Enhanced techniques for using core based nodes for state transfer

• US 7,668,541 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sigal, Leonid, Dynarski, Richard J., Park, Vincent, Mazik, David R., Corson, M. Scott, O'Neill, Alan, Tsirtsis, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US10/910,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20050063324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,029 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/439, 455/440, 455/560, 370/328, 379/333
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/03 by updating link state protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0019 adapted for mobile IP [MIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 in the uplink, i.e. towards network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for storing, manipulating, retrieving, and forwarding state, e.g., context and other information, used to support communications sessions with one or more end nodes, e.g., mobile devices, are described. Various features are directed to a mobile node controlling the transfer of state from a first access node to a second access node during a handoff operation thereby eliminating any need for state transfer messages to be transmitted between the second access node and the first access node during handoff. Other features of the invention are directed to the use of a core network node to store state information. State information stored in the core node can be accessed and used by access nodes in cases where a mobile node does not send a state transfer message during a handoff, e.g., because communication with the first access node is lost or because such messages are not supported.

Claims

1. An access node for providing communication of state information. comprising;

an interface for receiving a request message from an end node; and

a processor coupled with a memory configured to;

search the memory for current state information associated with the end node;

generate an update message based on the request message, wherein the update message includes an end node identifier and a time stamp of the current state information; and

initiate the interface to send the update message to a management node to instruct the management node to update stored state information associated with the end node with the current state information.

2. The access node of claim 1 wherein the time stamp is used by the management node for updating.

3. The access node of claim 2 wherein the time stamp is based on an access node dependent count and an access node independent count.

4. The access node of claim 1 wherein the interface receives an acknowledgement message from the management node to indicate successful reception of the update message and successful update to the current state information.

5. The access node of claim 4 wherein, upon receipt of the acknowledgement message, the processor is further configured to generate a reply message to the end node to indicate successful update by the management node.

6. The access node of claim 1 wherein the request message includes an identifier of a new access node, wherein the new access node will begin to provide routing services to the end node.

7. The access node of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the interface to send a copy of the update message to the new access node, wherein the update message include the current state information.

8. The access node of claim 1 wherein the request message is part of a handoff procedure.

9. The access node of claim 1 wherein the request message is a store state request (SSRQ) message, the update message is an access node state transfer update (AN-STU) message and the management node is a core state management node (CSMN).

10. The wireless communication node of claim 9 wherein the update message includes an end node identifier and a time stamp of the current state information.

11. The wireless communication node of claim 10 wherein the time stamp is used by the management node for updating.

12. The wireless communication node of claim 10 further comprising means for receiving an acknowledgement message from the management node to indicate successful reception of the update message and successful update to the current state information.

13. The wireless communication node of claim 12 further comprising means for generating a reply message to the end node to indicate successful update in the management node, wherein the reply message is based on the acknowledgement message.

14. The wireless communication node of claim 10 wherein the request message is part of a handoff procedure.

15. A method for communication of state information, comprising:

receiving a request message from an end node;

searching in a memory unit for current state information associated with the end node;

generating an update message based on the request message, wherein the update message includes an end node identifier and a time stamp of the current state information; and

sending the update message to a storage node to instruct the storage node to update stored state information associated with the end node with the current state information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the time stamp is used by the storage node to determine updating.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the time stamp is derived from an access node dependent count and an access node independent count.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving an acknowledgement message from the storage node to indicate successful reception of the update message and successful update to the current state information.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising generating a reply message to the end node to indicate successful update by the storage node upon receipt of the acknowledgement message.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the request message is part of a handoff procedure.

21. A computer-readable medium including machine executable instructions for:

receiving a request message from an end node;

searching in a memory unit for current state information associated with the end node;

generating an update message based on the request message, wherein the update message includes an end node identifier and a time stamp of the current state information; and

sending the update message to a storage node to instruct the storage node to update stored state information associated with the end node with the current state information.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the time stamp is used by the storage node for updating.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the time stamp is derived from an access node dependent count and an access node independent count.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 further comprising machine executable instructions for receiving an acknowledgement message from the storage node to indicate successful reception of the update message and successful update to the current state information.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 further comprising machine executable instructions for generating a reply message to the end node to indicate successful update by the storage node upon receipt of the acknowledgement message.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the request message is part of a handoff procedure.