacons 66, and within the time between the beacons 66, the containment-free period 73 and a contention period 74 form a structure called super-structure. Periodic QoS negotiation takes place in period 73 free of containment, which is the highest priority in the transmission on the link, which guarantees that the transfer of information always takes place at the predetermined time. The sequence begins with probing 67 CF-QoS sent by the access point 54, to which the mobile host unit Y 5 responds with a Send Request (RTS) 68, and the access point sends a Free to send (CTS) 69, then, the mobile host unit Y 5 sends the QoS information in MSDU 70 and the access point sends its backed up data in message 71 ACK, the free containment period ends in CF-term 72. The enabled traffic transmission QoS is performed in period 74 of contention. It should be noted that the period 73 free of contention is optional. Figure 12 shows the architecture structure of the control and method database in the mobile unit, in this particular example, articles 75-82 represent different access network technologies. The arrow 83 indicates different overlapping networks, this means that in technologies it is possible to access different access networks simultaneously when desired, when the mobile host's capabilities allow this measurement, or alternatively, one of them is selected. The different networks in question can be operated, for example, by different network operators. As an example, the access network technologies may be the following: 75 GSM circuit switched voice, 76 GSM circuit switched data, 77 GPRS / EDGE, 78 3G WCDMA (UMTS), 79 IEEE 802.11a, b, gon, 80 IEEE 802.16, 81 IEEE 802.20 and 82 IEEE UWB or wired access. Article 84 shows in more detail a case of a database record that shows the internal structure of data stored by access network. The register 84 has an internal structure of four elements 85-88, each of which in this exemplary configuration is stored in the data by QoS priority classes. So 85 in the data stored by the highest QoS priority class, 86 for the highest QoS priority class, 87 for the QoS priority middle class, and 88 for the lowest QoS priority class. The present invention is not limited to the number of QoS priority classes, commonly, the practice of having 4 different priority classes is used and that is why four classes are also used here. Each of the elements 85-88 stores at least the following information: the initial values of the QoS parameter, measured values of the QoS parameter for the AP and the mobile host, threshold parameter values QoS, parameter values QoS limits, values of credit, factor of specific credits of the operator and identity of the user used within the particular access network domain. The minimum group of QoS parameters consists of the data throughput, the delay and vibration values. The data flow shows the amount of data transmitted over the connection in a certain period of time, the delay value shows the amount of time in which data packets are stored in the delivery buffers of the technology implementations of access (for example, in 2-layer buffers) before they are scheduled for transmission and transmitted successfully, the vibration values show the statistical variation of the delay values, respectively. In summary, the aforementioned QoS parameter values are handled in the following way: The initial QoS parameter values store the SLA (service level agreement) based on the QoS information of the specific network, this data can be searched by example, from the AAA node in the initial setting of the network connections in this particular access network, or they are stored manually by the end user. The measured QoS values are obtained as described in the example of Figure 10 and Figure 11. The meaning of the threshold QoS values are to function as a revision point which indicates whether the value of the credits of this connection in particular are counted in ascending or descending form. The limit QoS values indicate the measured QoS situation, where the connection credits are immediately set to zero and the re-routing of the connection starts forced. The credit value is an artificial number that shows how it meets the QoS requirements, as mentioned before. When the QoS measurements are above the QoS threshold values, the credits are counted in ascending order, otherwise they are counted in descending order. Also, the account speeds are different in each direction, allowing a quick recovery in case of connection problems. The factor of specific credits of the operator are used to allow the end user to have a means to create personal preferences of the networks, for example, due to different charging policies or other reasons. The use of the credit values in the operation is the following: when establishing the connection, the mobile host explores the available networks, multiplies its credit values with the operator's specific credit factors and the one with the highest result is the primary access network candidate for another connection establishment as described in Figure 8. During the operation, when the value of multiplied credits falls below a certain threshold, the connection re-routing is initiated as described in Figure 13 and when the values are below limit values, the connection is immediately released and a possible re-routing is initiated, while in the previous case, a new connection is established first and the old one is released after the new one connection has entered into traffic. The figure 13 is a message sequence diagram showing an explanation of the situation where an existing connection over an access network is reconfigured due to the poor quality of the service in another access network. The sequence starts in a situation where the media session 30 in question is established between the external network 3 and the mobile host 1 on the access point 54 in the first access network. The QoS measurements made during connection service indicate in 89 that the credits of the connection multiplied with the factor of specific credits of the operator have fallen below a threshold value, and the re-routing activities of the connection are requested. The requests of the mobile host 1 from the network node 2 with a message 45 for the authorization information of the best credit values belonging to the available access network, hereinafter referred to as the second access network, and then the network node 2 responds with a message 46 containing the QoS contract values of the second access network, and the authorization information for the second access network, the mobile host sends a message 55 containing the authorization information for the second access network and the QoS request information for the access point 54 in the second access network, and the second access network carries out a process 56 where the user is authorized and the contents of the QoS request are analyzed . Then the access point 54 in the second access network responds with a response message 57 with the information of available QoS offerings supported for the mobile host 1 responding with a message 58 containing the required QoS assignment information. Then, a procedure 59 is executed wherein the connections, control information and QoS measurement negotiated between the mobile host 1 and the access point 54 in the second access network are established. The mobile host 1 sends a message 90 to the external network with information about the new connection established on the second access network. In procedure 30, the connection is routed from the first access network to the second access network, and in procedure 91, the connection on the first access network is released.

