Method and apparatus for reducing latency during wireless connectivity changes

摘要

A wireless access point (102) detects an indicia of a change in wireless connectivity of a mobile station (101) with respect to itself and another wireless access point (103). The wireless access point then automatically effects at least one of establishing a communication between itself and the second wireless access point regarding the change in wireless connectivity and/or establishing a temporary data tunnel as between itself and the second wireless access point. These network elements can also act to automatically establish a data flow path for the mobile station as between the second wireless access point and a network element (such as a mobility management agent (105)) that is external to the common subnet. In a preferred approach this comprises, at least in part, automatically sending a registration request to the network element other than in response to a specific request from the mobile station to send such a registration request.

主权项

1. A method for effecting a handover of a data flow for a mobile station from a first wireless access point to a second wireless access point, the method comprising:
detecting, by a processor, indicia of a change in wireless connectivity of the mobile station with respect to the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point, wherein the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point share a common subnet and wherein the change in wireless connectivity is associated with a handover of the data flow for the mobile station to the second wireless access point from the first wireless access point; establishing a temporary data tunnel between the first and second wireless access point; and automatically establishing a path for the data flow for the mobile station between the second wireless access point and a network element that is hierarchically differentiated from the second wireless access point, wherein automatically establishing comprises, at least in part, automatically sending a registration request from the second wireless access point to the network element other than in response to a specific request from the mobile station to send the registration request, wherein automatically sending the registration request from the second wireless access point to the network element comprises automatically sending, prior to completion of the change in wireless connectivity, the registration request from the second wireless access point to the network element in response to a specific message having been received by the second wireless access point as transmitted by the first wireless access point.