Method and system for managing data flow between mobile nodes, access routers and peer nodes

• US 20040213181A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Serna, Pedro, Grech, Sandro, Rajaniemi, Jaakko
• Application Number:
  US10/490,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20040213181A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/087 for preserving data network PoA address despite hand-offs
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for managing data flow between Mobile Nodes (MNs), Access Routers (AR) and peer nodes (HA, CNs), wherein, when a Mobile Node makes handover from one Access Router (AR) to new Access Router (AR2, AR3, . . . ARn), a decision is made whether to command the first Access Router (AR1) to act as an Anchor Access Router and forward data from the peer nodes (HA, CNs) to the Mobile Node via the new Access Router (AR2, AR3, . . . ARn), or to send an update of the new position of the mobile node to a peer node (HA, CN). The decision is made based on at least one of the following criterias: -the number of peer nodes (HA,CN1, CN2, . . . CNn) to which it has ongoing sessions, -the time elapsed from a previous update sent to the peer nodes (HA, CNs), -the traffic activity between the peer node(s) (HA, CN1, CN2, . . . CNn) and the Mobile Node (MN), -amount of signaling or traffic load between mobile node and Access Router and/or peer nodes, -the state of the underlying layers, -the state of the mobile node, -the frequency of handovers.

Claims

1. Method for managing data flow between Mobile Nodes (MNs), Access Routers (AR) and peer nodes (HA, CNs), the method comprising the step of:

when a Mobile Node makes handover from one Access Router (AR) to new Access Router (AR2, AR3, . . . ARn) a decision is made whether the first Access Router (AR1) should act as an Anchor Access Router and forward data from the peer nodes (HA, CNs) to the Mobile Node via the new Access Router (AR2, AR3, . . . ARn), or to send an update of the new position of the mobile node to a peer node (HA, CN), wherein the decision is made based on at least one of the following criterias;

the number of peer nodes (HA, CN1, CN2, . . . CNn) to which it has ongoing sessions,

the time elapsed from a previous update sent to the peer nodes (HA, CNs),

the traffic activity between the peer node(s) (HA, CN1, CN2, . . . CNn) and the Mobile Node (MN),

traffic load, or signaling load between mobile node and Access Router and/or peer nodes,

the state of underlying layers, e.g.protocol layers 1 and/or 2,

the state of the mobile node,

the frequency of handovers.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the decision is made by the Mobile Node.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the decision is made by the Network.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the decision is made by an entity in access network.

5. A method according to an) of the claims 1 to 4 claim 1, wherein the maximum number of handovers for which the same Anchor Access Router is kept is restricted to a pre-defined upper limit.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein the communication between the Mobile Node(s), the Access Routers (AR) and the peer nodes (HA, CNs) is effected based on Mobile IP.

7. Method according to an) one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein, when the Mobile Node has moved and selected a new Access Router as Anchor Access Router, a Binding Update message is always sent to the previous Access Router, the decision on whether to send Binding Update messages being always based on the criteria mentioned in claim 1, and/or on the number of times a Care-of Address (CoA) has changed without notifying a peer node.

8. Method according to an) one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein, when the Mobile Node has moved and selected a new Access Router as Anchor Access Router, a Binding Update message is always sent to the Anchor Access Router, the decision on whether to send Binding Update messages being always based on the criteria mentioned in claim 1, and/or on the number of times a Care-of Address (CoA) has changed without notifying a peer node.

9. Method according to an) one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein the handover of the Mobile Node from the first to the second Access Router is performed as defined in the Mobile IP or Fast Handovers for Mobile IPv6.

10. Method according to any one of the preceeding claims claim 1, wherein the peer nodes include a Home Agent (HA) and/or a Correspondent Node (CN).

11. System for managing data flow between Mobile Nodes (MNs), Access Routers (AR) and peer nodes (HA, CNs), comprising deciding means for deciding,

when a Mobile Node makes handover from one Access Router (AR1) to new Access Router (AR2, AR3, . . . ARn), whether the first Access Router (AR1) acts as an Anchor Access Router and forward data from the peer nodes (HA, CNs) to the Mobile Node via the new Access Router (AR2, AR3, . . . ARn), or to send an update of the new position of the mobile node to a peer node (HA, CN),

wherein the decision is made based on at least one of the following criterias:

the number of peer nodes (HA, CN1, CN2, . . . CNn) to which it has ongoing sessions,

the time elapsed from a previous update sent to the peer nodes (HA, CNs),

the traffic activity between the peer node(s) (HA, CN1, CN2, . . . CNn) and the Mobile Node (MN),

traffic load or signaling load, between mobile node and Access Router and/or peer nodes,

the state of the underlying layers,

the state of the mobile node,

the frequency of handovers.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the deciding means is provided in the Mobile Node (MN).

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the deciding means is included in the Network.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the deciding means is included in an entity in access network.

15. A system according to any of the claims 11 to 14 claim 11, wherein the maximum number of handovers for which the same Anchor Access Router is kept is restricted to a pre-defined upper limit.

16. A system according to any of the claims 11 to 15 claim 11, wherein the Access router (AR) is a base station.

17. System according to any one of the preceding system claims claim 11, wherein the system is adapted to perform a handover of the Mobile Node from one Access Router to another Access Router as defined in the Mobile IP or Fast Handovers for Mobile IPv6.

18. System according to any one of the preceding system claims claim 11, wherein the peer nodes include a Home Agent (HA) and/or a Correspondent Node (CN).