System and method for inter-domain mobility management

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for inter-domain mobility management for a telephony network. The present invention also relates generally to the H.323 standard for transmitting audio and video data streams, and more particularly to extending the H.323 standard to support mobility in a multimedia communication system with services over packet-based networks.

1 - 62 . (canceled)  
   
   
       63 . A method for use at a mobile node for real-time mobile multimedia communications and conferencing over an H.323-based packet network, said Mobile Node having an associated Home Gatekeeper in a first domain and said network comprising a plurality of Visiting Gatekeepers that support H.323 mobility services in a second domain, said method comprising the steps of: 
 if a Mobility Gatekeeper Advertisement is received, obtaining via said Mobility Gatekeeper Advertisement notification of the availability of an H.323 mobility service;    if no Mobility Gatekeeper Advertisement is received, sending a message to said Home Gatekeeper, said message initiating notification from said Home Gatekeeper to said Visiting Gatekeeper of the desirability for said H.323 mobility service;    registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper; and    receiving an H.323 mobility service communication from said Visiting Gatekeeper.    
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes sending registration information to said Visiting Gatekeeper via a wireless Base Station.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes sending registration information to said Visiting Gatekeeper via a Local Area Network.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes the steps of: 
 transmitting a registration request message to said Home Gatekeeper; and    in response to said registration request message, receiving a registration confirmation message or registration rejection message.    
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes the steps of: 
 determining that a network point of attachment has changed;    broadcasting a registration request message to said Visiting Gatekeeper; and    receiving a binding update confirmation or binding update rejection message from said Visiting Gatekeeper.    
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 63  wherein said step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes: 
 if said Mobile Node has already visited a zone regulated by a Visited Gatekeeper within the first domain, then:    broadcasting a registration request message to said Visiting Gatekeeper; and    receiving a provisional registration confirmation from said Visiting Gatekeeper.    
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 63  wherein said communication utilizes an Internet Protocol.  
   
   
       70 . A computer readable medium at a Mobile Node, said computer readable medium comprising computer program instructions defining computer-executable steps for real-time mobile multimedia communications and conferencing over an H.323-based packet network, said Mobile Node having an associated Home Gatekeeper in a first domain and said network comprising a plurality of Visiting Gatekeepers that support H.323 mobility services in a second domain, said compute-executable steps comprising the steps of: 
 if a Mobility Gatekeeper Advertisement is received, obtaining via said Mobility Gatekeeper Advertisement notification of the availability of a H.323 mobility service;    if no Mobility Gatekeeper Advertisement is received, sending a message to said Home Gatekeeper, said message initiating notification from said Home Gatekeeper to said Visiting Gatekeeper of the desirability for said H.323 mobility service;    registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper; and    receiving said H.323 mobility service communication from said Visiting Gatekeeper.    
   
   
       71 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70  wherein the computer program instructions defining the step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper further include computer program instructions defining the step of sending registration information to said Visiting Gatekeeper via a wireless Base Station.  
   
   
       72 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70  wherein the computer program instructions defining the step of registering with said Visiting Gatekeeper further include computer program instructions defining the step of sending registration information to said Visiting Gatekeeper via a Local Area Network.  
   
   
       73 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70  wherein the computer program instructions defining the step of registering further include computer program instructions defining the steps of: 
 transmitting a registration request message to said Home Gatekeeper; and    in response to said registration request message, receiving a registration confirmation message or registration rejection message.    
   
   
       74 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70  wherein the computer program instructions defining the step of registering further include computer program instructions defining the steps of: 
 determining that a network point of attachment has changed;    broadcasting a registration request message to said one Visiting Gatekeeper; and    receiving a binding update confirmation or binding update rejection message from said one Visiting Gatekeeper.    
   
   
       75 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70  wherein the computer program instructions defining the step of registering further include computer program instructions defining the steps of: 
 if the Mobile Node has already visited a zone regulated by a Visited Gatekeeper within the first domain, then:    broadcasting a registration request message to said Visiting Gatekeeper; and    receiving a provisional registration confirmation from said Visiting Gatekeeper.    
   
   
       76 . The computer readable medium of  claim 70  wherein said communication utilizes an Internet Protocol.  
   
   
       77 . A method for use at Visiting Gateway in an H.323-based packet network for real-time mobile multimedia communications and conferencing, said network comprising a plurality of Visiting Gatekeepers that support H.323 mobility services in a corresponding plurality of zones in a second domain, said method comprising one of the steps of: 
 a) notifying a Mobile Node of the availability of at least a first H.323 mobility service via said Mobility Gatekeeper Advertisement; and    b) receiving notification from a Home Gatekeeper in a first domain associated with said Mobile Node of the need at said Mobile Node for said at least a first H.323 mobility service; and the steps of:    registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper; and    transmitting an H.323 mobility service communication to said Mobile Node.    
   
   
       78 . The method of  claim 77  wherein the step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes receiving registration information for said Mobile Node via a wireless Base Station.  
   
   
       79 . The method of  claim 77  wherein the step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes receiving registration information for said Mobile Node via a Local Area Network.  
   
   
       80 . The method of  claim 77  wherein the step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes the steps of: 
 receiving a registration request message from said Mobile Node;    transmitting a binding update message to said Home Gatekeeper;    receiving a binding update confirmation message or a binding update rejection message from said Home Gatekeeper; and    transmitting said binding update confirmation message or said binding update rejection message to said Mobile Node.    
   
   
       81 . The method of  claim 77  wherein said step of registering said Mobile Node with said Visiting Gatekeeper includes: 
 if the Mobile Node has already visited another zone in said second domain, said another zone regulated by a Visited Gatekeeper, then:    receiving a registration request message from said Mobile Node;    transmitting a mobility unbinding update message to said Visited Gatekeeper;    receiving a mobility unbinding confirmation message or a mobility unbinding rejection message from said Visited Gatekeeper;    transmitting a provisional registration confirmation to said Mobile Node;    transmitting a binding update message to the Home Gatekeeper; and    receiving a binding update confirmation message or a binding update rejection message from said Home Gatekeeper.    
   
   
       82 . The method of  claim 77  wherein said Visiting Gatekeeper utilizes a combined Home/Visitor Location Database.  
   
   
       83 . The method of  claim 77  wherein said plurality of Visiting Gatekeepers each utilize an individual Visitor Location Database and share a Home Location Database.  
   
   
       84 . The method of  claim 77  wherein said communication utilizes an Internet Protocol.