Method and system for managing idle mode of a mobile node with multiple interfaces

• US 8,103,278 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Tsao, Shiao-Li
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US12/060,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20090245150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/311, 370/395.2, 370/395.52, 370/360, 455/442, 455/432.1, 455/434, 455/449
• US Class Current: 455/442
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/289 Single service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2592 using tunnelling or encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0203 in the radio access network or backbone network of wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for controlling a first interface and a second interface installed on a mobile node is provided, wherein the mobile node communicates with a first access network (AN) through the first interface and communicates with a second AN through the second interface. The method comprises following steps. A first IP address is acquired through the first interface and the first AN for accessing a service network (SN). A second IP address is acquired through the second interface and the second AN for accessing the SN. The first interface is then selected as an awake interface. The second bridging node is directed to create and cache binding information indicating a binding of the second IP address to the first IP address. The second interface is turned off after the binding information is successfully created and cached on the second bridging node.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a first interface and a second interface installed on a mobile node, wherein the mobile node communicates with a first access network (AN) through the first interface and communicates with a second AN through the second interface, comprising:

acquiring a first IP address through the first interface and the first AN for accessing a service network (SN);

acquiring a second IP address through the second interface and the second AN for accessing the SN;

selecting the first interface as an awake interface;

directing a second bridging node to create and cache binding information indicating a binding of the second IP address to the first IP address;

turning off the second interface after the binding information is successfully created and cached on the second bridging node;

receiving a packet via the first interface;

de-tunneling the received packet and discovering that the received packet is originally transmitted to the second interface;

turning on the second interface; and

directing the second bridging node to erase the cached binding information via the second interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second bridging node receives a packet comprising a destination of the second IP address, tunnels the received packet with a new packet header comprising a destination of the first IP address and routes the tunneled packet to a first bridging node after detecting the cached binding information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second bridging node receives a packet comprising a destination of the second IP address, and forwards the received packet to the mobile node through the second AN and the second interface after detecting no cached binding information corresponding to the second IP address.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically determining whether the mobile node is potentially moved out of an available coverage of the second AN according to signals received via the first interface after the binding information is successfully created and cached on the second bridging node and the second interface is turned off; and

if so, turning on the second interface, discovering a third AN via the second interface, attaching to the third AN when discovered, and turning off the second interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein that the mobile node is potentially moved out of an available coverage of the second AN is determined when a condition is satisfied:

D_MN-AP+β

×

D_MOVE>

R_AP,

β

is a weighting value, R_AP denotes an available coverage area of the second AN, D_MN-AP denotes a distance between the second AN and the mobile node, and D_MOVE denotes a moving distance of the mobile node according to variations of signal strengths received by the first interface.

6. A method for controlling a first interface and a second interface installed on a mobile node, wherein the mobile node communicates with a first access network (AN) through the first interface and communicates with a second AN through the second interface, comprising:

acquiring a first IP address through the first interface and the first AN for accessing a service network (SN);

acquiring a second IP address through the second interface and the second AN for accessing the SN;

selecting the first interface as an awake interface;

directing the second bridging node to create and cache binding information indicating a binding of the second IP address to the first IP address;

turning off the second interface after the binding information is successfully created and cached on the second bridging node;

receiving a packet via the first interface;

de-tunneling the received packet and discovering that the received packet is sent by a corresponding node and originally transmitted to the second interface; and

directing the corresponding node to create the cache binding information indicating a binding of the second IP address to the first IP address on the corresponding node.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, after successfully creating and caching the binding information, the corresponding node transmits a packet comprising a destination of the first IP address to the mobile node via the first interface.

8. A system for managing a first interface capable of communicating with a first access network (AN), and a second interface capable of communicating with a second AN, comprising:

a processing unit acquiring a first IP address assigning by a first bridging node through the first interface and the first AN for accessing a service network (SN), acquiring a second IP address assigned by a second bridging node through the second interface and the second AN, acquiring a third IP address assigned by the first bridging node through the second interface for accessing the SN, selecting the first interface as an awake interface, directing the first bridging node to create and cache binding information indicating a binding between the third IP address and the first IP address, turning off the second interface after the binding information is successfully created and cached on the first bridging node, receiving a packet via the first interface, de-tunneling the received packet and discovering that the received packet is originally transmitted to the third IP address, turning on the second interface, and directing the first bridging node to update the cached binding information with that indicating a binding between the third IP address and the second IP address.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the SN is a 3G service network, the first interface is a cellular interface, the second interface is a wireless interface and the first bridging node receives a packet comprising a destination of the third IP address for the wireless interface, tunnels the received packet with a new packet header comprising a destination of the first IP address and forwards the tunneled packet to the first AN after detecting the cached binding information, and the first AN forwards the tunneled packet to the first interface.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first bridging node receives a packet comprising a destination of the third IP address, tunnels the received packet with a new packet header comprising a destination of the second IP address and routes the tunneled packet to the second bridging node through the Internet after detecting the updated binding information.

