OFDMA assisted fast roaming in label switched mobile networks

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more interfaces to communicate with a wireless network;
• a processor coupled to the one or more interfaces that is configured to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process that is executable by the processor, the process when executed configured to:
• receive, from a mobile system, a broadcast beacon that includes a roaming notification indicating that the mobile system intends to roam to the apparatus;
• allocate, after receiving the broadcast beacon from the mobile system, an orthogonal frequency-division multiple access resource unit comprising a sub-channel within a single wireless frequency channel for use by the mobile system;
• send, by a wireless transmission from the apparatus, a trigger message to the mobile system while the mobile system is unassociated with the apparatus, the trigger message identifying the orthogonal frequency-division multiple access resource unit allocated by the apparatus for uplink transmission by the mobile system during a handoff exchange;
• and
• perform, after sending the trigger message, the handoff exchange with the mobile system using the orthogonal frequency-division multiple access resource unit to attach the mobile system to the apparatus.

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing program instructions that cause a wireless access point to execute a process comprising:

• receiving, at the wireless access point and from a mobile system, a broadcast beacon that includes a roaming notification indicating that the mobile system intends to roam to the wireless access point;
• allocating, by the wireless access point and after receiving the broadcast beacon from the mobile system, an orthogonal frequency-division multiple access resource unit comprising a sub-channel within a single wireless frequency channel for use by the mobile system;
• sending, by a wireless transmission from the wireless access point, a trigger message to the mobile system while the mobile system is unassociated with the wireless access point, the trigger message identifying the orthogonal frequency-division multiple access resource unit allocated by the wireless access point for uplink transmission by the mobile system during a handoff exchange;
• and
• performing, by the wireless access point and after sending the trigger message, the handoff exchange with the mobile system using the orthogonal frequency-division multiple access resource unit to attach the mobile system to the wireless access point.