Network communication between hosts

• US 7,028,099 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technlogies Corp. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BBNT Solutions LLC (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Gesler, Gwendolyn Jean, Troxel, Gregory Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean, Frantz B.
• Application Number:
  US09/736,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 709238-244, 455/433, 370/217, 370/219
• US Class Current: 709/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• 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 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/26 for hybrid routing by combining proactive and reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/32 for defining a routing cluster membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

The invention enables hosts that do not share a network prefix to communicate in the event the hosts are unable to communicate with a router.

Claims

1. A method for use by a first mobile host, the first mobile host having a first network layer address prefix, for identifying a network node to communicate with, the method comprising:

sending by the first mobile host a first service solicitation to attempt to identify a router with which the first mobile host can communicate;

determining by the first mobile host that no routers are available with which to communicate;

sending by the first mobile host, in response to the determination, a second service solicitation requesting a network layer address of another mobile host with which the first mobile host can communicate; and

receiving, by the first mobile host, a response message to the second service solicitation, the response message including a network layer address of a previously unknown second mobile host with which the first mobile host can communicate, the second mobile host having a network layer address prefix different from the first network layer address prefix.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that no routers are available comprises waiting for a router availability message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein waiting for the router availability message comprises waiting for a message addressed to a multicast address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that no routers are available comprises sending a message querying for available routers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message to the second mobile host.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that no routers are available comprises attempting to identify a router providing a first set of services.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining that no routers are available comprises attempting to identify a router providing a second set of services.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the router comprises a foreign agent.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile host comprises a wireless host.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second host comprises a wireless host.

11. A computer program product, disposed on a computer readable medium for use by a first mobile host, the first mobile host having a first network layer address prefix, for identifying a network node to communicate with, the computer program product including instructions for causing the first mobile host to:

send a first service solicitation to attempt to identify a router with which the first mobile host can communicate;

determine that no routers are available with which to communicate;

send, in response to the determination, a second service solicitation requesting a network layer address of another mobile host with which the first mobile host can communicate; and

receive, a response message to the second service solicitation including a network layer address of a previously unknown second mobile host with which the first mobile host can communicate, the second mobile host having a network layer address prefix different from the first network layer address prefix.

12. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the instructions for causing the first mobile host to to determine that no routers are available comprise instructions for causing the processor to wait for a router availability message.

13. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the instructions for causing the first mobile host to wait for the router availability message comprise instructions for causing the first mobile host to wait for a message addressed to a multicast address.

14. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the instructions for causing the first mobile host to determine that no routers are available comprise instructions for causing a first mobile host to send a message querying for available routers.

15. The computer program of claim 11, further comprising instructions for causing the first mobile host to send a message to.

16. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the instructions for causing the first mobile host to determine that no routers are available comprise instructions for causing the first mobile host to attempt to identify a router providing a first set of services.

17. The computer program of claim 16, wherein the instructions for causing the first mobile host to determine that no routers are available comprise instructions for causing the first mobile host to attempt to identify a router providing a second set of services.

18. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the router comprises a foreign agent.

19. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the first mobile host comprises a wireless host.