11. A system for managing a first interface capable of communicating with a first access network (AN), and a second interface capable of communicating with a second AN, comprising:

a processing unit acquiring a first IP address assigned by a first bridging node through the first interface and the first AN for accessing a service network (SN), acquiring a second IP address assigned by a second bridging node through the second interface and the second AN for accessing the SN, selecting the first interface as an awake interface, directing the second bridging node to create and cache binding information indicating a binding between the second IP address and the first IP address, turning off the second interface after the binding information is successfully created and cached on the second bridging node, receiving a packet via the first interface, de-tunneling the received packet and discovering that the received packet is originally transmitted to the second interface, turning on the second interface, and directing the second bridging node to erase the cached binding information or update the cached binding information with that indicating a binding between the second IP address and a third IP address assigned by a foreign agent (FA) using the second interface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the SN is the Internet, the first bridging node operates as a first home agent (HA1) for the first interface, the second bridging node operates as a second home agent for the second interface, the first IP address is a first home of address (HoA1) maintained by the HA1 and the second IP address is a second a second home of address (HoA2) maintained by the HA2, the HA1 further maintains a binding between the first IP address and a third IP address, the third IP address is acquired via the first interface through a currently attached AN and is a first care of address (CoA1) of HoA1, and the HA2 receives a packet comprising a destination of the second IP address, tunnels the received packet with a new packet header comprising a destination of the first IP address and forwards the tunneled packet to the HA1 after detecting the cached binding information thereon, and the HA1 receives a packet comprising a destination of the first IP address, tunnels the received packet with another new packet header comprising a destination of the third IP address and routes the tunneled packet to the first interface.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second bridging node receives a packet comprising a destination of the second IP address, tunnels the received packet with a new packet header comprising a destination of the third IP address and routes the tunneled packet to the second interface through the Internet after detecting the updated binding information.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second bridging node receives a packet comprising a destination of the second IP address, forwards the received packet to the second interface.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the SN is the Internet, the first bridging node operates as a first home agent (HA1) for the first interface, the second bridging node operates as a second home agent for the second interface, the first IP address is a first care of address (CoA1) of a first home of address (HoA1) maintained by the HA1, the second IP address is a second home of address (HoA2) maintained by the HA2, and the HA2 receives a packet comprising a destination of the second IP address, tunnels the received packet with a new packet header comprising a destination of the first IP address and routes the tunneled packet to the first interface after detecting the cached binding information thereon.

16. A system for managing a first interface capable of communicating with a first access network (AN), and a second interface capable of communicating with a second AN, comprising:

a processing unit acquiring a first IP address assigned by a first bridging node through the first interface and the first AN for accessing a service network (SN), acquiring a second IP address assigned by a second bridging node through the second interface and the second AN for accessing the SN, selecting the first interface as an awake interface, directing the second bridging node to create and cache binding information indicating a binding between the second IP address and the first IP address, turning off the second interface after the binding information is successfully created and cached on the second bridging node, receiving a packet via the first interface, de-tunneling the received packet and discovering that the received packet is originally transmitted to the second interface, directing the second bridging node to erase the cached binding information or update the cached binding information with that indicating a binding between the second IP address and a third IP address assigned by a foreign agent (FA), and turning on the second interface after the cached binding information is successfully erased or updated,

wherein the SN is the Internet, the first bridging node operates as a first home agent (HA1) for the first interface, the second bridging node operates as a second home agent for the second interface, the first IP address is a first care of address (CoA1) of a first home of address (HoA1) maintained by the HA1, the second IP address is a second a second home of address (HoA2) maintained by the HA2, and the third IP address is acquired via the second interface through a currently attached AN and is a second care of address (CoA2) of HoA2.

17. A method for controlling a first interface and a second interface installed on a mobile node, wherein the mobile node communicates with a first access network (AN) through the first interface and communicates with a second AN through the second interface, comprising:

turning off the second interface;

determining whether the mobile node is potentially moved out of an available coverage of the second AN according to signals received via the first interface; and

if so, turning on the second interface, discovering a third AN via the second interface, attaching to the third AN when discovered, and turning off the second interface,

wherein that the mobile node is potentially moved out of an available coverage of the second AN is determined when a condition is satisfied;

D_MN-AP+β

×

D_MOVE>

R_AP,

β

is a weighting value, R_AP denotes an available coverage area of the second AN D_MN-AP denotes a distance between the second AN and the mobile node, and D_MOVE denotes a moving distance of the mobile node according to variations of signal strengths received by the first interface.