Method and apparatus for a mobile node to maintain location privacy from selected correspondent nodes

In a communication system comprising a mobile network including one or more mobile network hosts attached to a mobile router, a method comprising the mobile router:

• obtaining a multicast care of address associated with the mobile network, the multicast care of address being used as a proxy address for the mobile network hosts responsive to mobility of the mobile network from a home network to a foreign network;
• determining privacy attributes associated with the mobile network hosts;
• and
• communicating a binding update message including the multicast care of address to selected correspondent nodes consistent with the privacy attributes of the mobile network hosts.

A mobile router comprising:

• a mobile network interface operably connecting the mobile router to one or more mobile network hosts defining a mobile network;
• a multicast care of address binding management element for obtaining, responsive to movement of the mobile network from a home network to a foreign network, a multicast care of address adapted for use as a proxy address of the mobile network hosts;
• a privacy attribute database identifying requested privacy attributes of the mobile network hosts relative to maintaining privacy of the multicast care of address;
• and
• a routing element operable to send binding update messages including the multicast care of address to a selected number of correspondent nodes consistent with the requested privacy attributes of the mobile network hosts.