Communications network
First Claim
1. A method of operating a communications network to determine membership of a group of access nodes of the communications network with which there is a relatively high probability that a mobile node will be associated after the mobile node has been associated with a first access node, access nodes being linked to other access nodes via data communications links, the method comprising:
- a) detecting characteristics of relationships between access nodes;
b) operating said communications network to determine membership of the group in dependence on the detected characteristics.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method of, computer programs for and apparatus adapted to operate a communications network to determine membership of a group of access nodes of the communications network with which there is a relatively high probability that a mobile node will be associated after the mobile node has been associated with a first access node, access nodes being linked to other access nodes via data communications links, the method comprising:
a) detecting characteristics of relationships between access nodes;
b) operating the communications network to determine membership of the group in dependence on the detected characteristics.
62 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of operating a communications network to determine membership of a group of access nodes of the communications network with which there is a relatively high probability that a mobile node will be associated after the mobile node has been associated with a first access node, access nodes being linked to other access nodes via data communications links, the method comprising:
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a) detecting characteristics of relationships between access nodes;
b) operating said communications network to determine membership of the group in dependence on the detected characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus adapted to perform the method of any preceding method claim.
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16. A method of operating a communications network to determine membership of one or more groups of access nodes of said communications network associated with a first access node, the method comprising:
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a) arranging for the first access node to receive messages from n-hop access nodes, wherein said n-hop access nodes are n-hops from said first access node;
b) the first access node receiving from said n-hop access nodes a first set of one or more messages, wherein said first set of messages identify one or more (n+1)-hop access nodes, wherein said (n+1)-hop access nodes are one hop from said n-hop access node sending the message;
c) arranging for the first access node to receive messages from said (n+1)-hop access nodes identified in the first set of one or more messages;
d) the first node receiving from said (n+1)-hop access nodes a second set of one or more messages, wherein said second set of messages identify one or more (n+2)-hop access nodes, wherein said (n+2)-hop access nodes are one hop from said (n+1)-hop access node sending the message;
e) operating said communications network to determine membership of said one or more groups such that all members of a group are exclusively either n-hop, (n+1)-hop or (n+2)-hop access nodes.
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17. A method of operating a communications network to determine membership of a group of access nodes of the communications network with which there is a relatively high probability that a mobile node will have a wireless link after the mobile node has had a wireless link with a first access node, the communications network being capable of handing over a mobile node between access nodes thereby establishing a new wireless link, the method comprising:
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a) monitoring handovers of mobile nodes to access nodes other than the first access node, the handovers including handovers from the first access node to first other access nodes; and
b) operating the communications network to determine membership of the group such that access nodes involved in monitored handovers are members of said group. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification