Methods and systems for registering a packet-based address for a mobile device using a fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for the device in a mobile communication network

1. A method comprising steps of:

generating, in a gateway connecting a mobile communication network to a packet-based network:

a first portion of a packet-network address for uniquely identifying a mobile device connected to the mobile communication network for communication on the packet-based network; and

a second portion of the packet-network address for uniquely identifying the mobile device connected to the mobile communication network for communication on the packet-based network, wherein the second portion of the packet-network address is based on profile information associated with the mobile device, the profile information including at least one of subscription information of the mobile device and a type of the mobile device, wherein the first and second portions are combined to form the packet-network address;

transmitting the generated first portion of the packet-network address and the generated second portion of the packet-network address to the mobile device;

transmitting, from the gateway, a request message including the first portion and the second portion of the packet-network address and a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) uniquely identifying the mobile device in a domain name system (DNS) of the packet-based network, to an authentication server of the mobile communication network; and

sending, from the authentication server to a DNS server of the packet-based network, a DNS update message including the packet-network address and the FQDN, whereby the mobile device is able to be identified for data communication using the first portion and the second portion of the packet-network address.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device does not have a mobile device number (MDN), mobile identification number (MIN), or mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN) assigned thereto.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon receiving in the gateway a request for a new or updated packet-based address from the mobile device, performing steps of:

determining whether a packet-based address is currently assigned to the mobile device;

retrieving the first portion of the packet-network address for uniquely identifying the mobile device connected to the mobile communication network for communication on the packet-based network in response to determining that a packet-based address is currently assigned to the mobile device, and transmitting the retrieved first portion of the packet-network address to the mobile device.

4. A packet data network gateway (PGW) comprising:

a processor;

a data communication interface coupled to the processor and configured for communication on a mobile communication network and a packet-based network; and

a memory coupled to the processor and storing program instructions for execution on the processor, wherein the program instructions configure the processor to perform functions including functions to:

generate a first portion of a packet-network address for uniquely identifying a mobile device connected to the mobile communication network for communication on the packet-based network in response to receiving a request to attach the mobile device to the mobile communication network;

generate a second portion of the packet-network address for uniquely identifying the mobile device connected to the mobile communication network for communication on the packet-based network, wherein the second portion of the packet-network address is based on profile information associated with the mobile device, the profile information including at least one of subscription information of the mobile device and a type of the mobile device, wherein the first and second portions are combined to form the packet-network address;

transmit the generated first portion of the packet-network address and the generated second portion of the packet-network address to the mobile device;

transmit a request message including the first and second portions of the packet-network address and a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) uniquely identifying the mobile device in a domain name system (DNS) of the packet-based network, to an authentication server of the mobile communication network, to cause the authentication server to send to a DNS server of the packet-based network a DNS update message including the packet-network address and the FQDN, whereby the mobile device is able to be identified for data communication using the first portion and the second portion of the packet-network address.

5. The packet data network gateway of claim 4 , wherein the mobile device does not have a mobile device number (MDN), mobile identification number (MIN), or mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN) assigned thereto.

6. The packet data network gateway of claim 4 , wherein the program instructions further configure the processor to perform functions to:

upon receiving a request for a new or updated packet-based address from the mobile device, performing functions to:

determine whether a packet-based address is currently assigned to the mobile device; and

retrieve the first portion of the packet-network address for uniquely identifying the mobile device connected to the mobile communication network for communication on the packet-based network in response to determining that a packet-based address is currently assigned to the mobile device, and transmit the retrieved first portion of the packet-network address to the mobile device.

7. A method comprising steps of:

receiving, in a mobile device connected to a mobile communication network, a first portion of a packet-network address and a second portion of the packet-network address for uniquely identifying the mobile device for communication on a packet-based network accessed through the mobile communication network, wherein the second portion of the packet-network address is based on profile information associated with the mobile device, the profile information including at least one of subscription information of the mobile device and a type of the mobile device;

generating, in the mobile device, the packet-network address for uniquely identifying the mobile device for communication on the packet-based network, based on the received first portion of the packet-network address and on the received second portion of the packet-network address, wherein the first and second portions are combined to form the packet-network address;

retrieving from an identity module of the mobile device a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for uniquely identifying the mobile device in a domain name system (DNS) of the packet-based network; and

generating and sending, from the mobile device to a DNS server of the packet-based network, a DNS update message including the generated packet-network address and the retrieved FQDN to cause the DNS server to update an entry in a DNS database associating the FQDN with the generated packet-network address, whereby the mobile device is able to be identified for data communication using the first portion and the second portion of the packet-network address.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising steps of: retrieving an encryption key from the identity module of the mobile device; and

encrypting, in the mobile device, the generated DNS update message using the encryption key,

wherein the sending the DNS update message comprises sending the encrypted DNS update message to the DNS server.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mobile device does not have a mobile device number (MDN), mobile identification number (MIN), or mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN) assigned thereto.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising steps of:

receiving in the mobile device, from the packet-based network through the mobile communication network, a packet-based communication addressed to the packet-network address uniquely identifying the mobile device,

wherein the packet-based communication is received from a remote device having received from the DNS server, in response to a DNS query including the FQDN for the mobile device, a DNS response message including the packet-network address uniquely identifying the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the FQDN includes identification of a network operator providing mobile communication services to the mobile device.

12. A mobile communication device comprising:

a processor;

a data communication interface coupled to the processor and configured for communication on a mobile communication network; and

a memory coupled to the processor and storing program instructions for execution on the processor, wherein the program instructions configure the processor to perform functions including functions to:

receive a first portion of a packet-network address and a second portion of the packet-network address for uniquely identifying the mobile communication device for communication on a packet-based network accessed through the mobile communication network, wherein the second portion of the packet-network address is based on profile information associated with the mobile device, the profile information including at least one of subscription information of the mobile device and a type of the mobile device;

generate the packet-network address for uniquely identifying the mobile communication device for communication on the packet-based network, based on the received first portion of the packet-network address and on the received second portion of the packet-network address, wherein the first and second portions are combined to form the packet-network address;

retrieve from an identity module of the mobile communication device a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for uniquely identifying the mobile communication device in a domain name system (DNS) of the packet-based network; and

generate and send, to a DNS server of the packet-based network, a DNS update message including the generated packet-network address and the retrieved FQDN to cause the DNS server to update an entry in a DNS database associating the FQDN with the generated packet-network address, whereby the mobile device is able to be identified for data communication using the first portion and the second portion of the packet-network address.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions further configure the processor to perform functions to:

retrieve an encryption key from the identity module of the mobile communication device; and

encrypt the generated DNS update message using the encryption key,

wherein the function to send the DNS update message comprises a function to send the encrypted DNS update message to the DNS server.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 12 , wherein the mobile communication device does not have a mobile device number (MDN), mobile identification number (MIN), or mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number (MSISDN) assigned thereto.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions further configure the processor to perform a function to:

receive from the packet-based network through the mobile communication network a packet-based communication addressed to the packet-network address uniquely identifying the mobile communication device,

wherein the packet-based communication is received from a remote device having received from the DNS server, in response to a DNS query including the FQDN for the mobile communication device, a DNS response message including the packet-network address uniquely identifying the mobile communication device.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 12 , wherein the FQDN includes identification of a network operator providing mobile communication services to the mobile communication device.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile information includes the subscription information of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile information includes the type of the mobile device.

19. The packet data network gateway of claim 4 , wherein the profile information includes the subscription information of the mobile device.

20. The packet data network gateway of claim 4 , wherein the profile information includes the type of the mobile device.