Method And Apparatus For Use In A Communications Network

An apparatus configured to provide a mobility anchor function for use in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, and comprising:

• a transmitter for sending packets to a multi-homed mobile node;
• a receiver for receiving packets from the multi-homed mobile node;
• and
• a translator unit for performing forward and reverse address translation between a first IP address and a second IP address for packets of a traffic flow that are sent to and received from the multi-homed mobile node, the traffic flow having been transferred from a first interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having the first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having the second IP address.

An apparatus configured to operate as a multi-homed mobile node for use in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, and comprising:

• a transmitter for sending packets to a mobility anchor function;
• a receiver for receiving packets from the mobility anchor function;
• and
• a translator unit for performing forward and reverse address translation between a first IP address and a second IP address for packets of a traffic flow that are sent to and received from the mobility anchor function, the traffic flow having been transferred from a first interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having the first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having the second IP address.

A method of initiating re-routing of a traffic flow from a first interface of a multi-homed mobile node, having a first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a second IP address, in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, the method comprising:

• at a mobility anchor function, sending a route update message to the second IP address, the route update message containing a specification of the traffic flow to be re-routed;
• at the mobile node, creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow, and sending a route update acknowledge message to the mobility anchor function;
• and
• at the mobility anchor function, in response to receipt of the route update acknowledge message, creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow.

A method of initiating re-routing a traffic flow, at a mobility anchor function, from a first interface of a multi-homed mobile node, having a first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a second IP address, in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, the method comprising:

• sending a route update message to the second IP address, the route update message containing a specification of the traffic flow to be re-routed;
• receiving a route update acknowledge message from the mobile node;
• and
• creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow.

An apparatus configured to operate as a multi-homed mobile node for use in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, and comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a route update message from a mobility anchor function, the route update message containing a specification of a traffic flow to be re-routed from a first interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a second IP address;
• a transmitter for sending a route update acknowledge message to the mobility anchor function;
• and
• a binding unit for creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow.

A method of initiating re-routing a traffic flow from a first interface of a multi-homed mobile node, having a first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a second IP address, in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, the method comprising:

• at the mobile node, sending a route update request message to a mobility anchor function, the route update request message containing a specification of the traffic flow to be re-routed;
• at the mobility anchor function, in response to receipt of the route update request message, accepting the route update request and sending a route update message to the mobile node;
• at the mobile node, creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow, and sending a route update acknowledge message to the mobility anchor function;
• and
• at the mobility anchor function, in response to receipt of the route update acknowledge message, creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow.

A method of initiating re-routing a traffic flow, at a multi-homed mobile node, from a first interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a second IP address, in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, the method comprising:

• sending a route update request message to a mobility anchor function, the route update request message containing a specification of the traffic flow to be rerouted;
• receiving a route update message from the mobility anchor function, the route update message acknowledging acceptance of the route update request;
• and
• creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow, and sending a route update acknowledge message to the mobility anchor function.

An apparatus configured to operate as a multi-homed mobile node for use in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, and comprising:

• a transmitter for sending a route update request message to a mobility anchor function, the route update request message containing a specification of a traffic flow to be re-routed from a first interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a second IP address;
• a receiver for receiving a route update message from the mobility anchor function, the route update message acknowledging acceptance of the route update request;
• a binding unit for creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow;
• and
• a transmitter for sending a route update acknowledge message to the mobility anchor function.

An apparatus configured to provide a mobility anchor function for use in a communications network employing Proxy Mobile IP, and comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a route update request message from a multi-homed mobile node, the route update request message containing a specification of a traffic flaw to be re-routed from a first interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a first IP address, to a second interface of the multi-homed mobile node, having a second IP address;
• a transmitter for sending a route update message to the mobile node, the route update message acknowledging acceptance of the route update request;
• a receiver for receiving a route update acknowledge message from the mobile node;
• and
• a binding unit for creating an association between the first IP address and the second IP address for the specified traffic flow.