Apparatus, and an associated method, by which to provide temporary identifiers to a mobile node involved in a communication handover

In a wireless communication system having a mobile node operable to communicate by way of a network infrastructure with another communication node, the mobile node movable between a first position and at least a second position, when positioned at the first position, the mobile node is operable to communicate by way of a first subnetwork defined by a first radio access point of the network infrastructure, and when positioned at the at least the second position, communication handover is effectuated such that the mobile node is operable to communicate by way of a second subnetwork defined by a second radio access point, an improvement of apparatus for providing a temporary identifier to the mobile node to identify the mobile node, thereby to permit routing of data packets thereto, said apparatus comprising:

• a detector having at least a portion embodied at the first radio access point and coupled to detect indications of a decision to handover communications of the mobile node between the first and second subnetworks;
• a radio-access-point cache positioned at the first radio access point, said radio-access-point cache for cacheing temporary identifiers thereat;
• and
• an assignor having at least a portion embodied at the first radio-access-point and coupled to said detector, said assignor for assigning the a selected temporary identifier from the radio-access-point cache to the mobile node subsequent to detection by said detector of when the handover is to be effectuated and prior to effectuation of the handover.