Patent ID: 7616615
Filing Date: 2009-11-10
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A packet forwarding apparatus for selectively connecting each mobile terminal coupled with a mobile network to one of a plurality of Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks, the packet forwarding apparatus comprising: a first group of line interfaces for connecting the packet forwarding apparatus to a plurality of routers deployed to service areas forming the mobile network; a second group of line interfaces each for connecting the packet forwarding apparatus to one of the Internet and routers belonging to different ISP networks; a controller having a mobile IP (Internet Protocol) terminating virtual router function and a plurality of ISP adaptive virtual router functions corresponding to said ISP networks; an ISP management table comprising: a plurality of entries, each indicating correspondence of a domain name of one of said ISP networks to an identifier of one of said ISP adaptive virtual router functions corresponding to the ISP network and an address of an authentication server belonging to the ISP network; and a routing information table comprising: a plurality of entries, each entry indicating in association with the identifier of one of said virtual router functions, an IP address of a communication apparatus connected to one of said ISP networks, the internet and said mobile network, and a next hop address, indicating an adjacent node connected to the packet forwarding apparatus, wherein said mobile IP terminating virtual router function of said controller identifies, upon receiving from a mobile terminal in one of said service areas a connection request to connect the mobile terminal to a specific one of said ISP networks with which the mobile terminal has a service contract, the domain name of the ISP network from a user identifier (ID) included in the connection request and retrieves the authentication server address and the identifier of one of said ISP adaptive virtual router functions corresponding to the domain name from said ISP management table, wherein the ISP adaptive virtual router function specified by the retrieved identifier searches said routing information table for the next hop address stored in association with the IP address matched with the retrieved authentication server address, transmits an authentication request including the user ID and password specified in said connection request to one of said authentication servers, which belongs to the specific ISP network, through one of said second group of line interfaces in accordance with the retrieved authentication server address and the next hop address, and receives a result of authentication from said authentication server, and wherein said mobile IP terminating function notifies the requesting mobile terminal of the result of authentication.