Distributed infrastructure for wireless data communications

• US 8,274,948 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2010
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bender, Paul E., Grob, Matthew S., Kimball, Robert H., Karmi, Gadi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US12/778,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20100220688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/328, 370/329, 370/318, 370/401, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/436
• US Class Current: 370/331
• 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 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/04 Interfaces between hierarchically different network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 : between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

A mobile user terminal 402 accesses a packet data network 450 through one or more of several network access points 404-412. One or more control points 432-440 determines which network access point or points the user terminal is to access. Control may be retained in the current control point, or transferred to another control point, whenever it is convenient. There are preferably several routers, each having an associated home agent 418-420 which determines which foreign agents need to be accessed on behalf of each user terminal. There are several foreign agents 422-430, which forward packets received from a user terminal'"'"'s home agent to the control point currently controlling communications with the user terminal.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a network access point; and

a control point co-located with the network access point and configured to control communications between at least two network access points of a plurality of network access points and at least one remote user and to transfer control over the network access point to a different control point and

wherein said control point is configured

to control a communication between the network access point and the at least one remote user,

to select both the network access point that is co-located with the control point and a second network access point that is not co-located with the control point to communicate with a remote user when the remote user leaves an area served by the network access point and enters an area served by the second network access point, and

to subsequently select only the second network access point to communicate with the remote user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control point is configured to manage power control and handoff of the at least one remote user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network access point further communicates with at least two routers of a plurality of routers and to an associated foreign agent.

4. A method comprising:

receiving at a network access point data intended for at least one remote user; and

transmitting from the network access point the received data to the remote user under control of a control point co-located with the network access point, wherein the control point is configured to control communications between at least two network access points of a plurality of network access points and the at least one remote user and to transfer control over the network access point to a different control point and

wherein said control point is configured

to control a communication between the network access point and the at least one remote user,

to select both the network access point that is co-located with the control point and a second network access point that is not co-located with the control point to communicate with a remote user when the remote user leaves an area served by the network access point and enters an area served by the second network access point, and

to subsequently select only the second network access point to communicate with the remote user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the control point is configured to manage power control and handoff of the at least one remote user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the network access point further communicates with at least two routers of a plurality of routers and to an associated foreign agent.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the transmitting further comprises:

transferring control from the control point to the different control point, the different control point being co-located with one of the at least two network access points.

8. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving at a network access point data intended for at least one remote user; and

means for transmitting from the network access point the received data to the remote user under control of a control point co-located with the network access point, wherein the control point is configured to control communications between at least two network access points of a plurality of network access points and the at least one remote user and to transfer control over the network access point to a different control point and

wherein said control points configured

to control a communication between the network access point and the at least one remote user,

to select both the network access point that is co-locate with the control point and a second network access point that is not co-located with the control point to communicate with a remote user when the remote user leaves an area served by the network access point and enters an area served by the second network access point, and

to subsequently select only the second network access point to communicate with the remote user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control point is configured to manage power control and handoff of the at least one remote user.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network access point further communicates with at least two routers of a plurality of routers and to an associated foreign agent.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising means for transferring control from the control point to the different control point, the different control point being co-located with one of the at least two network access points.