Mobile handover utilizing multicast in a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS)-based network

• US 20060215607A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lebizay, Gerarld, Adrangi, Farid, Stone, Alan, Mitchel, Henry, Altman, Asher, Tsai, James (JR-Shian), Iyer, Prakash
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0019 adapted for mobile IP [MIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/02 Buffering or recovering information during reselection ; Modification of the traffic flow during hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed for communicating in a wireless network using multi-protocol label switching (MPLS). A network service node is configured to send identical packets substantially simultaneously to each of a serving network access station and one or more target network access stations via two or more respective MPLS tunnels in response to a handoff trigger message. Additional embodiments and variations are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for communicating in a wireless network using multi-protocol label switching (MPLS), the method comprising:

sending identical packets substantially simultaneously to each of a serving network access station and one or more target network access stations via two or more respective MPLS tunnels in response to a handoff trigger message.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identical packets are sent to a pre-established multicast group.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein sending comprises a multi-unicast in which a router duplicates packets on each of two or more unicast flows.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the two or more MPLS tunnels comprise a first tunnel between a service node and the serving network access station and a second tunnel between the service node and the one or more target network access stations.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the two or more MPLS tunnels comprise a first tunnel between a first service node and the serving network access station, a second tunnel between the first service node and a second service node, and a third tunnel between the second service node and the one or more target network access stations.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending packets only to one target network access station via one or more MPLS tunnels in response to the one target network access station indicating the mobile station has completed handoff.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the serving network access station or the one or more target network access stations comprises a base station and a MPLS label edge router (LER).

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the service node comprises a radio network service node (RNSN) coupled to one or more Internet protocol (IP) networks.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the handoff trigger message is sent by the serving network access station.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the handoff trigger message is sent by a mobile station to the serving network access station and includes an identification of the one or more target network access stations.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless network comprises a broadband wireless network.

12. An apparatus for use in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a service node including logic to send identical packets substantially simultaneously to both a serving access point (AP) and one or more target APs via respective multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) tunnels in response to an indication for mobile station handoff.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the service node provides access between a radio access network (RAN) and an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

14. The service node of claim 12 wherein the service node further includes logic to dynamically establish an MPLS tunnel with one or more additional service nodes in order to send the packets to the one or more target access points.

15. An apparatus for use in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

an access point (AP) configured to buffer at least some packets destined for a mobile station during a handoff, and received from a service node via a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) tunnel, until one of, the AP establishes a radio link with the mobile station or a different AP establishes a radio link with the mobile station.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the AP is further configured to send a network modification message to the service node via the MPLS tunnel in response to the AP receiving a handoff message from the mobile station, wherein the network modification message identifies one or more target APs to which the mobile station will connect.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the AP comprises a base station and a MPLS label edge router (LER).

18. A system for wireless communications, the system comprising:

a base station including a transceiver and a plurality of antennas for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communications; and

a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) label edge router (LER) coupled to the base station, wherein the base station includes a memory to temporarily buffer packets destined for a mobile station not having current radio link access with the base station.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the base station includes logic to generate and send a network modification message to a service node via a MPLS tunnel in response to receiving a layer 2 handoff request message from a currently connected mobile station.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the network modification message is used by the service node to multicast packets to the base station and one or more target base stations identified in the layer 2 handoff request message.