Method and apparatus for managing flow information in a communication system

A method for managing flow information by a mobile station in a communication system, the method comprising:

• transmitting a ranging request message, which includes a flow identifier for each of flows connected to a serving base station and a change count indicating the number of times of an addition/change/deletion operation of a corresponding flow for each of flow identifiers;
• and
• receiving a ranging response message, which includes a validity indicator indicating whether the change count of each of the flow identifiers is valid or not, from a target base station,
• wherein, when the validity indicator indicates that at least one change count for each of the flow identifiers is not valid, the ranging response message comprises a list including the at least one change count that is not valid.

A target base station for managing flow information of a mobile station in a communication system, the target base station comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a ranging request message, which includes a flow identifier for each of flows between a serving base station and the mobile station and a change count indicating the number of times an addition/change/deletion operation of a corresponding flow for each of flow identifiers, from the mobile station;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting a ranging response message, which includes a validity indicator indicating whether the change count for each of the flow identifiers is valid or not, to the mobile station;
• and
• a controller for, when the validity indicator indicates that at least one change count among change counts for each of the flow identifiers is not valid, inserting a list including the at least one change count in the ranging response message.

A mobile station for managing flow information in a communication system, the mobile station comprising:

• a transmitter for transmitting a ranging request message, which includes a flow identifier for each of flows connected to a serving base station and a change count indicating a number of times of an addition/change/deletion operation of a corresponding flow for each of flow identifiers, to a target base station;
• and
• a receiver for receiving a ranging response message, which includes a validity indicator indicating whether the change count for each of the flow identifiers is valid or not, from the target base station,
• wherein, when the validity indicator indicates that at least one change count for each of the flow identifiers is not valid, the ranging response message comprises a list including the at least one change count that is not valid.