Enhanced fast handover procedures

• US 20040264476A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Alarcon, Leopoldo, Grech, Sandro
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.52
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/087 for preserving data network PoA address despite hand-offs
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A method for performing a change of a connection of a mobile entity from a first network access entity to a second network access entity, wherein a global address of the first network access entity is not known to the mobile entity is provided. According to one embodiment, the method includes the step of sending a message including information for identifying the first network access entity from the mobile entity to the second network access entity which enables the second network entity to direct traffic to the first network entity. According to another embodiment, the invention also provides a method for the reverse direction. Namely, the invention provides a method for sending IP signaling from the mobile entity or from the first network access entity towards the second network access entity, whose global IP address is not known by the mobile entity or first network access entity.

Claims

1. A method for handing over a connection of a mobile entity from a first network access entity to a second network access entity, wherein a global address of the first network access entity is not known to the mobile entity, the method comprising the step of:

sending a message including information for identifying the first network access entity from the mobile entity to the second network access entity, which enables the second network entity to direct traffic destined to the first network entity.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

identifying, in the second network access entity, whether the message received from the mobile entity is directed to the first network access entity by checking an address indicated in the message, and checking whether the address is globally routable.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of identifying comprises checking the address to determine whether the address is globally routable or not based on a prefix of the address.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending comprises sending the message comprising a Fast Binding Update message.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending comprises sending the message before de-establishing a connection between the mobile entity and the first network access entity.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending comprises sending the message after de-establishing the connection between the mobile entity and the first network access entity.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving at the second network access entity a message from the first network access entity including the global address of the first network access entity.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing in the second network access entity a mapping table in which the information for identifying the first network access entity received from the mobile entity is mapped to a global address of the first network access entity.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of sending comprises sending the information comprising at least one parameter as follows:

an old network identity associated with the first network access entity,

an old access point name,

an identity associated with an access point through which the mobile entity was connected to the first network access entity, and

a link layer address of the mobile entity.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

sending a message including all or part of the information for identifying the first network access entity to a proxy; and

determining, using the proxy, an address of the first network access entity.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

forwarding, using the proxy, traffic between the second network access entity and the first network access entity.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

monitoring, using the mobile entity, attributes of a network of the first network access entity in order to obtain the information for identifying the first network access entity.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

determining, using the second network access entity, an address of the proxy based on the information for identifying the first network access entity received from the mobile entity.

14. A method for handing over a connection of a mobile entity from a first network access entity to a second network access entity, wherein a global address of the second network access entity is not known to the mobile entity, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a message including information for identifying the second network access entity from the mobile entity to the first network access entity, which enables the first network access entity to direct traffic to the second network access entity.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

sending, a message including all or part of the information for identifying the second network access entity to a proxy; and

determining, using the proxy, an address of the second network access entity.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

forwarding, using the proxy, traffic between the first network access entity and the second network access entity.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

monitoring, using the mobile entity, attributes of a network of the second network access entity in order to obtain the information for identifying the second network access entity.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

determining, using the first network access entity, the address of the proxy based on the information for identifying the second network access entity received from the mobile entity.

19. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

identifying, in the first network access entity, whether the message received from the mobile entity is directed to the second network access entity by checking an address indicated in the message, and checking whether the address is globally routable.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the step of identifying comprises checking the address to determine whether the address is globally routable or not based on a prefix of the address.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of sending comprises sending the message comprising a handover Initiate message.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein

providing in the first network access entity a mapping table in which the information for identifying the second network access entity received from the mobile entity is mapped to a global address of the second network access entity.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of sending comprises sending the information for identifying the second network access entity comprising at least one parameter selected from at least one parameter as follows:

a target network identity,

a target access point name, and

an identity associated with an access point through which the mobile entity connects to the second network access entity.

24. A network system comprising:

at least one mobile entity;

a first network access entity;

a second network access entity, wherein a global address of the first network access entity is not known to the mobile entity;

the mobile entity is configured to send a message including information for identifying the first network access entity to the second network access entity which enables the second network entity to direct traffic to the first network access entity.

25. The network system according to claim 24, wherein the second network access entity is configured to identify whether the message received from the mobile entity is directed to the first network access entity by checking the address indicated in the message, and to check whether the address is globally routable.

26. The network system according to claim 24, wherein the message comprises a Fast Binding Update message.

27. The network system according to claim 24, wherein the second network access entity is configured to hold a mapping table in which the information for identifying the first network access entity received from the mobile entity is mapped to the global address of the first network access entity.

28. The network system according to claim 24, wherein the information for identifying the first network access entity comprises at least one parameter as follows:

old network identity associated with the first network access entity,

old access point name,

identity associated with the access point through which the mobile entity was connected to the first network access entity, and/or

a link layer address of the mobile entity.

29. The network system according to claim 24, wherein

the first network access entity is configured to send a message including all or part of the information for identifying the second network access entity to a proxy;

and

the proxy is configured to determine an address of the second network access entity.

30. The network system according to claim 29, wherein the proxy is configured to forward traffic between the first network access entity and the second network access entity.

31. The network system according to claim 24, wherein the mobile entity is configured to monitor attributes of a network of the second network access entity in order to obtain the information for identifying the second network access entity.

32. The network system according to claim 29, wherein the second network access entity is configured to determine the address of the proxy based on the information for identifying the first network access entity received from the mobile entity.

33. A network system comprising:

a mobile entity;

a first network access entity;

a second network access entity, wherein a global address of the second network access entity is not known to the mobile entity;

the mobile entity is configured to send a message including information for identifying the second network access entity to the first network access entity, which enables the first network access entity to direct traffic to the second network entity.

34. The network system according to claim 33, further comprising:

the first network access entity is configured to send a message including all or part of the information for identifying the second network access entity to a proxy, and

the proxy is configured to determine an address of the second network access entity.

35. The network system according to claim 34, wherein the proxy is configured to forward traffic between the first network access entity and the second network access entity.

36. The network system according to claim 33, wherein the mobile entity is configured to monitor attributes of a network of the second network access entity in order to obtain information for identifying the second network access entity.

37. The network system according to claim 34, wherein the first network access entity is configured to determine the address of the proxy based on the information for identifying the second network access entity received from the mobile entity.

38. The network system according to claim 33, wherein the message comprise a handover initiate message.

39. The network system according to claim 33, wherein the first network access entity is configured to hold a mapping table in which the information for identifying the second network access entity received from the mobile entity is mapped to a global address of the second network access entity.

40. The network system according to claim 33, wherein the information for identifying the second network access entity comprises at least one of parameter as follows:

a target network identity,

target access point name,

an identity associated with an access point through which the mobile entity connects to the second network access entity.