Method and system for mobility across heterogeneous address spaces

A method for use at a mobile node comprising a network layer and a network interface, the method comprising:

• receiving, at an intermediate driver of the mobile node, a packet from the network layer of the mobile node, wherein the packet is received from the network layer using a virtual IP address to identify the mobile node;
• and
• providing the packet from the intermediate driver of the mobile node to the network interface of the mobile node, wherein the packet is provided to the network interface using an actual IP address to identify the mobile node;
• wherein the intermediate driver permits the actual IP address to change when the mobile node moves intra-domain or inter-domain without a corresponding change in the virtual IP address.

A method for use by a mobile node, the method comprising:

• receiving, from an application in the mobile node, a packet comprising a source IP address, wherein the source IP address is a virtual IP address of the mobile node;
• translating the source IP address of the packet from the virtual IP address of the mobile node to an actual IP address of the mobile node;
• and
• transmitting, from the mobile node, the packet with the actual IP address as the source IP address;
• wherein the actual IP address is adapted for being changed, when the mobile node moves intra-domain or inter-domain, without changing the virtual IP address.

A method for use by a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server, the method comprising:

• receiving a DHCP request of a mobile node;
• assigning a virtual IP address to the mobile node, wherein the virtual IP address does not change when the mobile node moves intra-domain or inter-domain;
• assigning an actual IP address to the mobile node;
• and
• transmitting, toward the mobile node, a message including the virtual IP address and the actual IP address.