Method and device for forwarding data transport frames

摘要

In a data communication system according to the invention the functionality of the gateway device is distributed in a data communication network thereby reducing the need to direct the data traffic from and to terminals (212, 213, 214) through a single point in the data communication network. A first data communication device (207) is arranged to make, through signalling, second data communication devices (204, 205, 206) capable of directing the data communications of the terminals to the starting points of the respective logical data communication tunnels (215, 216, 217). This way there is no need for all logical data communication tunnels to start from, or depending on the direction, to end at, the same point in the data communication network.

主权项

1. A data communication device for forwarding data transport frames, the data communication device comprising:
a receiver for receiving data transport frames from a data communication network, a transmitter for transmitting data transport frames to the data communication network, and a processor device arranged to:
(i) read control data from one or more first data transport frames received from the data communication network, the control data containing (a) instructions to establish and remove logical data communication tunnels defined on the basis of mobility of terminals connected to the data communication network and, after being established, comprising a first logical data communication tunnel ending at the data communication device and one or more second logical data communication tunnels starting at one or more other data communication devices, and (b) information updated on the basis of mobility of the terminals for determining forwarding actions for data transport frames based on forwarding control data contained in the data transport frames in order to transfer the data transport frames through the data communication network to the one or more other network elements providing starting points of the one or more second logical data communication tunnels, and(ii) determine forwarding actions for a second data transport frame received from the first logical data communication tunnel on the basis of the control data and the forwarding control data contained in the second data transport frame.