Claims (14)

1. A mobile host in a heterogeneous network system integrating communication systems, the heterogeneous network system provides support for communication between a mobile host (1) and a network node (2) in a heterogeneous network over a plurality of networks ( 7), the mobile host is characterized in that the mobile host (1) provides a common platform for a plurality of access networks (7) and because it has: means for performing quality of service measurements on a periodic basis or by event in the connections established over a plurality of access networks in the heterogeneous network system, so that the quality of service measurements are made between the enabled transmitting entity with quality of service in the mobile host, and the receiving entity enabled with quality of service. service in the access network, and that the quality of service is measured as the data throughput in bits / s, data transmission delay, transmission vibration, data, loss ratio of data packets and data packet error ratio or a selection of these quality of service elements; and means for requesting information of the service level agreements of the access networks from the network node (2) in the heterogeneous network, so that the service level agreement information consists of a selection of the quality information of the network. service; and in that the mobile host (1) comprises: a control and measurement database function (10) for storing service level agreement information and for storing the results of quality of service measurements; a traffic routing function (9) for making connection establishments, connection releases and connection re-establishments on a plurality of access networks (7) that support the heterogeneous network system; a control logic function (8) for requesting the traffic routing function (9) of the mobile host (1) to perform the connection establishments, the connection releases and the connection re-establishments on a plurality of networks (7) of access that support the heterogeneous network system, the request is based on the information of the quality of service and the agreement information of the service quality level stored in the mobile host control and measurement database (10) (1); and support for communication between the mobile host (1) and the plurality of access networks (7) simultaneously.

2. The mobile host according to claim 1, characterized in that the heterogeneous network system has means to establish the initial connection between the mobile host (1) and the network node (2) in the heterogeneous network system with the use of the functionalities necessary for the establishment of the initial connection provided by a plurality of access networks (7).

3. The mobile host according to any of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the mobile host (1) is authenticated and authorized in the heterogeneous network system with the use of the initial connection established between the mobile host (1) and the network node (2) in the heterogeneous network system.

The mobile host according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the mobile host (1) and the network node (2) have means to encrypt the initial connection established between the mobile host (1) and the network node (2) in the heterogeneous network system.

The mobile host according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mobile host (1) is provided with a plurality of authorization and authentication information from the network node (2) with the use of the connection initial set between the mobile host (1) and the network node (2), the plurality of authentication and authorization information is used by the mobile host (1) for authentication and authorization of the mobile host (1) in a plurality of access networks (7) that support the heterogeneous network system.

6. The mobile host according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the mobile host (1) has means to collect the results of the measured quality of service measurements between the enabled transmitting entity with quality of service in the access network and the receiving entity enabled with quality of service in the mobile host .

7. The mobile host according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mobile host (1) has means to carry out the selection of the access network (7) based on the explored identities of the networks (7) of access, the quality of service information stored in the database (10) for control and measurement of the mobile host (1), the service level agreement information stored in the database (10) of control and measurement of the mobile host (1), the information received from the network node or is based on a combination of information elements, and can be adjusted with the parameters stored in the database (10) for control and measurement of the mobile host (1).

8. A heterogeneous network system that integrates communication systems, the heterogeneous network system provides support for communication between a mobile host (1) and a network node (2) in a heterogeneous network over a plurality of networks (7) of access, characterized in that the network system includes a mobile host (1) having: means for performing quality of service measurements on a periodic basis or by event in the established connections on a plurality of access networks in the heterogeneous network system , so that the measurements of quality of service are made between the transmitting entity enabled with quality of service in the mobile host, and the receiving entity enabled with quality of service in the access network, and that the quality of service is measured as the data rate in bits / s, data transmission delay, data transmission vibration, data packet loss ratio and data packet error ratio or a selection of these quality of service elements; and means for requesting information of the service level agreements of the access networks from the network node (2) in the heterogeneous network, so that the service level agreement information consists of a selection of the quality information of the network. service; and in that the mobile host (1) of the network system has three functional modules for the heterogeneous network, including: a control and measurement database function (10) for storing service level agreement information and for storing the results of quality of service measurements; a traffic routing function (9) for making connection establishments, connection releases and connection re-establishments on a plurality of access networks (7) that support the heterogeneous network system; a control logic function (8) for requesting the traffic routing function (9) of the mobile host (1) to perform the connection establishments, the connection releases and the connection re-establishments on a plurality of networks (7) of access that support the heterogeneous network system, the request is based on the information of the quality of service and the agreement information of the service quality level stored in the mobile host control and measurement database (10) (1); and and also has a support for communication between the mobile host (1) and the plurality of access networks (7) simultaneously.

9. The network system according to claim 8, characterized in that the mobile host (1) has means to carry out the selection of the access network (7) based on the explored identities of the access networks (7), the quality of service information stored in the database (10) for control and measurement of the mobile host (1), the service level agreement information stored in the database (10) for control and measurement of the mobile host (1), the information received from the network node or is based on a combination of information elements, and can be adjusted with the parameters stored in the database (10) for control and measurement of the mobile host (1). The network system according to any of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the heterogeneous network system has means for establishing the initial connection between the mobile host (1) and the network node (2) in the network system. heterogeneous network with the use of the necessary functionalities for the establishment of the initial connection provided by a plurality of access networks (7). The network system according to any of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that an external network (3) initiates the establishment of communication towards the mobile host (1) in the heterogeneous network, the node (2) of The network provides support for selecting an access network (7) for establishing the initial connection, so that the information necessary for the selection decision is available for the function (15) of control logic by a function (14) of AAA protocol interface (authentication, authorization and account). The network system according to any of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the network node (2) and the mobile host (1) have means for encrypting the initial connection established between the mobile host (1) and the network node (2) in the heterogeneous network system. The network system according to any of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the network node (2) provides support to the mobile host (1) so that the mobile host (1) establishes communication to a plurality of networks (7) access with the use of the initial connection between the network node (2) and the mobile host (1). The network system according to any of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that the network node (2) provides support for communication between the mobile host (1) and a node (13) AAA (authentication, authorization and account) in the heterogeneous network.