Partner node migration control unit and method

• US 7,272,127 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2002
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Wada, Hiromi, Yozawa, Takashi, Ohnishi, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Frank
• Application Number:
  US10/194,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20020181420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 370328-339, 370465-475, 370401-402, 370/389, 379/185, 455/432, 455/435, 709245-246, 709/223
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/255 Maintenance or indexing of mapping tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• 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: H04W 36/0019 adapted for mobile IP [MIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A partner node and a method of communication control with a mobile node that is a communication partner with the partner mode is provided. The mobile node can provide a migration destination address, via a migration post massage transmitted from the mobile node, that can be acquired by an address acquiring unit at the partner node. A packet convert unit can, before the address acquire unit acquires a new migration destination address, generate a packet destined for a pre-migration address of the mobile node. After the address acquire unit acquires a migration destination address, the packet convert unit can generate a final packet configuration destined for the obtained migration destination address. Accordingly, a continuous communication between the corresponding partner node and the mobile node is maintained as the mobile node migrates across networks.

Claims

1. A partner node that is a communication partner of a mobile node that obtains an address that is assigned to the mobile node for each network to which the mobile node migrates, the partner node comprising:

an address acquire unit that acquires a migration destination address of the mobile node from a migration post message;

a packet convert unit that, before the address acquire unit acquires the migration destination address, generates a packet destined for a pre-migration address of the mobile node, and after the address acquire unit acquires the migration destination address, generates a packet destined for the migration destination address acquired by the address acquire unit; and

a packet transmit unit that transmits the packet generated by the packet convert unit.

2. The partner node of claim 1, wherein

the pre-migration address of the mobile node is a home address.

3. The partner node of claim 1, wherein

the migration destination address is a temporary address that is assigned to the mobile node on a migration.

4. The partner node of claim 1, wherein

when generating the packet destined for the migration destination address, the packet convert unit adds the pre-migration address to the packet as additional information.

5. The partner node of claim 1 further comprising:

an address hold unit that holds the migration destination address from the address acquire unit, in correspondence with the pre-migration address.

6. The partner node of claim 1 further comprising:

an address inquiry unit that transfers a packet containing a message inquiring a home migration communication control device of an address to be used in a communication with the mobile node.

7. The partner node of claim 1, wherein

the migration post message contains both the migration destination address and the pre-migration address.

8. A communication control method for a partner node that is a communication partner of a mobile node that obtains an address that is assigned to the mobile node for each network to which the mobile node migrates, the communication control method comprising the steps of:

acquiring a migration destination address of the mobile node from a migration post message which is received by a partner node through the network;

holding the address acquired by the address acquire unit in the address hold unit;

generating a packet destined for a pre-migration address of the mobile node before the partner node obtains the migration destination address of the mobile node;

generating a packet destined for the migration destination address after the partner node obtains the migration destination address of the mobile node; and

transmitting the packet generated by the partner node through the network.