Method and apparatus for providing mobile and other intermittent connectivity in a computing environment
First Claim
1. A mobility communications system including:
- a first IP-based point-of-presence network;
a second IP-based point of presence network; and
a roaming mobile proxy device that substantially seamlessly roams between at least said first IP-based point-of-presence network and said second IP-based point-of-presence network, the roaming mobile proxy device comprising;
a first networking mechanism that enables said mobile proxy device to provide and support a local mobile network so that said mobile proxy device provides network connectivity for at least one node that communicates with an ultimate peer not attached to the local mobile network by communicating with said ultimate peer through said local mobile network and said mobile proxy device; and
a second networking mechanism that enables said mobile proxy device to exchange application data between said at least one node attached to said local mobile network and said ultimate peer(s) that is remote to said mobile proxy device and is not attached to the local mobile network while said mobile proxy device substantially seamlessly roams between said first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks,wherein said roamable mobile proxy device allows said at least one node to persistently maintains application sessions through changes in network point of presence.
18 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A seamless solution transparently addresses the characteristics of nomadic systems, and enables existing network applications to run reliably in mobile environments. A Mobility Management Server coupled to the mobile network maintains the state of each of any number of Mobile End Systems and handles the complex session management required to maintain persistent connections to the network and to other peer processes. If a Mobile End System becomes unreachable, suspends, or changes network address (e.g., due to roaming from one network interconnect to another), the Mobility Management Server maintains the connection to the associated peer task—allowing the Mobile End System to maintain a continuous connection even though it may temporarily lose contact with its network medium. An interface-based listener uses network point of attachment information supplied by a network interface to determine roaming conditions and to efficiently reestablish connection upon roaming. The Mobility Management Server can distribute lists to Mobile End Systems specifying how to contact it over disjoint networks.
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A mobility communications system including:
-
a first IP-based point-of-presence network; a second IP-based point of presence network; and a roaming mobile proxy device that substantially seamlessly roams between at least said first IP-based point-of-presence network and said second IP-based point-of-presence network, the roaming mobile proxy device comprising; a first networking mechanism that enables said mobile proxy device to provide and support a local mobile network so that said mobile proxy device provides network connectivity for at least one node that communicates with an ultimate peer not attached to the local mobile network by communicating with said ultimate peer through said local mobile network and said mobile proxy device; and a second networking mechanism that enables said mobile proxy device to exchange application data between said at least one node attached to said local mobile network and said ultimate peer(s) that is remote to said mobile proxy device and is not attached to the local mobile network while said mobile proxy device substantially seamlessly roams between said first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks, wherein said roamable mobile proxy device allows said at least one node to persistently maintains application sessions through changes in network point of presence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A mobility communications method performed by at least one roamable mobile proxy device that substantially seamlessly roams between at least first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks, said method comprising:
-
communicating over a local mobile private network between said roamable mobile proxy device and at least one node so that said mobile proxy device provides network connectivity for the at least one node that enables the at least one node to communicate with an ultimate peer not attached to said local mobile private network by communicating through said local mobile private network and said mobile proxy device; and communicating application data through said first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks to thereby enable communications between said at least one node and the ultimate peer(s) which is not attached to the local mobile network, while said roamable mobile proxy device substantially seamlessly roams between said first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks, said roamable mobile proxy device persistently maintaining application sessions for said node as said mobile proxy device changes the network point of presence to which said mobile proxy device is connected. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A mobility management method performed by at least one roamable mobile proxy device that substantially seamlessly roams between first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks, said method comprising:
-
exchanging IP data between said roamable mobile proxy device and at least one further node over a local mobile network; enabling application data to be communicated between said at least one node and an ultimate peer(s) not be attached to the local mobile network by sending data over first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks to said mobile proxy device for forwarding by said mobile proxy device to said node over said local mobile network while said mobile proxy device substantially seamlessly roams between said first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks; and automatically balancing loading on said local mobile network between a hierarchical clustering of mobility management systems thereby adding capacity to said local mobile network on-the-fly without disruption to connected systems and/or users; dividing said mobility management systems into server pool zones; and persistently maintaining application sessions with said roamable mobile proxy device through changes in network point of presence that provide connectivity with said mobile proxy device. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A Mobile Proxy Communications arrangement providing a roamable mobile proxy device that substantially seamlessly roams between at least first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks, said mobile proxy communications arrangement comprising:
-
at least one communications arrangement that provides communications via said locally coupled mobile network with at least one node, wherein said node is not mobile aware and is attached to said mobile network and communicates with said mobile proxy device through said mobile network; a further communications arrangement that provides roamable communications with at least first and second IP-based Point-of-Presence networks and provides substantially seamless roaming of said mobile proxy device between said first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks; and a processing arrangement provided by said mobile proxy device that facilitates and proxies communication of application data at least one of to and from said at least one node and an ultimate peer(s) not attached to the mobile private network and persistently maintains application sessions for said at least one node as the network point of presence of the mobile proxy device changes.
-
-
32. A Mobile Gateway Communications arrangement including a roamable mobile gateway device that substantially seamlessly roams between first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks, said mobile gateway communications arrangement comprising:
-
at least one communications arrangement portion of said roamable mobile gateway device that supports a locally coupled mobile network between said mobile gateway device and at least one node, wherein said node is not mobile aware; a further communications arrangement portion of said roamable mobile gateway device that provides communications with at least one IP-based Point-of-Presence network as said mobile gateway device substantially seamlessly roams between said first and second IP-based point-of-presence networks; and a processing arrangement that allows said roamable mobile gateway device to exchange application data between said at least one node and an ultimate peer(s) not attached to the mobile private network and persistently maintains application sessions as the network point of presence of said gateway device changes.
-
Specification