Distributing network services and resources in a mobile communications network

A method for distributing network services and resources to a plurality of mobile users in a mobile communication system in order to ensure that at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent is supporting each mobile user, the method comprising the steps of:

• for each one of the mobile users,
• (1) determining a mobility density m, wherein m is a number of cells that have been passed by the mobile user during time .tau..sub.m ;
• (2) defining a circularly shaped geographic location centered at a current location of the one of the mobile users and having a radius d=int(h*m*.tau..sub.m), wherein d is a service distance and h is a hierarchic factor defined by the number of cells serviced by one MF-agent manager;
• (3) identifying the remote fixed hosts or routers that are located within the circularly shaped geographic location;
• and
• (4) establishing a mobile floating (MF)-agent for use by the mobile user at each of the identified remote fixed hosts or routers.

A method for distributing network services and resources to a plurality of mobile users in a mobile communication system in order to ensure that at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent is supporting each mobile user, the method comprising the steps of:

• for each one of the mobile users,
• (1) determining a mobility density m, wherein m is a number of cells that have been passed by the mobile user during time .tau..sub.m ;
• (2) defining a circularly shaped geographic location centered at a current location of the one of the mobile users and having a radius d.gtoreq.h*m*.tau..sub.m, wherein d is a service distance and h is a hierarchic factor defined by the number of cells serviced by one MF-agent manager;
• (3) identifying the remote fixed hosts or routers that are located within the circularly shaped geographic location;
• and
• (4) establishing a mobile floating (MF)-agent for use by the mobile user at each of the identified remote fixed hosts or routers.

A method for distributing network services and resources to a plurality of mobile users in a mobile communication system in order to ensure that at least one mobile floating (MF)-agent is supporting each mobile user, the method comprising the steps of:

• for each one of the mobile users,
• (1) determining a mobility density m, wherein m is a number of cells that have been passed by the mobile user during time .tau..sub.m ;
• (2) defining a circularly shaped geographic location centered at a current location of the one of the mobile users and having a radius d=int(h*m*.tau..sub.m), wherein d is a service distance and h is a hierarchic factor defined by the number of cells serviced by one MF-agent manager;
• (3) predicting a movement track (MT) or movement circle (MC) of the mobile user;
• (4) identifying the remote fixed hosts or routers that are located on the predicted MT or MC within the circularly shaped geographic location;
• and
• (5) establishing a mobile floating (MF)-agent for use by the mobile user at each of the identified remote fixed hosts or routers.

A method of distributing network services and resources in a wireless local area network having first and second mobile support routers (MSR) and a mobile terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

• in the first MSR, creating a first terminal agent (T-agent) for representing the mobile terminal in the wireless local area network;
• using the first T-agent to pre-arrange movement of mobile terminal data from the first MSR to the second MSR by requesting that a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, located in the second MSR, create an MF-agent for the mobile terminal;
• and
• handing over representation of the mobile terminal from the T-agent to the MF-agent when the mobile terminal arrives in a service area of the second MSR.

An apparatus for distributing network services and resources in a wireless local area network having first and second mobile support routers (MSR) and a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising:

• in the first MSR, means for creating a first terminal agent (T-agent) for representing the mobile terminal in the wireless local area network;
• means for using the first T-agent to pre-arrange movement of mobile terminal data from the first MSR to the second MSR by requesting that a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, located in the second MSR, create an MF-agent for the mobile terminal;
• and
• means for handing over representation of the mobile terminal from the T-agent to the MF-agent when the mobile terminal arrives in a service area of the second MSR.

A wireless local area network (LAN), comprising:

• at least one mobile terminal;
• a mobile support router (MSR) connected to the mobile terminal, the MSR including:
• a mobile internet protocol (IP) layer;
• and
• a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, supported by the mobile IP layer, and having associated mobile floating (MF)-agents;
• and
• at least one fixed host or server connected to the MSR.

A cellular communications system comprising:

• a mobile terminal;
• a first base station system including:
• a base station transceiver;
• a base station controller for controlling the base station transceiver;
• means for creating a first terminal agent (T-agent) for representing the mobile terminal in the cellular communications system;
• means for using the first T-agent to monitor traffic between the mobile terminal and the fixed communications network;
• means for using the first T-agent to pre-arrange movement of mobile terminal data from the first base station system to a second base station system by requesting that a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, located in the second base station system, create an MF-agent for the mobile terminal;
• and
• means for handing over representation of the mobile terminal from the T-agent to the MF-agent when the mobile terminal arrives in a service area of the second base station system;
• a mobile switching center, connected to the first base station system, for controlling calls to and from a fixed communications network;
• means for creating a first terminal agent (T-agent) for representing the mobile terminal in the cellular communications system;
• means for using the first T-agent to pre-arrange movement of mobile terminal data from the first base station system to a second base station system by requesting that a mobile floating (MF)-agent manager, located in the second base station system, create an MF-agent for the mobile terminal;
• and
• means for handing over representation of the mobile terminal from the T-agent to the MF-agent when the mobile terminal arrives in a service area of the second base station system;
• and
• the second base station system.

A communication network comprising:

• a plurality of servers, the servers being positioned in respective geographical areas and organized in a distributed file system;
• a mobile terminal having means for communicating with the server nearest the mobile terminal, wherein the communicating means accesses application files and data files stored in the servers;
• and
• a mobile distributed system platform having means for controlling the distributed file system of the servers and means for predicting a next location of a mobile terminal, wherein the controlling means distributes location sensitive information among the servers based on a next location predicted by the predicting means.