# US 8,788,826 B1 · Method and apparatus for dynamically allocating a mobile network prefix to a mobile terminal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,826 B1 - Document ID: US8788826B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 12/480,520 - Filed: 2009-06-08 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-06 - Assignees: Marvell International Ltd. - Applicants: Fan Zhao; Ameya Damle; Stefano Faccin - Inventors: Fan Zhao; Ameya Damle; Stefano Faccin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788826B1 ## CPC - H04L 61/5061: Pools of addresses - H04L 61/5007: Internet protocol [IP] addresses - H04W 8/26: Network addressing or numbering for mobility support - H04L 61/5053: Lease time; Renewal aspects - H04L 2101/668: Internet protocol [IP] address subnets - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for dynamically allocating a mobile network prefix to a mobile terminal, in which the mobile terminal is associated with a user equipment. The method includes sending a message from the user equipment to a home agent to establish a security association between the user equipment and the home agent. The message includes a request for a mobile network prefix to be assigned to the mobile terminal equipment. The method further includes the home agent allocating a mobile network prefix to be assigned to the mobile terminal equipment, and assigning the allocated mobile network prefix to the mobile terminal equipment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for dynamically allocating a mobile network prefix to a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being associated with a user equipment, the method comprising: sending a message, from the user equipment to a home agent, to establish a security association between the user equipment and the home agent, wherein the message includes (i) a request for a second mobile network prefix to be assigned to the mobile terminal, wherein the second mobile network prefix is to replace a first mobile network prefix previously assigned to the mobile terminal, (ii) the first mobile network prefix previously assigned to the mobile terminal, and (iii) an indication that a lifetime of the first mobile network prefix previously assigned to the mobile terminal has expired; in response to the request, the home agent allocating the second mobile network prefix to be assigned to the mobile terminal; and assigning the second mobile network prefix to the mobile terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) Informational Exchange. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the request for the second mobile network prefix is specified in the IKEv2 Informational Exchange by a MOBILE_NETWORK_PREFIX4 attribute in a CFG_REQUEST payload. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the request for the second mobile network prefix is specified in the IKEv2 Informational Exchange by a MOBILE_NETWORK_PREFIX6 attribute in a CFG_REQUEST payload. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the request for the second mobile network prefix is specified in the IKEv2 Informational Exchange by a MOBILE_NETWORK_PREFIX4 attribute and a MOBILE_NETWORK_PREFIX6 attribute in a CFG_REQUEST payload. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment comprises a cell phone, and the mobile terminal comprises a blue tooth device. ### Claim 7 A method comprising: transmitting, from a user equipment to a home agent, a request for allocating a second mobile network prefix to a mobile terminal equipment associated with the user equipment, wherein the request includes (i) an identification of a first mobile network prefix and (ii) an indication that a lifetime of the first mobile network prefix has expired; and in response to transmitting the request including (i) the identification of the first mobile network prefix and (ii) the indication that the lifetime of the first mobile network prefix has expired, receiving, by the user equipment from the home agent, a response indicating that the home agent has allocated the second mobile network prefix to the mobile terminal equipment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the first mobile network prefix was previously allocated to the mobile terminal equipment, prior to transmitting the request. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the response includes an indication of a duration of time for which the allocated second mobile network prefix is valid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: assigning, by the user equipment, the second mobile network prefix to the mobile terminal equipment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the response received by the user equipment from the home agent further indicates (i) the first mobile network prefix and (ii) the lifetime of the first mobile network prefix being equal to zero as a confirmation that the home agent has released the previously allocated mobile network prefix. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: receiving, by a home agent from a user equipment, a request for a second mobile network prefix to be allocated to a mobile terminal equipment associated with the user equipment, wherein the request includes (i) an identification of a first mobile network prefix and (ii) an indication that a lifetime of the first mobile network prefix has expired; in response to receiving the request including (i) the identification of a first mobile network prefix and (ii) the indication that the lifetime of the first mobile network prefix has expired, allocating, by the home agent, the second mobile network prefix to the mobile terminal equipment; and transmitting, by the home agent to the user equipment, a response that includes the second mobile network prefix. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the response by the home agent to the user equipment further includes the lifetime of the previously allocated mobile network prefix being expired as a confirmation that the home agent has released the first mobile network prefix. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the response further includes an indication of a duration of time for which the allocated second mobile network prefix is valid.