Packet tunneling optimization to wireless devices accessing packet-based wired networks

A home agent, for a wireless device, implemented in a wired packet-based network node comprising:

• means for receiving a foreign agent address associated with said wireless device, said wireless device also having a home address;
• means for receiving a packet having said home address as a packet header destination address;
• means for substituting said foreign agent address for said home address as said packet header destination address for said packet;
• means for forwarding said packet from said home agent to said packet header destination address;
• and
• means for setting a header field included within said packet to identify said packet as a packet on which tunneling optimization has been performed, said packet header being substantially the same size after substitution.

A wireless device adapted to receive packets transmitted from a base station, said packets received at said base station being forwarded over a wired packet-based network from a forwarding home agent corresponding to said wireless device, said wireless device comprising:

• means for co-locating a foreign agent corresponding to said wireless device within said wireless device;
• means for receiving a packet at said foreign agent;
• means for substituting a wireless device address for a foreign agent address as a packet header destination address for said packet;
• means for forwarding said packet from said foreign agent to an application being executed at said wireless device;
• and
• means for detecting a set header field included within said packet to identify said packet as a packet on which tunneling optimization has been performed, said packet header being substantially the same size after substitution.

A method of packet delivery to a wireless device having a co-located foreign agent, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a packet at said foreign agent having a foreign agent address as a packet header destination address;
• detecting whether a Reserved Fragment Flag incorporated within said packet is set;
• determining that said packet had been processed utilizing a tunneling optimization if said Reserved Fragment Flag is set;
• substituting a wireless device address for said foreign agent address as said packet header destination address for said packet, if said packet had been processed utilizing said tunneling optimization, said packet header being substantially the same size after substitution;
• and
• forwarding said packet to said wireless device address.