Managing packet data interconnections in mobile communications

1. A method for use in managing data interconnections in a mobile communications network having multiple packet control function entities (PCFs) and multiple packet data serving nodes (PDSNs), wherein each PCF and PDSN communicates signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

receiving information for a Mobile Subscriber (MS);

associating the MS with a selected one of the PDSNs when the MS is in a first area covered by a first PCF; and

associating the MS with the same selected one of the PDSNs, based on a selection made by one of the PDSNs, when the MS moves from the first area covered by the first PCF to a second area covered by a second PCF.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

executing, by one of the PDSNs, a selection protocol to make the second selection.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

maintaining a PPP session that links the MS to the selected one of the PDSNs when the MS moves from the first area covered by the first PCF to the second area covered by the second PCF.

4. A method for use in managing packet data interconnections in a mobile communications network having multiple packet control function entities (PCFs) and multiple packet data serving nodes (PDSNs), wherein each PCF and PDSN communicates signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

determining that a first PCF has issued a first connection request on behalf of a Mobile Subscriber (MS);

as a result of the first connection request, executing, by one of the PDSNs, a selection protocol a first time to select a particular one of the PDSNs that corresponds to the MS;

determining that a second PCF has issued a second connection request on behalf of the MS; and

executing, by one of the PDSNs, the selection protocol a second time to select the same one of the PDSNs that was selected as a result of the first connection request.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the selection protocol relies on at least one of the following values: MN Type, MN ID, MN Session Reference ID, and a value made available via the MSC, VLR, or HLR.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising

using at least one of the following entities to perform at least some of the determination that the first PCF has issued the first connection request on behalf of the MS: one of the PCFs, one of the PDSNs, and an external server.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising

using at least one of the following entities to perform at least some of the executing of the selection protocol to select the PDSN that corresponds to the MS: one of the PCFs, one of the PDSNs, and an external server.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising

using at least one of the following entities to perform at least some of the determination that the second PCF has issued the second connection request on behalf of the MS: one of the PCFs, one of the PDSNs, and an external server.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising

using at least one of the following entities to perform at least some of the executing of the selection protocol the second time to select the same PDSN: one of the PCFs, one of the PDSNs, and an external server.

10. A method for use in managing packet data interconnections in a mobile communications network having multiple packet control function entities (PCFs) and multiple packet data serving nodes (PDSNs), wherein each PCF and PDSN commumcates signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

maintaining a dynamic list of the PDSNs;

executing a hashing protocol by one of the PDSNs, in response to a received connection request from one of the PCFs, to map a number derived from an MS identification number onto the dynamic list of the PDSNs;

deriving a result from the mapping; and

including the result in a response to the connection request issued by the one of the PCFs.

11. A method for use in managing packet data interconnections in a mobile communications network having multiple packet control function entities (PCFs) and multiple packet data serving nodes (PDSNs), wherein each PCF and PDSN communicates signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

receiving, at a redirection address of a first PDSN, a connection request from a PCF on behalf of a Mobile Subscriber (MS);

determining the one of the PDSNs that corresponds to the MS; and

directing the PCF to issue a connection request to a service address of the one of the PDSNs if the one of the PDSNs is not the first PDSN, the one of the PDSNs also having a redirection address.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising

applying a selection protocol to cause different PCFs to select the same PDSN for the same MS during a single data call.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising

causing each PCF to cause the same PDSN to be selected multiple times for the same MS during a single data call.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising

causing communication among the PDSNs to partition a key space among the PDSNs that corresponds to a value derived from at least one of the following: MN Type, MN ID, and MN Session Reference ID.

15. A system for use in managing data interconnections in a mobile communications network having multiple packet control function entities (PCFs) and multiple packet data serving nodes (PDSNs), wherein each PCF and PDSN communicates signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the system comprising a communications processing mechanism associating a Mobile Subscriber (MS) with a selected one of the PDSNs when the MS is in a first area covered by a first PCF, and associating the MS with the same selected one of the PDSNs, based on a selection made by one of the PDSNs, when the MS moves from the first area covered by the first PCF to a second area covered by a second PCF.

16. Computer software, residing on a computer-readable storage medium, comprising a set of instructions for use in a computer system to help cause the computer system to manage data interconnections in a mobile communications network having multiple packet control function entities (PCFs) and multiple packet data serving nodes (PDSNs), wherein each PCF and PDSN communicates signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the set of instructions causing the computer system to:

receive information for a Mobile Subscriber (MS);

associate the MS with a selected one of the PDSNs when the MS is in a first area covered by a first PCF; and

associate the MS with the same selected one of the PDSNs, based on a selection made by one of the PDSNs, when the MS moves from the first area covered by the first PCF to a second area covered by a second PCF.

17. Apparatus for use in managing data interconnections in a mobile communications network having multiple packet control function entities (PCFs) and multiple packet data serving nodes (PDSNs), wherein each PCF and PDSN communicates signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the apparatus comprising:

a means for receiving information for a Mobile Subscriber (MS);

a means for associating the MS with a selected one of the PDSNs when the MS is in a first area covered by a first PCF; and

a means for associating the MS with the same selected one of the PDSNs, based on a selection made by one of the PDSNs, when the MS moves from the first area covered by the first PCF to a second area covered by a second PCF.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein, if the determined one of the PDSNs is the first PDSN, the method further comprises accepting the connection request by the first PDSN.

19. The method of claim 10 , further comprising

dynamically repartitioning the key space associated with the PDSNs.