State synchronization of access routers

• US 9,066,344 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Corson, M. Scott, Tsirtsis, George, Park, Vincent D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US11/486,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,266 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 370/338, 370/349, 370/312, 370/404, 370/449, 370/330, 370/335, 370/356, 455/439, 455/422, 455/436, 455/67, 455/524, 455/432.1, 455/67.11, 455/3.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers

Abstract

Embodiments describe synchronizing access routers with wireless terminal state information. According to an embodiment is a wireless terminal that transmits a message that includes an address for at least two access routers. State change information can optionally be included in the message. According to another embodiment is an access router that receives a state change notification from a wireless device or another access router. The state change notification is updated in the access router. An acknowledgment confirming the updated state change may be sent to the wireless terminal. Dynamic state synchronization is provided with minimal communication with wireless terminal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a first access router, wherein the first access router comprises:

a processor configured to receive a message, wherein the message is received from a wireless device via at least one of a plurality of wireless communication nodes coupled to the processor, and the message comprises information identifying a second access router to which the wireless device is coupled;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store state information describing a state of the wireless device, wherein the first processor is further configured to identify the state information as synchronized at the first access router; and

a transmitter coupled to the memory and configured to transmit the state information to the second access router,

wherein, prior to transmitting the state information, the processor is further configured to mark an address of the first access router in the message as having received the message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit to the wireless device a notifier that notifies the wireless device that a state change has occurred.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to receive an identifier that identifies the state of the wireless device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first access router is at least one of a base station, an access point, a packet data serving node (PDSN), and a gateway general packet radio services (GPRS) support node.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to use the state information stored in the memory to synchronize state information of the access router.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the state information is based. on at least one of the following:

a type of communication, an amount of data traffic, and a condition that affects communication of the wireless device.

5. An apparatus for synchronizing state change information in a wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a message at a first access router, wherein the message is received from a wireless terminal via at least one of a plurality of wireless communication nodes, and the message comprises information identifying at least a second access router to which the wireless device is coupled;

means for storing state information describing a state of the wireless terminal;

means for identifying the state information as synchronized at the first access router; and

means for transmitting that is coupled to the receiving means and configured to transmit the state information to the second access router

means for marking, prior to transmitting the state information, the first access router'"'"'s address in the message as having received the message.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

means for notifying the wireless terminal of a state change.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the state information is one of a terminal identification, a quality of service configuration, an authorization parameter, a timer associated with system use, and a condition of a link.

31. The apparatus of claim 5, further including means for using the state information stored in the storing means to synchronize state information of the first access router.

32. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the state information is based on at least one of the following:

a type of communication, an amount of data traffic, and a condition that affects communication of the wireless terminal.

8. A method for synchronizing state information in a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving a message at a first access router, wherein the message identities at least a second access router, and the message is received from a wireless terminal via at least one of a plurality of communication nodes;

storing state information describing a status of the wireless terminal;

identifying the state information as synchronized at the first access router;

transmitting the state information to the second access router; and

marking, prior to transmitting the state information, the first access router'"'"'s address in the message as having received the message.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an address of the wireless terminal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the state information is at least one of a quality of service configuration, an authorization parameter, a terminal identification, a condition of a link, and a timer associated with system use.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first access router is one of a base station;

an access point, a packet data serving node (PDSN), and a gateway general packet radio services (GPRS) support node.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending an acknowledgment of the message to the wireless terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing the state information in a storage media of the first access router.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the message is received from a third access router.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the state information is at least one of a terminal identification, a quality of service configuration, an authorization parameter, and a timer indicating system use.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first access router is one of a base station, an access point, a packet data serving node (PDSN), and a gateway general packet radio services (GPRS) support node.

33. The method of claim 8, further comprising using the state information to synchronize state information of the second access router.

34. The method of claim 8, wherein the state information is based on at least one of the following:

a type of communication, an amount of data traffic, and a condition that affects communication of the wireless terminal.

12. A communication apparatus, comprising:

means for accepting, at a first access router, a message from a second access router, wherein

the message is received from a wireless device via at least one of a first plurality of wireless communication nodes,

the second access router is configured to accept data from the wireless device via at least one of a second plurality of wireless communication nodes, and

the message comprises state information describing a state of the wireless device, a first address identifying the first access router, and at least a second address identifying at least a third access router; and

means for conveying that is coupled to the accepting means and configured to convey the state information to the third access router, wherein the third access router is configured to maintain a data connection with the wireless device based in part on the state information

wherein, prior to conveying the state information, the first access router is further configured to mark an address of the first access router in the message as having received the message.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for capturing the state of the wireless device; and

means for applying the state to a subsequent communication with the wireless device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the message further comprises an identifier of the wireless device.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for transmitting coupled with the accepting means, wherein the transmitting means is configured to transmit an acknowledgment of the message to the wireless device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for maintaining the state information at the first access router; and

means for applying the state of the wireless device during a subsequent communication with the wireless device.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for removing an address of the first access router from the message prior to transmitting the acknowledgment.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for determining if the message includes a second address for a third access router; and

means for communicating at least a subset of the message to the third access router.

35. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for using state information of the second access router to synchronize state information of the third access router.

36. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the state information is based on at least one of the following:

a type of communication, an amount of data traffic, and a condition that affects communication of the wireless device.

39. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for using the state information to synchronize state information of the second access router.

40. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the state information is based on at least one of the following:

a type of communication, an amount of data traffic, and a condition that affects communication of the wireless device.

15. A processor configured to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a message at a first access router, wherein the message identifies at least a second access router, and is received via at least one of a first plurality of wireless communication nodes;

storing state information describing a status of a wireless terminal in a retrievable format;

identifying the state information as synchronized at the first access router;

transmitting the state information to the second access router, wherein, prior to transmitting the state information, the processor is further configured to mark an address of the first access router in the message as having received the message; and

marking, prior to the transmitting the state information, an address of the first access router in the message as having received the message.

37. The processor of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises using the state information to synchronize state information of the second access router.

38. The processor of claim 15, wherein the state information is based on at least one of the following:

a type of communication, an amount of data traffic, and a condition that affects communication of the wireless terminal.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that when executed on a processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a message at a first access router, wherein the message is received from a wireless device via at least one of a first plurality of wireless communication nodes, and the message comprises information identifying a second access router to which the wireless terminal is coupled and state information describing a state of the wireless terminal;

sending the state information to the second access router;

conveying at least a subset of the message to the wireless device; and

marking, prior to the sending the state information, an address of the first access router in the message as having received the message.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises maintaining a record of the state information in a retrievable format at the first access router.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a subsequent communication for the wireless device;

retrieving the maintained state information record; and

applying the retrieved state information record to the subsequent communication.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises appending a subset of the message with an acknowledgment of a received communication.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the method further comprises using the state information to synchronize state information of the second access router.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the state information is based on at least one of the following:

a type of communication, an amount of data traffic, and a condition that affects communication of the wireless device.