Mobile station traffic routing

• US 8,189,551 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: BelAir Networks (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Rayment, Stephen G., Nandy, Biswajit, So, Tricci Yuk-Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, XAVIER S
• Application Number:
  US12/464,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20090225735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/331, 370/338, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/433
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Devices, networks and methods relating to routing gateway traffic in a mesh network for wireless access. A mesh network has multiple nodes in at least one gateway node through which all incoming and outgoing data traffic pass through. The nodes provide wireless access to wireless and user devices, each of which is associated with a node in the mesh network. Each gateway node contains a record detailing which nodes are providing wireless access to which wireless end user device and which nodes are associated with which end user devices. This record of each end user device'"'"'s location is periodically updated as the gateway node periodically receives data from the nodes which detail the device is being serviced by which node. Any incoming data traffic destined for an end user device is encapsulated and routed to the proper node servicing that end user device.

Claims

1. In a mesh network having a plurality of nodes for providing wireless access to a plurality of wireless end user devices including a first device associated with a first home node and being provided wireless access by a first roaming node different from the first home node, the plurality of nodes including a gateway node for tracking the wireless end user devices and for relaying data traffic between the mesh network and another network external to the mesh network, the gateway node being different from each of the first home node and the first roaming node, a method of routing data traffic to the first device when the first device moves from a coverage area of the first roaming node into a coverage area of a second roaming node different from each of the first home node, the first roaming node, and the gateway node, the method comprising:

receiving only at the gateway node a notification from the second roaming node that the first device has moved into the coverage area of the second roaming node;

receiving only at the first home node and at the first roaming node a notification from the gateway node that the first device has moved into the coverage area of the second roaming node;

receiving data traffic at the first roaming node, the data traffic being destined for the first device;

forwarding the data traffic from the first roaming node to the second roaming node; and

forwarding the data traffic from the second roaming node to the first device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of nodes includes a correspondent node different from each of the first home node, the first roaming node, the second roaming node, and the gateway node, the data traffic originating from the correspondent node, the correspondent node being programmed to forward the data traffic destined for the first device to the first roaming node, the method further comprising:

receiving further data traffic, destined for the correspondent node, at the second roaming node from the first device;

receiving the further data traffic at the correspondent node from the second roaming node;

determining at the correspondent node that the further data traffic was received from the second roaming node and originated from the first device; and

reprogramming the correspondent node to route any even further data traffic destined for the first device to the second roaming node.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein reprogramming the correspondent node comprises updating a routing table of the correspondent node to record that the first device is being provided wireless access by the second roaming node.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein, prior to the step of reprogramming the correspondent node to route any even further data traffic destined for the first device to the second roaming node, the routing table of the correspondent node recorded that the first device was being provided wireless access by the first roaming node.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the plurality of wireless end user devices includes a second device being provided wireless service by the correspondent node, the method further comprising:

forwarding the further data traffic from the correspondent node to the second device;

receiving the even further data traffic, destined for the first device, at the correspondent node from the second device;

forwarding the even further data traffic from the correspondent node to the second roaming node; and

forwarding the even further data traffic from the second roaming node to the first device.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein forwarding the even further data traffic from the correspondent node to the second roaming node comprises repackaging, at the correspondent node, the even further data traffic with an address of the second roaming node.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

reprogramming the gateway node to route any further data traffic destined for the first device to the second roaming node.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein reprogramming the gateway node comprises updating a routing table of the gateway node to record that the first device is being provided wireless access by the second roaming node.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein, prior to the step of reprogramming the gateway node to route any further data traffic destined for the first device to the second roaming node, the routing table of the gateway node recorded that the first device was being provided wireless access by the first roaming node.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the plurality of nodes includes an additional gateway node for tracking the wireless end user devices and for relaying data traffic between the mesh network and a further network external to the mesh network, the method further comprising:

forwarding the routing table of the gateway node from the gateway node only to the additional gateway node; and

updating a routing table of the additional gateway node so as to make identical the respective routing tables of the gateway node and the additional gateway node.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the plurality of nodes includes a plurality of additional gateway nodes each for tracking the wireless end user devices and for relaying data traffic between the mesh network and a corresponding further network external to the mesh network, the method further comprising:

forwarding the routing table of the gateway node from the gateway node only to each of the additional gateway nodes; and

for each of the additional gateway nodes, updating a routing table of that additional gateway node so as to make identical the respective routing tables of the gateway node and that additional gateway node,

such that all of the routing tables of the gateway node and all of the additional gateway nodes are made identical.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein forwarding the data traffic from the first roaming node to the second roaming node comprises repackaging, at the first roaming node, the data traffic with an address of the second roaming node.

13. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

reprogramming the first roaming node to route any further data traffic destined for the first device to the second roaming node.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein reprogramming the first roaming node comprises updating a routing table of the first roaming node to record that the first device is being provided wireless access by the second roaming node.

15. In a mesh network having a plurality of nodes for providing wireless access to a plurality of wireless end user devices including a first device associated with a first home node and being provided wireless access by a first roaming node different from the first home node, the plurality of nodes including a gateway node for tracking the wireless end user devices and for relaying data traffic between the mesh network and another network external to the mesh network, the gateway node being different from each of the first home node and the first roaming node, a method of routing data traffic to the first device when the first device moves from a coverage area of the first roaming node into a coverage area of a second roaming node different from each of the first home node, the first roaming node, and the gateway node, the method comprising:

receiving only at the gateway node a notification from the second roaming node that the first device has moved into the coverage area of the second roaming node;

receiving only at the first home node and at the first roaming node a notification from the gateway node that the first device has moved into the coverage area of the second roaming node;

reprogramming the gateway node to route any further data traffic destined for the first device to the second roaming node;

receiving data traffic at the gateway node, the data traffic being destined for the first device;

forwarding the data traffic from the gateway node to the second roaming node; and

forwarding the data traffic from the second roaming node to the first device.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the data traffic is received at the gateway node from the other network external to the mesh network.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the plurality of nodes includes a routing node different from each of the first home node, the first roaming node, the second roaming node, and the correspondent node, and the data traffic is received at the gateway node from the routing node.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein forwarding the data traffic from the gateway node to the second roaming node comprises repackaging, at the gateway node, the data traffic with an address of the second roaming node.

19. In a mesh network having a plurality of nodes for providing wireless access to a plurality of wireless end user devices including a first device associated with a first home node and being provided wireless access by a first roaming node different from the first home node, the plurality of nodes including a gateway node for tracking the wireless end user devices and for relaying data traffic between the mesh network and another network external to the mesh network, the gateway node being different from each of the first home node and the first roaming node, a method of routing data traffic to the first device when the first device moves from a coverage area of the first roaming node into a coverage area of a second roaming node different from each of the first home node, the first roaming node, and the gateway node, the method comprising:

receiving only at the gateway node a notification from the second roaming node that the first device has moved into the coverage area of the second roaming node;

receiving only at the first home node and at the first roaming node a notification from the gateway node that the first device has moved into the coverage area of the second roaming node;

receiving data traffic at the first home node, the data traffic being destined for the first device;

forwarding the data traffic from the first home node to the second roaming node; and

forwarding the data traffic from the second roaming node to the first device.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising, prior to the step of forwarding the data traffic from the first home node to the second roaming node:

reprogramming the first home node to route any further data traffic destined for the first device to the second roaming node, wherein reprogramming the first home node comprises updating a routing table of the first home node to record that the first device is being provided wireless access by the second roaming node.