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EP-4740417-A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LISTING DEVICES FOR OPTIMIZING ALLOCATION OF IPV4 AND IPV6 ADDRESSES

EP4740417A1EP 4740417 A1EP4740417 A1EP 4740417A1EP-4740417-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and a system for listing devices for allocation of internet protocol (IP) addresses. the method comprises: (a) receiving, by a transceiver unit [302] of a session management function (SMF) module [301], a first request for establishing a data session, the first request comprising an international mobile equipment identity type allocation codes (IMEI TAC) of the user device; (b) generating, by a decision unit [306] of the SMF module [301], one of an IPv4 address decision and an IPv6 address decision, based on the IMEI TAC of the user device, and a pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs, and (c) sending, by the transceiver unit [302] of the SMF module [301] to a user plane function (UPF) module [308], a second request for assigning one of the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address based on the generated decision.

Inventors

  • SINGH, MUKESH
  • Soren, Rohit
  • Sahu, Bidhu
  • BHATNAGAR, AAYUSH
  • SHEKHAR, Shashi
  • SINGH, BHUPINDER
  • NADIMINTI, Manohar
  • Bisht, Birendra Singh
  • Singh, Harbinder Pal
  • Aggarwal, Pravesh
  • SINGH, PRIYANKA

Assignees

  • Jio Platforms Limited

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240627

Claims (13)

