Methods and apparatus for quickly exploiting a new link during hand-off in a wireless network
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorAlan O'Neill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method to deliver traffic to a mobile node that is undergoing a hand-off between two Access Routers (AR) is described. The method of the present invention operates to perform the following. Decrease, or minimize, delays between the time the old link breaks and the first packet is sent from the new link. Reduce or eliminate packet bursts from old to new Access Router (AR) when an old (existing) link breaks. Ensure that packets are neither lost nor duplicated during hand-off. Maintain Quality of Service (QoS) control of delivery order to the Mobile Node (MN). Make good or best use of multiple links during Make before break hand-off. Support both uplink and downlink traffic.
Claims12
A method of operating a mobile node comprising:
- receiving a frame communicated over one of a first downlink with a first access router and a second downlink with a second access router prior to said frame having been successfully communicated over another one of said first and second downlinks, said first and second downlinks being unsynchronized downlinks with respect to frame transmissions;
- communicating acknowledgment information, to both said first access router and said second access router, indicating the successful reception of said frame, wherein communicating acknowledgment information includes sending an acknowledgment to the first access router, wherein the acknowledgement information indicates successful receipt of said frame which was not successfully received from said first access router;
- and
- after communicating the acknowledgement information, sending a report to both the first access router and the second access router, wherein the report ensures that the first access router will not transmit content of a frame that has already been received.
A mobile node comprising:
- means for receiving a frame communicated over one of a first downlink with a first access router and a second downlink with a second access router prior to the frame having been successfully communicated over another one of said first and second downlinks, said first and second downlinks being unsynchronized downlinks with respect to frame transmissions;
- means for communicating acknowledgment information, to both said first access router and said second access router, indicating the successful reception of said frame, wherein the means for communicating acknowledgment information includes means for sending an acknowledgment to the first access router, wherein the acknowledgement information indicates successful receipt of said frame which was not successfully received from said first access router;
- and
- means for sending a report to both the first access router and the second access router, wherein the report is sent after the acknowledgment information has been communicated, wherein the report ensures that the first access router will not transmit content of a frame that has already been received.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.