Seamless roaming for dual-mode WiMax/WiFi stations

• US 20070160017A1
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meier, Robert, Waclawsky, John, Dettloff, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,064,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/142 over the same radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment providing for one or more improvements includes a method for use in a mobile station operating in a multi-protocol wireless network environment that supports a first wireless communication protocol and a second wireless communication protocol wherein the network environment allows the mobile station to seamlessly roam utilizing the first and second wireless communication protocols. The method includes establishing a first link layer connection using the first wireless communication protocol; and establishing a second link layer connection using the second wireless communication protocol wherein a single mobile identifier, corresponding to the mobile station, is used in the first and second connections.

Claims

1. In a mobile station operating in a multi-protocol wireless network environment that supports a first wireless communication protocol and a second wireless communication protocol wherein the network environment allows the mobile station to seamlessly roam utilizing the first and second wireless communication protocols, a method comprising:

establishing a first link layer connection using the first wireless communication protocol; and

establishing a second link layer connection using the second wireless communication protocol;

wherein a single mobile identifier corresponding to the mobile station is used in the first and second link layer connections.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the single mobile identifier is a MAC address.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the MAC address is a 48-bit IEEE 802 address.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first wireless communication protocol is a short-range wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol is a long-range wireless communication protocol.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the short-range wireless communication protocol is an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the long-range wireless communication protocol is an IEEE 802.16e wireless communication protocol.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising

reconnecting to an available link layer connection of the first wireless communication protocol if the first link layer connection terminates;

and

reconnecting to an available link layer connection of the second wireless communication protocol if the second link layer connection terminates.

8. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising preferentially using the short-range wireless communication protocol for active communications when the first and second connections are both established.

9. A mobile station operable to establish a first link layer connection of a first wireless communication protocol and a second link layer connection of a second wireless communication protocol, the mobile station comprises:

a first wireless network interface corresponding to the first wireless communication protocol;

a second wireless network interface corresponding to the second wireless communication protocol;

a memory;

one or more processors;

a first wireless network interface driver, stored in the memory, that comprises instructions operable to cause the first wireless network interface and the processor to establish the first link layer connection of the first wireless communication protocol;

a second wireless network interface driver, stored in the memory, that comprises instructions operable to cause the second wireless network interface and the processor to establish the second link layer connection of the second wireless communication protocol;

a common network interface layer, stored in the memory, that is operative to present a common link layer interface to upper layers of a protocol stack and is further operative to switch between the first and second wireless network interfaces for communication; and

and one or more translation layers operative to translate between the first wireless communication protocol and the common network interface layer and further operative to translate between the second wireless communication protocol and the common network interface layer.

10. The mobile station as recited in claim 9 wherein a single mobile identifier is used by the mobile station to connect the first and second wireless communication protocols.

11. The mobile station as recited in claim 10 wherein the single mobile identifier is a MAC address.

12. The mobile station as recited in claim 9 wherein the first wireless communication protocol is a short-range wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol is a long-range wireless communication protocol.

13. The mobile station as recited in claim 12 wherein the short-range wireless communication protocol is an 802.11 wireless communication protocol.

14. The mobile station as recited in claim 12 wherein the long-range wireless communication protocol is an 802.16e wireless communication protocol.

15. The mobile station as recited in claim 9 wherein the common network interface layer is operative to use the first network interface as an active communications link, and to use the second network interface as a backup communications link.

16. The mobile station of as recited in claim 15 wherein the second wireless network interface driver, in the backup mode, is operative to maintain a security association with a wireless access point.

17. A mobile station comprising:

means for establishing a first link layer connection using a first wireless communication protocol;

means for establishing a second link layer connection using a second wireless communication protocol;

means for selecting the first or second wireless communication protocol for active communications; and

means for presenting a common link layer interface to a network protocol layer implemented in the mobile station;

wherein a single mobile identifier corresponding to the mobile station is used in the first and second link layer connections.

18. In an access point that operates in a multi-protocol wireless network comprising a wireless domain controller implementing a common roaming protocol, a method comprising:

detecting a roam event message of a first roaming protocol;

translating the roam event message into the common roaming protocol; and

transmitting the translated roam event message to the wireless domain controller in the multi-protocol wireless network.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising

receiving a roam event message of the common roaming protocol;

translating the received roam event message into the first roaming protocol; and

processing the roam event message.

20. An access point operative in a multi-protocol wireless network comprising a wireless domain controller implementing a common roaming protocol, comprising

a network interface;

a wireless network interface;

a memory;

one or more processors; and

an access point application, stored in the memory, comprising instructions operative to cause the one or more processors and the access point to;

detect a roam event message of a first roaming protocol;

translate the roam event message into the common roaming protocol; and

transmit the translated roam event message to a wireless domain controller in a multi-protocol wireless network.

21. The access point of claim 20 wherein the access point application further comprises instructions operative to cause the one or more processors and the access point to:

receive a roam event message of the common roaming protocol;

translate the received roam event message into the first roaming protocol; and

process the roam event message.

22. An access point that operates in a multi-protocol wireless network comprising a wireless domain controller implementing a common roaming protocol, comprising:

means for detecting a roam event message of a first roaming protocol;

means for translating the roam event message into the common roaming protocol; and

means for transmitting the translated roam event message to the wireless domain controller in the multi-protocol wireless network.

23. A wireless domain compromising:

a first plurality of wireless access points that utilize a first wireless communication protocol and a common wireless network management protocol;

a second plurality of wireless access points that utilize a second wireless communication protocol and the common wireless network management protocol; and

a wireless domain controller that communicates with the first and the second plurality of wireless access points via the common wireless network management protocol wherein the first plurality of wireless access points are operable to translate wireless network management messages between the first wireless communication protocol and the common wireless network management protocol, and wherein the second plurality of wireless access points are operable to translate wireless network management messages between the second wireless communication protocol and the common wireless network management protocol.

24. The wireless domain as recited in claim 23 wherein the first wireless communication protocol is a short-range wireless communication protocol and the second wireless communication protocol is a long-range wireless communication protocol.

25. The wireless domain as recited in claim 24 wherein the short-range wireless communication protocol is an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol.

26. The wireless domain as recited in claim 24 wherein the long-range wireless communication protocol is an IEEE 802.16e wireless communication protocol.

27. The wireless domain as recited in claim 24 wherein a first coverage area of the first plurality of wireless access points overlaps a second coverage area of the second plurality of access points.

28. The wireless domain as recited in claim 24 wherein the wireless network management messages are roaming event messages.