  1. 1. A method for listing devices for allocation of internet protocol (IP) addresses, the method comprising: receiving, by a transceiver unit [302] of a session management function (SMF) module [301] from a user device via an access and mobility management function (AMF) module [304], a first request for establishing a data session, the first request comprising an international mobile equipment identity type allocation code (IMEI TAC) of the user device; generating, by a decision unit [306] of the SMF module [301], one of an IPv4 address decision and an IPv6 address decision based on the IMEI TAC of the user device, and a pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs; and sending, by the transceiver unit [302] of the SMF module [301] to a user plane function (UPF) module [308], a second request for assigning one of an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address based on the generated decision, wherein the second request for assigning the IPv4 address is sent in an event the IPv4 address decision is generated, and the second request for assigning the IPv6 address is sent in an event the IPv6 address decision is generated.
  2. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising: receiving, by the transceiver unit [302] of the SMF module [301] from the UPF module [308], an assignment of one of the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address; and communicating, by the transceiver unit [302] of the SMF module [301] to the AMF module [304], an attachment information based on the assignment of the one of the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address.
  3. 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, the method further comprising: communicating, by the AMF module [304] to the user device, the attachment information.
  4. 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method comprises: maintaining, by a storage unit [310], the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs.
  5. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs includes IMEI TACs of one or more first type user devices, and wherein the one or more first type user devices support the IPv4 address only.
  6. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generating, by the decision unit [306] of the SMF module [301], one of the IPv4 address decision and the IPv6 address decision, is based on: searching, by the decision unit [306], the IMEI TAC of the user device in the preconfigured list of one or more IMEI TACs; and generating, by the decision unit [306], one of the IPv4 address decision and the IPv6 address decision based on the searching, wherein the IPv4 address decision is generated in an event the IMEI TAC of the user device is present in the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs, and the IPv6 address decision is generated in an event the IMEI TAC of the user device is absent in the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs.
  7. 7. A system for listing devices for allocation of internet protocol (IP) addresses, the system comprising a session management function (SMF) module [301], the SMF module [301] further comprising: a transceiver unit [302] configured to receive, from a user device via an access and mobility management function (AMF) module [304], a first request for establishing a data session, the first request comprising an international mobile equipment identity type allocation code (IMEI TAC) of the user device; and - a decision unit [306] connected to at least the transceiver unit [302], the decision unit [306] configured to generate one of an IPv4 address decision and an IPv6 address decision, based on the IMEI TAC of the user device, and a pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs, wherein the transceiver unit [302] is further configured to send, to a user plane function (UPF) module [308], a second request for assigning one of an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address based on the generated decision, wherein the second request for assigning the IPv4 address is sent in an event the IPv4 address decision is generated, and the second request for assigning the IPv6 address is sent in an event the IPv6 address decision is generated.
  8. 8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transceiver unit [302] is further configured to: receive, from the UPF module [308], an assignment of one of the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address; and communicate, to the AMF module [304], an attachment information based on the assignment of the one of the IPv4 address and the IPv6 address.
  9. 9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the AMF module [304] is configured to communicate, to the user device, the attachment information.
  10. 10. The system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising: a storage unit [310] configured to maintain the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs.
  11. 11. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs includes IMEI TACs of one or more first type user devices, and wherein the one or more first type user devices support the IPv4 address only.
  12. 12. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein for generating one of the IPv4 address decision and the IPv6 address decision, the decision unit [306] is configured to: search the IMEI TAC of the user device in the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs; and generate one of the IPv4 address decision and the IPv6 address decision based on the searching, wherein the IPv4 address decision is generated in an event the IMEI TAC of the user device is present in the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs, and the IPv6 address decision is generated in an event the IMEI TAC of the user device is absent in the pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs.
  13. 13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for listing devices for allocation of internet protocol (IP) addresses, the instructions including executable code, the executable code when executed, may cause: a transceiver unit [302] to receive, from a user device via an access and mobility management function (AMF) module [304], a first request for establishing a data session, the first request comprising an international mobile equipment identity type allocation code (IMEI TAC) of the user device; - a decision unit [306] to generate one of an IPv4 address decision and an IPv6 address decision, based on the IMEI TAC of the user device, and a pre-configured list of one or more IMEI TACs; and the transceiver unit [302] further to send, to a user plane function (UPF) module [308], a second request for assigning one of an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address based on the generated decision, wherein the second request for assigning the IPv4 address is sent in an event the IPv4 address decision is generated, and the second request for assigning the IPv6 address is sent in an event the IPv6 address decision is generated.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LISTING DEVICES FOR OPTIMIZING ALLOCATION OF IPV4 AND IPV6 ADDRESSES FIELD OF INVENTION [0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to listing devices for allocation of internet protocol (IP) addresses. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE [0002] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the disclosure. This section may include certain aspects of the art that may be related to various features of the present disclosure. However, it should be appreciated that this section is used only to enhance the understanding of the reader with respect to the present disclosure, and not as admissions of the prior art. [0003] Wireless communication technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, with each generation bringing significant improvements and advancements. The first generation of wireless communication technology was based on analog technology and offered only voice services. However, with the advent of the second-generation (2G) technology, digital communication and data services became possible, and text messaging was introduced. The third generation (3G) technology marked the introduction of high-speed internet access, mobile video calling, and location-based services. The fourth generation (4G) technology revolutionized wireless communication with faster data speeds, better network coverage, and improved security. Currently, the fifth generation (5G) technology is being deployed, promising even faster data speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously. With each generation, wireless communication technology has become more advanced, sophisticated, and capable of delivering more services to its users. [0004] The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number is a unique 15-digit serial number for identifying a device. Every mobile phone in the world has a unique IMEI number. This can be used to check details of a device, for example, the country from which the mobile phone device has originated, warranty information, and more similar details. One of the primary uses of IMEI numbers is blocking or tracking mobile phones through a database where these IMEI numbers are stored. This database is called the IMEI database (IMEI DB). When a phone powers on, the IMEI number is transmitted and verified by the IMEI DB in the network’s Equipment Identity Register (EIR). The most common IMEI format is AA-BBBBBB-CCCCCC-D, where: AA: Represents the Reporting Body Identifier indicating Type Allocation Code (TAC) by GSMA approval group BBBBBB: Represents remaining TAC digits CCCCCC: Represents the serial sequence of the model, or mobile phone D: Algorithm used to validate the ID number. [0005] As noted above, the first eight digits of an IMEI make up the Type Allocation Code (TAC). The TAC indicates the manufacturer and model of a particular device. So, all device models from a particular manufacturer will have the same TAC. [0006] The previous internet architecture had fewer than 5 billion addresses available. But with rapidly growing number of Internet users, who increasingly used mobile computing devices, such as laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and smart phones with IP data services, it became apparent that the pool of available IPv4 addresses was depleting at a rate that was not initially anticipated in the original design of the network. This depletion is one of the reasons for the development and deployment of its successor protocol, IPv6, which has trillions of addresses, enough to give every computer in the world a unique IP address. The long-term solution is to switch to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). IPv6 is more advanced, and it is desirable that the devices are assigned IPv6 as it provides a vastly increased address space, but also allows improved route aggregation across the Internet, and offers large subnetwork allocations of a minimum of 264 host addresses to end users. However, IPv4 is not directly interoperable with IPv6, so that IPv4 only supported devices cannot directly communicate with IPv6 only supported devices. [0007] But IPv6 addresses supporting devices may send request for IPv4 addresses also, along with the request for IPv6 addresses. This means that, that both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are assigned to devices, which in turn means that IPv4 would be exhausted due to its limited number. The main difference between IPv4 and IPv6 is the address size of IP addresses. The IPv4 is a 32- bit address, whereas IPv6 is a 128-bit hexadecimal address. IPv6 provides a large address space, and it contains a simple header as compared to IPv4. [0008] The new devices that are manufactured, are enabled for supporting both the IPv4 as well as IPv6 addresses. However, the previous generation devices support only IPv4 addresses and not