Anycast binding mobile communication method and system

• US 6,721,291 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1999
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia IP, Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Seppälä, Jukka, Soderlund, Tom, Haverinen, Henry, Bergenwall, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Persino, Raymond B
• Application Number:
  US09/421,088
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 370/351, 370/353, 370/469, 370/349, 370/338, 370/400, 370/389, 370/401, 455/436, 455/438, 455/439, 455/445, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/442
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/065 involving selection of the user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

This is a method and system to efficiently do handovers for mobile IP. The mobile node registers itself with several foreign agents using a new registration type. Only one of the foreign agents is selected to forward the data packets of a data message to the mobile node. The selection algorithm may be one based on randomness, dynamic learning, message traffic congestion, or statistical information collected at the mobile node.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting data messages in a mobile communication network to a mobile node comprising:

providing a plurality of foreign agents which are bound to the mobile node in a geographical area;

selecting only one of the foreign agents to deliver a data message comprising data packets to the mobile node; and

transmitting the message with the mobile communicating network using only the selected one foreign agent to the mobile node.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon historical data associated with the mobile node.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon statistical data usage of the mobile node with the plurality of foreign agents.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon randomness.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 comprising:

using a care of address to deliver the data message to the foreign agents.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon historical data associated with the mobile node.

9. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon statistical data usage of the mobile node with the plurality of foreign agents.

10. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon randomness.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 comprising:

assigning a home address to the mobile node.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon historical data associated with the mobile node.

14. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon statistical data usage of the mobile node with the plurality of foreign agents.

15. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon randomness.

16. A method in accordance with claim 11 comprising:

tunneling the packet with the home address assigned thereto to the plurality of foreign agents.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

18. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon historical data associated with the mobile node.

19. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon statistical data usage of the mobile node with the plurality of foreign agents.

20. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon randomness.

21. A system which transmits data messages in a mobile communication network using the internet protocol to a mobile node comprising:

a plurality of foreign agents;

means for assigning a home address to a data message comprising data packets in the network;

means for assigning a care of address to the data message which is used to deliver the data message to the plurality of foreign agents; and

means for selecting only one foreign agent from the plurality of foreign agents; and

wherein

the mobile communication network delivers the data message from the selected only one foreign agent to the mobile node.

22. A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein:

the means for selecting is an algorithm based upon historical data associated with the mobile node.

23. A system in accordance with claim 22 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is also based upon statistical data usage of the mobile node with the plurality of foreign agents.

25. A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein:

the means for selecting is an algorithm based upon message congestion criteria.

26. A system in accordance with claim 25 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

27. A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein:

the means for selecting is an algorithm based upon statistical data usage of the mobile node with the plurality of foreign agents.

28. A system in accordance with claim 27 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

29. A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein:

the means for selecting is an algorithm based upon randomness.

30. A system in accordance with claim 29 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

31. A system in accordance with claim 21 comprising:

a home agent in the mobile communication network which forwards the data message toward the mobile node.

32. A system in accordance with claim 31 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

33. A system in accordance with claim 31 wherein:

the forwarding of the data message toward the mobile node, includes tunneling from the home agent to the plurality of foreign agents.

34. A system in accordance with claim 33 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon historical data associated with the mobile node.

35. A system in accordance with claim 21 comprising:

a home address is assigned to the mobile node which is used in transmission of the data message to the mobile node.

36. A method in accordance with claim 35 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon historical data associated with the mobile node.

37. A system in accordance with claim 35 comprising:

the data message is tunneled with the home address assigned thereto to the plurality of foreign agents.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon statistical data usage of the mobile node with the plurality of foreign agents.

39. A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon message congestion criteria.

40. A method in accordance with claim 39 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon statistical data usage of the mobile node with the plurality of foreign agents.

41. A method which forwards a data message comprising a plurality of packets from an Internet host to a mobile node in a mobile communication network comprising:

transmitting the data message from the Internet host to a home agent in the mobile communication network;

providing a plurality of foreign agents which are bound to the mobile node in a geographical area;

selecting only one of the foreign agents to deliver a data message to the mobile node; and

transmitting the data message from the home agent in the mobile communication network to the mobile node using only the selected one foreign agent.

42. A method in accordance with claim 41 wherein:

the selection of only one foreign agent is based upon historical data associated with the mobile node.