COMMUNICATION SYSTEM INCLUDING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING COMMUNICATIONS WITH A MOBILE TERMINAL

摘要

A communications network having a number of routers, a number of base statio ns and a number of mobile units maintains communications with the mobile units by assigning a unique address known to the routing entities of the network to e ach mobile unit. By including the mobile units unique address in topology update s of the network, the location of the mobile unit at any time is made known to all ro uters of the network. That is, once a mobile unit moves into a domain of a new access point and establishes a new link with the new access point, it uses the topology u pdate mechanism of the network to make its new location known to all routers. Once a router of the network receives topology update information specific to the m obile unit's new location, it updates its routing table such that packets destined to the mobile unit are routed in a path which terminates at the mobile unit and con tains its new access point.