Telecommunications routing

• US 7,242,678 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: O'Neill, Alan W, Corson, Mathew S
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao; Kwang Bin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Su; Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US10/398,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20040014467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 370/356, 370/400, 370/351, 370/465, 370/395, 370/475, 370/389, 370/349, 370/395.32
• US Class Current: 370/349
• 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 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/30 for proactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/087 for preserving data network PoA address despite hand-offs
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Routing of packets is controlled in a communications network including an infrastructure of packet switching nodes interconnected by packet transport links, and a plurality of access nodes to which a routing path, defined by data held in packet switching nodes located along the routing path, may be directed in the infrastructure for a given network address.

Claims

1. A method of controlling routing of packets in a communications network including an infrastructure of packet switching nodes interconnected by packet transport links, and a plurality of access nodes to which a routing path, defined by data held in packet switching nodes located along said routing path, may be directed in said infrastructure for a given network address, said method comprising:

routing packets along a first routing path for a first network address, wherein the first routing path is directed to a first access node serving a mobile node using said first network address via a communications link, said packets being destined for said mobile node such that said packets are progressively forwarded from upstream neighbor nodes to downstream neighbor nodes;

performing a route redirection process to redirect at least part of said first routing path, said redirection being performed by passing a routing update message from a downstream neighbor to a first upstream neighbor, said first upstream neighbor altering its routing directionality in response to said routing update message and passing a further routing update message to a second upstream neighbor;

wherein said route redirection process comprises said first upstream neighbor placing a temporary blockage on the forwarding of packets destined for said mobile node during said route redirection process.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second upstream neighbor transmits a message indicating receipt of said routing update message to said first upstream neighbor and said first upstream neighbor holds said temporary blockage at least until said message indicating receipt has been received.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said blockage comprises said first upstream neighbor caching packets.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said blockage comprises said first upstream neighbor causing the dropping of packets.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first routing path comprises a host-specific routing path assigned to said mobile node.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said route redirection comprises removing at least part of said host-specific routing path so as to assign an aggregated routing path for said first network address.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said communications link is a wireless link.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said network address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

9. Routing apparatus arranged to control routing of packets in a communications network including an infrastructure of packet switching nodes interconnected by packet transport links, and a plurality of access nodes to which a routing path, defined by data held in packet switching nodes located along said routing path, may be directed in said infrastructure for a given network address, said apparatus comprising:

means for routing packets along a first routing path for a first network address, wherein the first routing path is directed to a first access node serving a mobile node using said first network address via a communications link, said packets being destined for said mobile node such that said packets are progressively forwarded from upstream neighbor nodes to downstream neighbor nodes;

means for performing a route redirection process to redirect at least part of said first routing path, said redirection being performed by passing a routing update message from a downstream neighbor to a first upstream neighbor, said first upstream neighbor altering its routing directionality in response to said routing update message and passing a further routing update message to a second upstream neighbor;

wherein said route redirection comprises said first upstream neighbor placing a temporary blockage on the forwarding of packets destined for said mobile node during said route redirection process.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said second upstream neighbor transmits a message indicating receipt of said routing update message to said first upstream neighbor and said first upstream neighbor holds said temporary blockage at least until said message indicating receipt has been received.

11. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said blockage comprises said first upstream neighbor caching packets.

12. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said blockage comprises said first upstream neighbor causing the dropping of packets.

13. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said first routing path comprises a host-specific routing path assigned to said mobile node.

14. Apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said route redirection comprises removing at least part of said host-specific routing path so as to assign an aggregated routing path for said first network address.

15. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said communications link is a wireless link.

16. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said network address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.