Communication system and method therefor

• US 7,421,512 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lach, Hong-Yon, Ernst, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqi; Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US10/276,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,661 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/205, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/432.1, 370/331
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Known protocols for supporting mobility in relation to Internet Protocol (IP) networks are not able to efficiently support distribution of Binding Update messages to Correspondent Nodes (104) in a set of fixed IP networks (102). Consequently, the present invention makes use of a multi-cast service provided by the IPv6 protocol in order to deliver Binding Update messages to the Correspondent Nodes (104). The use of the multi-cast service to deliver Binding Update messages avoids a proliferation of such messages which would occur under know protocols requiring a mobile node (106,107) to send the Binding Update message to each Correspondent Node (104). Consequently, use of bandwith in the set of fixed IP networks (102) is more efficient.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a mobile node capable of mobility relative to a first network having a plurality of correspondent nodes, a first interfacing node and a second interfacing node, the plurality of correspondent nodes being capable of sending data to the mobile node via the first interfacing node, the mobile node being capable of moving from a first location associated with the first interfacing node of the first network to a second location associated with the second interfacing node of the first network, wherein

the system uses multicast routing of data when the mobile node moves from the first location to the second location, the mobile node generates binding update information and delivers the binding update information to a multicast address, the binding update information comprises a forwarding address for the mobile node, the forwarding address having been provided to the mobile node by the second interfacing node and the system includes a multicast service unit which delivers the binding update information by multicast routing to correspondent nodes which have joined the multicast group indicated by the multicast address.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, the mobile node is a mobile network gateway coupled to a plurality of mobile network nodes and is operable to forward datagrams addressed to one of the mobile network nodes by switching an address of the mobile node contained in the datagram to a care of address for the mobile network node.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system establishes for the mobile node at least one multi-cast group comprising a plurality of the correspondent nodes, by obtaining a multi-cast address for the group from a multi-cast registry entity.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first interfacing node is also a member of the multi-cast group and, when the mobile node is a mobile network gateway, is operable, in response to receiving updating data relating to the mobile network gateway, to redirect data destined for any one of the mobile network nodes to the second interfacing node.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correspondent nodes of the multi-cast group upon receiving a binding update, optionally after authenticating a sender of the update, add a binding between the update information and an address for the mobile node held in a binding cache.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the correspondent nodes of the multi-cast group upon receiving a binding update, add a binding between the update information and an address for the mobile node held in a binding cache after authenticating a sender of the update.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the system enables a correspondent node to leave the multi-cast group after-it has communicated with the mobile node.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a domain name server register the multi-cast address as associated with the mobile node and to provide the multi-cast address to a correspondent node requesting a home address of the mobile node.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the correspondent node receiving the multi-cast address from the domain name server subscribes to the multi-cast group using the multi-cast address.

10. A method of operating a communications system comprising a mobile node capable of mobility relative to a first network and having a plurality of correspondent nodes capable of sending data to the mobile node, comprising the steps of:

moving the mobile node from a first location associated with a first interfacing node of the first network to a second location associated with a second interfacing node of the first network;

receiving, at the mobile node in response to moving, a forwarding address from the second interfacing node, the forwarding address for the mobile node and multicast routing of data used in the system; and

generating, by the mobile node, a binding update information;

delivering, by the mobile node, to a multicast address the binding update information, the binding update information comprises the forwarding address for the mobile node, the forwarding address having been provided to the mobile node by the second interfacing node; and

delivering, by a multicast service unit of the system, the binding update information by multicast routing to correspondent nodes which have joined the multicast group indicated by the multicast address.