Network address management for a wired network supporting wireless communication to a plurality of mobile users

In a data communications network comprised of a wired network and a wireless network, apparatus for managing the bidirectional transmission of information between the wired network and at least one mobile communication unit in wireless communications with the wired network over the wireless network, the data communications network being characterized in that users of the data communications network are each assigned a unique network address, comprising:

• local gateway means, coupled between a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) and the wired network, for communicating with a mobile communication unit;
• and
• global gateway means coupled to the local gateway means and to remote users of the data communications network, the global gateway means including means for maintaining a plurality of network addresses, means for receiving a request for an assignment of a network address from the mobile communication unit, means for assigning one of the plurality of network addresses to the requesting mobile communication unit;
• and means for routing data received from a remote user, the data having an address corresponding to the assigned network address, to the mobile communication unit having the assigned address.

In a data communications network comprised of a wired network and a wireless network, a method for managing the bidirectional transmission of information between the wired network and at least one mobile communication unit in wireless communication with the wired network over the wireless network, the data communications network being characterized in that users of the data communications network are each assigned a unique network address, comprising the steps of:

• maintaining a plurality of the unique network addresses with a global gateway means, the global gateway means being bidirectionally coupled to a local gateway means, through the wired network, and also to remote users of the data communications network, the local gateway means being coupled between the wireless and the wired network;
• receiving, at the global gateway means, a request for an assignment of the network address from a mobile communication unit;
• in response to the received request, assigning one of the plurality of network addresses to the requesting mobile communication unit;
• and
• in response to a message received from a remote user, the message having an address that corresponds to the assigned network address, routing the message from the global gateway to the local gateway means, and from the local gateway means to the wireless network for reception by the mobile communications unit having the assigned network address.