Support for continuity of tunnel communications for mobile nodes having multiple care of addressing

摘要

The present invention solves communication disruption problems during the hand-off transition period by using a pre-handoff registration of a new foreign agent on behalf of the mobile node The pre-handoff registration message should: (1) identify itself as a pre-hand off registration message, (2) indicate direction of traffic for the pre-handoff registration time period, and (3) specify a lifetime or time period when the pre-handoff registration request will continue to be considered valid The local mobility anchor will accept traffic using the pre-handoff registration care-of address depending on the directionality indicator, but the communication traffic to or from the mobile node will not be disrupted during the transition period. Because the care-of address for the mobile node on the new foreign network can be used to direct communication traffic to or from the mobile node during this transition time period, no disruption of service will be encountered.

主权项

1. A method for registering a mobile node on a foreign network during a hand-off transition comprising:
receiving a pre-handoff registration request message at a local mobility anchor after a mobile node has initiated a connection to said foreign network but prior to completion of a hand-off to the foreign network, said pre-handoff registration request message including a pre-handoff registration request indicator, a lifetime time period indicator, and a directionality indicator specifying the direction of traffic associated with the foreign network that will be processed during the lifetime time period; after processing the pre-handoff registration request, transmitting a registration response from the local mobility anchor confirming the pre-handoff registration for the transitional lifetime time period; and using the provisional care-of address at the local mobility anchor to process communication packets associated with the mobile node.