Method And Apparatus For Home Network Access Using A Remote Mobile Device

Abstract

A manner of facilitating access to a home network having an HA by a remote mobile device, such as a smartphone, having an FA that is or may be registered with the HA. A secure tunnel or similar communication path is established between the FA and an HA of a home network, and an SSR (specialized service request) is transmitted to the mobile network though which the mobile device is communicating, providing advance notification that a bandwidth intensive operation is anticipated so that the mobile network may take preparatory action. The SSR is preferably sent by the FA after a tunnel to the HA has been established, but prior to the user selecting a particular bandwidth intensive application for execution. The user may be queried in advance to determine which operation might be anticipated.

1 . A method for accessing a home network comprising a home agent by a mobile device comprising a foreign agent, said method comprising:
 requesting via a mobile network that a communication session with the home network be established;   sending an SSR (specialized service request) to the mobile network indicating an anticipated operation; and   sending an SR (service request) to the mobile network requesting that a bearer be established for the anticipated operation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising executing the anticipated operation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the anticipated operation comprises the transmission of streaming video from a storage device in the home network to the mobile device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile network is an LTE network and the SSR is sent to an MME of the mobility network via an eNodeB. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SSR comprises an indication of the bandwidth requirements for the anticipated operation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SSR comprises a requested QoS. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SSR comprises an indication of the expected start of the anticipated operation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising resending the SSR. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the resent SSR is different than the original SSR. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the anticipated operation is a bandwidth intensive operation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the SSR is sent only if the anticipated operation is a bandwidth intensive operation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining whether the anticipated operation is bandwidth intensive comprises querying the user of the mobile device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an indication that a secure communication path between the FA and the HA has been established. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the SSR is sent only after receiving the indication that a secure communication path between the FA and the HA has been established. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the SSR is sent only after requesting that a communication session with the home network be established. 
     
     
         16 . An FA (foreign agent) for use by a mobile device, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory device accessible to the processor;   an SSR generator for generating an SSR indicating an anticipated operation; and   a mobile device interface for sending the SSR to a mobile network via the mobile device.   
     
     
         17 . The FA of  claim 16 , further comprising an operations table for maintaining a list of operations that may be requested by a user and their anticipated bandwidth demand. 
     
     
         18 . The FA of  claim 16 , further comprising a user query generator for generating a query to the user to determine an anticipated operation. 
     
     
         19 . A mobile device comprising an FA, the FA comprising:
 a processor;   a memory device accessible to the processor;   an SSR generator for generating an SSR indicating an anticipated operation; and   a mobile device interface for sending the SSR to a mobile network via the mobile device.   
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.