Method and apparatus for mobility in WLAN systems
AssigneeMotorola, Inc.
InventorTimothy J. Wilson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method (400, 500, 800), and apparatus (212, 230, 240) provide for mobility in WLAN voice systems. In one embodiment a processor (651) coupled to a memory (652) and a radio resource (653) determines from that client (150) should move, based for example on a signal parameter, to an adjacent MSN (240). Adjacent MSNs are discovered and a modification of a portion of a tunnel switched path to the adjacent MSN is made and a portion released after the modified path is established. Information is transferred to client 150 over the tunnel using a lower layer address such as a MAC address.
Claims25
A method, in an edge Mobility Services Node (MSN), for facilitating the mobility of a communication unit during a communication between the communication unit and a host, the host directing information to the communication unit using a higher layer address thereof, the communication established over a tunnel switched path, the tunnel switched path associated with the communication unit using a lower layer address thereof, the tunnel switched path carrying information associated with the communication between the communication unit and the host, the method comprising:
- determining that a move of the communication to an adjacent MSN is desired to facilitate the mobility of the communication unit;
- initiating a modification of the tunnel switched path to a modified tunnel switched path associated with the adjacent MSN and the lower layer address while the information is transferred to the edge MSN on the tunnel switched path;
- and
- releasing the tunnel switched path after the modified tunnel switched path is established and supporting the communication on the modified tunnel switched path.
A method, in an edge Mobility Services Node (MSN), for facilitating the mobility of a communication unit during a communication between the communication unit and a host, the communication established over a tunnel switched path, the tunnel switched path associated with an adjacent MSN and the communication unit using a lower layer address thereof, the tunnel switched path carrying information associated with the communication between the communication unit and the host, the method comprising:
- determining that a move of the communication to the edge MSN from the adjacent MSN is desired for the mobility of the communication unit;
- establishing a modification of the tunnel switched path to a modified tunnel switched path associated with the edge MSN and the lower layer address while the information is transferred to the adjacent MSN on the tunnel switched path;
- and
- establishing the communication over the modified tunnel switched path before the tunnel switched path is released.
A method, in an intermediate Mobility Services Node (MSN), for facilitating the mobility of a communication unit during a communication between the communication unit and a host, the communication established over a tunnel switched path, the tunnel switched path associated with the communication unit using a lower layer address thereof, the tunnel switched path carrying information associated with the communication between the communication unit and the host, the method comprising:
- processing a message associated with a modification of a downstream portion of the tunnel switched path from between the intermediate MSN and a first MSN to between the intermediate MSN and an adjacent MSN;
- modifying the downstream portion of the tunnel switched path to establish a modified tunnel switched path associated with the adjacent MSN and the lower layer address;
- transferring the information to the adjacent MSN on the modified tunnel switched path;
- and
- releasing the downstream portion of the tunnel switched path after the modified tunnel switched path is established.
A method, in an anchor Mobility Services Node (MSN), for facilitating the mobility of a communication unit during a communication between the communication unit and a host, the communication established over a tunnel switched path, the tunnel switched path including an edge MSN, the tunnel switched path associated with the communication unit using a lower layer address thereof, the tunnel switched path carrying information associated with the communication between the communication unit and the host, the method comprising:
- receiving the information from the host, the information directed from the host to the communication unit using an IP address thereof, and directing the information to the communication unit on the tunnel switched path using the lower layer address;
- and
- directing the information from the host to the communication unit using an IP address thereof on a modified tunnel switched path using the lower layer address;
- wherein the modified tunnel switched path includes an adjacent MSN.
A Mobility Services Node (MSN) for facilitating the mobility of a communication unit during a communication between the communication unit and a host, the host directing information to the communication unit using a higher layer address thereof, the communication established over a tunnel switched path, the tunnel switched path associated with the communication unit using a lower layer address thereof, the tunnel switched path carrying information associated with the communication between the communication unit and the host, the apparatus comprising:
- a radio resource;
- a memory;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory and the radio resource, the memory storing instructions for causing the processor to:
- determine that a move of the communication is desired to facilitate the mobility of the communication unit;
- initiate a modification of the tunnel switched path to a modified tunnel switched path associated with the lower layer address while the information is transferred on the tunnel switched path;
- and
- release the tunnel switched path after the modified tunnel switched path is established and supporting the communication on the modified tunnel switched path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.