Supporting communication sessions at a mobile node

• US 7,536,187 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malaviya, Viren K., Iyer, Jayaraman R., Oswal, Anand K., Lindert, David P., Waclawsky, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/209,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/450, 455/452.1, 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/452.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Supporting communication sessions at a mobile node includes determining at a mobile node an address for one or more interior network elements of a network system. A interior network element is distinct from an edge network element of the network system, and is operable to establish a communication session. An address for an interior network element is inserted into packets. The packets are sent from the mobile node to the interior network element to communicate directly with the interior network element. The communication session is established using the interior network element.

Claims

1. A method for supporting one or more communication sessions at a mobile node, comprising:

identifying a plurality of available communication sessions;

receiving, at a mobile node, shared information from a Tier 1 element of a first network system, the shared information comprising a network element address and session information, the network element address identifying a Tier 2 network element of a second network system, the session information identifying at least one network attachment point used by the mobile node to connect to the first network system;

executing a decision procedure to select a second communication session from the plurality of available communication sessions;

inserting, by the mobile node, the network element address into a plurality of packets to bypass the Tier 1 network element to communicate directly with the Tier 2 network element;

inserting, by the mobile node, the session information into the packets;

sending the plurality of packets from the mobile node to the Tier 2 network element to establish the second communication session, the Tier 2 network element configured to retrieve data from the network attachment point to establish the second communication session; and

establishing the second communication session using the Tier 2 network element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating a first plurality of packets using the first communication session while communicating a second plurality of packets using the second communication session.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating a first plurality of packets using the first communication session while communicating a second plurality of packets using the communication session, the first plurality of packets communicating a first type of information, the second plurality of packets communicating a second type of information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the first communication session to perform a handover procedure.

5. A mobile node operable to support one or more communication sessions, comprising:

a memory operable to store information; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to;

identify a plurality of available communication sessions;

receive shared information from a Tier 1 element of a first network system, the shared information comprising a network element address and session information, the network element address identifying a Tier 2 network element of a second network system, the session information identifying at least one network attachment point used by the mobile node to connect to the first network system;

execute a decision procedure to select a second communication session from the plurality of available communication sessions;

insert the network element address into a plurality of packets to bypass the Tier 1 network element to communicate directly with the Tier 2 network element;

insert the session information into the packets;

send the plurality of packets to the Tier 2 network element to establish a second communication session, the Tier 2 network element configured to retrieve data from the network attachment point to establish the second communication session; and

facilitate initiation of the second communication session using the Tier 2 network element.

6. The mobile node of claim 5, the processor further operable to:

communicate a first plurality of packets using the first communication session while communicating a second plurality of packets using the second communication session.

7. The mobile node of claim 5, the processor further operable to:

communicate a first plurality of packets using the first communication session while communicating a second plurality of packets using the second communication session, the first plurality of packets communicating a first type of information, the second plurality of packets communicating a second type of information.

8. The mobile node of claim 5, the processor further operable to:

terminate the first communication session to perform a handover procedure.

9. The mobile node of claim 5, the processor further operable to:

establish the second communication session using the Tier 2 network element, the second communication session distinct from the first communication session;

communicate a first plurality of packets using the first communication session while communicating a second plurality of packets using the second communication session, the first plurality of packets communicating a first type of information, the second plurality of packets communicating a second type of information; and

terminate the first communication session to perform a handover procedure.

10. A system for supporting one or more communication sessions at a mobile node, comprising:

means for identifying a plurality of available communication sessions;

means for receiving, at a mobile node, shared information from a Tier 1 element of a first network system, the shared information comprising a network element address and session information, the network element address identifying a Tier 2 network element of a second network system, the session information identifying at least one network attachment point used by the mobile node to connect to the first network system;

means for executing a decision procedure to select a second communication session from the plurality of available communication sessions;

means for inserting, by the mobile node, the network element address into a plurality of packets to bypass the Tier 1 network element to communicate directly with the Tier 2 network element;

means for inserting, by the mobile node, the session information into the packets;

means for sending the plurality of packets from the mobile node to the Tier 2 network element to establish a second communication session, the Tier 2 network element configured to retrieve data from the network attachment point to establish the second communication session; and

means for establishing the second communication session using the Tier 2 network element.

11. A network system for supporting one or more communication sessions at a mobile node, comprising:

a Tier 2 network element of a second network system; and

a mobile node operable to;

identify a plurality of available communication sessions;

receive shared information from a Tier 1 element of a first network system, the shared information comprising a network element address and session information, the network element address identifying the Tier 2 network element of the second network system, the session information identifying at least one network attachment point used by the mobile node to connect to the first network system;

execute a decision procedure to select the second communication session from the plurality of available communication sessions;

insert the network element address into a plurality of packets to bypass the Tier 1 network element to communicate directly with the Tier 2 network element;

insert the session information into the packets;

send the plurality of packets from the mobile node to the Tier 2 network element to establish a second communication session, the Tier 2 network element configured to retrieve data from the network attachment point to establish the second communication session; and

facilitate initiation of the second communication session using the Tier 2 network element.

12. The network system of claim 11, the mobile node further operable to:

communicate a first plurality of packets using the first communication session while communicating a second plurality of packets using the second communication session.

13. The network system of claim 11, the mobile node further operable to:

communicate a first plurality of packets using the first communication session while communicating a second plurality of packets using the second communication session, the first plurality of packets communicating a first type of information, the second plurality of packets communicating a second type of information.

14. The network system of claim 11, the mobile node further operable to:

terminate the first communication session to perform a handover procedure.

15. The network system of claim 11 further comprising:

a translator operable to provide a communication procedure to the mobile node;

wherein;

the mobile node is further operable to communicate with the Tier 2 network element by using the communication procedure.

16. A network system for supporting one or more communication sessions at a mobile node, comprising:

a Tier 2 network element of a second network system;

a translator operable to provide a communication procedure; and

a mobile node operable to;

identify a plurality of available communication sessions;

execute a decision procedure to select the first communication session from the plurality of available communication sessions;

receive shared information from a Tier 1 element of a first network system, the shared information comprising a network element address and session information, the network element address identifying the Tier 2 network element of the second network system, the session information identifying at least one network attachment point used by the mobile node to connect to the first network system;

communicate with the first interior network element by using the communication procedure from the translator;

insert the network element address into a plurality of packets to bypass the Tier 1 network element to communicate directly with the Tier 2 network element;

insert the session information into the packets;

send the plurality of packets from the mobile node to the Tier 2 network element to establish a second communication session, the Tier 2 network element configured to retrieve data from the network attachment point to establish the second communication session;

facilitate initiation of the second communication session using the Tier 2 network element;

communicate a first plurality of packets using the first communication session while communicating a second plurality of packets using the second communication session, the first plurality of packets communicating a first type of information, the second plurality of packets communicating a second type of information; and

terminate the first communication session to perform a handover procedure.