Mobility support services using mobility aware access networks

In a computer network, a method of optimizing routing of data from a correspondent host to a mobile host, the mobile host having been assigned a home address that actually addresses a home agent in a first access network and having registered with a foreign agent, the correspondent host located in a premises network associated with a second access network, the method comprising:

• in the first access network:
• receiving at the home agent data addressed to the home address,
• identifying an address of the correspondent host,
• identifying the second access network based upon the address of the correspondent host,
• identifying an agent in the second access network to be established as a pseudo home agent, and
• providing the home address to the pseudo home agent;
• and
• in the second access network:
• routing subsequent data received from the correspondent host that is addressed to the home address to the pseudo home agent, and
• tunneling the subsequent data from the pseudo home agent to the foreign agent.

In a computer network, a method of optimizing routing of data from a correspondent host to a mobile host, the mobile host having registered with a foreign agent and having been assigned a home address that actually addresses a home agent in a first access network, the correspondent host located in a premises network associated with a second access network, the method comprising:

• receiving at the home agent data addressed to the home address,
• identifying an address of the correspondent host,
• identifying the second access network based upon the address of the correspondent host,
• identifying an agent in the second access network to be established as a pseudo home agent, and
• providing the home address to the pseudo home agent.

In a computer network, a mobility support method for a mobile host, the mobile host having been assigned a home address representing a home agent in a first access network, the mobile host having registered in a foreign premises network and having been assigned a care of address by a foreign agent in an access network associated with the foreign premises network, the method comprising:

• receiving at the home agent data addressed to the home address,
• retransmitting the data to the foreign agent,
• identifying an address of the correspondent host,
• identifying the second access network based upon the address of the correspondent host,
• identifying an agent in the second access network to be established as a pseudo home agent, and
• providing the home address to the pseudo home agent.

A mobility support method, comprising, in an access network:

• routing first data from a correspondent host addressed to a home address of a mobile host, the correspondent host being a member of the access network,
• receiving a recruitment message from a first home agent, the home agent being associated with the mobile host, the recruitment message identifying a care-of-address associated with the mobile host,
• responsive to the recruitment message, routing second data from the correspondent host addressed to the home address of the mobile host to a second home agent, the second home agent being a member of the access network, and
• tunneling the second data to a foreign agent at the care-of-address.

A method of providing mobility support to a mobile host, comprising, responsive to data received at a first home agent:

• tunneling the data to a foreign agent at a care-of-address of the mobile host,
• identifying an access network associated with a correspondent host that originated the data,
• determining whether the access network includes its own home agent, and
• if the access network's home agent is different from the first home agent, transferring the home address to the access network's home agent, the access network's home agent to be established as a pseudo home agent.