System and method for grouping multiple VLANs into a single 802.11 IP multicast domain

• US 7,944,925 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meier, Robert, Halasz, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee; Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US11/840,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20070286108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 370/312, 370/331, 370/338, 370/390, 370/401, 370/432
• US Class Current: 370/395.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/32 for defining a routing cluster membership

Abstract

A system and method for identifying and grouping multiple virtual local area networks into a single multicast domain is provided. The system and method may be configured to designate a virtual local area network within as a multicast virtual local area network to streamline the delivery of multicast messages via a network. A station may be configured with multiple group keys so that it can receive messages from multiple broadcast or multicast domains.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an access point configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile node enabling the mobile node to communicate with an associated network;

wherein the access point is configured to group a plurality of virtual local area networks into a single multicast domain;

wherein the access point is configured to streamline delivery of multicast messages in the associated network by selecting a one of the plurality of virtual local area networks as a designated multicast virtual local area network for receiving and transmitting multicast messages of the single multicast domain;

wherein the access point is configured to deliver a multicast group key comprising a first key identification and a broadcast group key comprising a second key identification to each mobile node of the plurality of virtual area networks grouped in the single multicast domain;

wherein the multicast group key is selectively used by a mobile node to translate the multicast messages of the single multicast domain and the first key identification to identify the access point; and

,

wherein the broadcast group key is selectively used by a mobile node to translate broadcast messages of a respective one of the plurality of virtual local area networks.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access point is further configured to assign a mobile node belonging to one of the plurality of virtual area networks to the single multicast domain.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

the access point is configured to intercept an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) report transmitted by the mobile node belonging to said one of the plurality of virtual local area networks; and

the access point is configured to relay the IGMP report onto the designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising the access point is configured to relay a packet from the single multicast domain onto the designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising the access point is configured to relay a packet from the designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain onto the single multicast domain.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising the access point is configured to discard a packet for one of the plurality of virtual local area networks that is not the designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the access point is configured to establish, as the multicast group key, an encryption key for the multicast domain.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the access point is configured to securely forward the encryption key to the mobile node belonging to said one of the plurality of virtual local area networks.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

the access point is configured to assign, as the first key identification, a key identifier to the encryption key; and

the access point is configured to forward the key identifier to the mobile node belonging to said one of the plurality of virtual local area networks.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

the access point is configured to include the key identifier in data packets for the single multicast domain; and

the access point is configured to transmit data packets for the single multicast domain encrypted with the encryption key.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multicast domain is an Internet Protocol (IP) multicast domain.

12. A method, comprising:

grouping a plurality of virtual local area networks comprising a plurality of mobile nodes into a single multicast domain;

assigning a mobile node belonging to one of the plurality of virtual local area networks to the single multicast domain;

delivering, by an access point, a multicast group key comprising a first key identification and a broadcast group key comprising a second key identification to the plurality of mobile nodes of the plurality of virtual area networks; and

forwarding a packet for one of the plurality of virtual local area networks onto the single multicast domain;

wherein the multicast group key is selectively used by the mobile nodes to translate multicast messages of the multicast domain and the first key identification to identify the access point; and

,

wherein the broadcast group key is selectively used by the mobile nodes to translate broadcast messages of a respective one of the plurality of virtual local area networks.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising designating a selected one of the plurality of virtual local area networks as a designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

intercepting an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) report transmitted by the mobile node belonging to said one of the plurality of virtual local area networks; and

relaying the IGMP report onto the designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising relaying a packet from the single multicast domain onto the designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising relaying a packet from the designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain onto the single multicast domain.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising discarding a packet received for one of the plurality of virtual local area networks that is not the designated multicast virtual local area network for the single multicast domain.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising

establishing, as the multicast group key, an encryption key for the multicast domain;

securely forward the encryption key to the mobile node belonging to said one of the plurality of virtual local area networks; and

transmitting data packets for the single multicast domain encrypted with the encryption key.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

assigning, as the first key identification, a key identifier to the encryption key; and

adding the key identifier to a header of a data packet.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the multicast domain is an Internet Protocol (IP) multicast domain.