Distributed infrastructure for wireless data communications

• US 6,215,779 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Grob, Matthew S., Bender, Paul E., Karmi, Gadi, Kimball, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/158,047
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/315, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 370/351, 370/353, 370/469, 455/422, 455/432, 455/445
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A mobile user terminal 402 accesses a packet data network 450 through one or more of several network access points 404-412. One or more control points 432-440 determines which network access point or points the user terminal is to access. Control may be retained in the current control point, or transferred to another control point, whenever it is convenient. There are preferably several routers, each having an associated home agent 418-420 which determines which foreign agents need to be accessed on behalf of each user terminal. There are several foreign agents 422-430, which forward packets received from a user terminal'"'"'s home agent to the control point currently controlling communications with the user terminal.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture, comprising in combination:

a) a user terminal configured to transmit and receive wireless data packets;

b) a plurality of network access points, each being configured to transmit wireless data packets to, and to receive them from, the user terminal;

c) a router connected to transmit data packets to, and to receive them from, the plurality of network access points; and

d) a plurality of control points associated with the router, each control point being;

1) associated with a network access point within the plurality of network access points; and

2) configured to;

(A) select a network access point to communicate with the user terminal;

(B) manage a wireless link between the user terminal and the selected network access point; and

(C) retain control, or transfer control to another control point, according to a pre-established determination.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the selected network access point is different from the control point'"'"'s associated network access point.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein each control point is configured to select at least two network access points to concurrently communicate with the user terminal.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein all of the selected network access points are different from the control point'"'"'s associated network access point.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein each control point is further configured to cache data link protocol information for the user terminal during periods when the user terminal is not assigned a wireless forward link, or is not assigned a wireless reverse link, or is assigned neither a wireless forward link nor a wireless reverse link.

6. The article of claim 5, wherein the caching control point is associated with the network access point first used by the user terminal.

7. The article of claim 5, wherein the control point is associated with the network access point last used by the user terminal.

8. An article of manufacture, comprising in combination:

e) a user terminal configured to transmit and receive wireless data packets;

f) a plurality of network access points, each configured to transmit wireless data packets to, and to receive them from, the user terminal;

g) one or more routers connected to transmit data packets to, and to receive them from, the network access points, each network access point being connected to only one router;

h) one or more home agents, each home agent being;

1) associated with a router; and

2) configured to select one or more of the below-recited foreign agents to forward packets to the user terminal

i) a plurality of foreign agents, each foreign agent;

1) also being associated with a network access point;

2) being configured to forward data packets from a user terminal'"'"'s home agent to the control point that is currently controlling communications with the user terminal; and

3) supporting transfer of communications control for a particular user terminal between different control points;

j) a first plurality of control points associated with one router, each control point within the first plurality of control points being;

1) associated with a network access point;

2) configured to;

(A) select one or more network access points to communicate with the user terminal;

(B) manage a wireless link between the user terminal and the selected network access point; and

(C) retain control, or transfer control to another control point, according to a pre-established determination.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein the selected network access point is different from the control point'"'"'s associated network access point.

10. The article of claim 8, wherein each control point is configured to select a plurality of network access points to concurrently communicate with the user terminal.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein all of the selected network access points are different from the control point'"'"'s associated network access point.

12. The article of claim 8, wherein each control point is further configured to cache data link protocol information for the user terminal during periods when the user terminal is not assigned a traffic channel.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the control points are configured to cache data link protocol information in the control point associated with the network access point first used by the user terminal.

14. The article of claim 12, wherein the control points are configured to cache data link protocol information in the control point associated with the network access point last used by the user terminal.

15. A wireless data communication system, comprising:

a packet router operative to receive data from a network for transmission to a mobile user;

a first network access point coupled to the packet router, the first network access point operative to receive data from the packet router;

a second network access point coupled to the packet router, the first network access point operative to receive data from the packet router;

a first control point coupled to the first network access point and operative to control linking between the first network access point and the mobile user; and

a second control point coupled to the second network access point different from the first network access point, the second control point operative to control linking between the second network access point and the mobile user.

16. The wireless data communication system of claim 15, wherein the second control point is operative to control linking between the second network access point and the mobile user concurrently with the first control point controlling linking between the first network access point and the mobile user.

17. The wireless data communication system of claim 15, the wherein data transmission incorporates a mobile internet protocol, and wherein the system further comprises:

a home agent coupled to the packet router, the home agent associated with the mobile user, the home agent operative to redirect data packets to the mobile user within the system.

18. The wireless data communication system of claim 17, further comprising:

a first foreign agent coupled to the first network access point and operative for receiving redirected data packets to the mobile user.