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 stations 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 each mobile unit. By including the mobile units unique address in topology updates of the network, the location of the mobile unit at any time is made known to all routers 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 update 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 mobile 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 contains its new access point.