Concentrator for multiplexing access point to wireless network connections

A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processor configured to:
• obtain a locally unique identifier in a downlink packet received at a concentrator component from an access point, wherein the concentrator component is located between a mobility management entity (MME), the access point, and a disparate access point;
• discern, at the concentrator component, a mobile device identifier and a disparate access point identifier related to the locally unique identifier;
• replace the locally unique identifier in the downlink packet with the mobile device identifier;
• transmit the downlink packet from the concentrator component to the disparate access point related to the disparate access point identifier, without involving the MME;
• receive, at the concentrator component, a handover command from a first access point downstream from the concentrator component, wherein the handover command facilitates handing over communication of a mobile device identified by the mobile device identifier from the first access point downstream from the concentrator component to a second access point downstream from the concentrator component;
• determine whether the first access point and the second access point are both associated with the MME based on a routing table in the concentrator component that stores an association between the locally unique identifier, the mobile device identifier, a first access point identifier of the first downstream access point, and a second access point identifier of the second access point;
• and
• forward, by the concentrator component, the handover command to the second access point when the first access point and the second access point are both associated with the MME;
• and
• a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for extracting a locally unique identifier from a downlink packet received at a concentrator component from an access point, wherein the concentrator component is located between a mobility management entity (MME), the access point, and a disparate access point;
• means for determining, at the concentrator component, a mobile device identifier related to the locally unique identifier and replacing the locally unique identifier in the downlink packet with the mobile device identifier;
• means for determining a disparate access point identifier related to the locally unique identifier;
• means for transmitting the downlink packet from the concentrator component to the disparate access point related to the disparate access point identifier, without involving the MME;
• means for receiving, at the concentrator component, a handover command from a first access point downstream from the concentrator component, wherein the handover command facilitates handing over communication of a mobile device identified by the mobile device identifier from the first access point downstream from the concentrator component to a second access point downstream from the concentrator component;
• means for determining whether the first access point and the second access point are both associated with the MME based on a routing table in the concentrator component that stores an association between the locally unique identifier, the mobile device identifier, a first access point identifier of the first downstream access point, and a second access point identifier of the second access point;
• and
• means for forwarding, by the concentrator component, the handover command to the second access point when the first access point and the second access point are both associated with the MME.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:
• code for causing at least one computer to extract a locally unique identifier at a concentrator component from a downlink packet received from an access point, wherein the concentrator component is located between a mobility management entity (MME), the access point, and a disparate access point;
• code for causing the at least one computer to determine, at the concentrator component, a mobile device identifier and a disparate access point identifier related to the locally unique identifier;
• code for causing the at least one computer to replace the locally unique identifier in the downlink packet with the mobile device identifier;
• code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the downlink packet from the concentrator component to the disparate access point related to the disparate access point identifier, without involving the MME;
• code for causing the at least one computer to receive, at the concentrator component, a handover command from a first access point downstream from the concentrator component, wherein the handover command facilitates handing over communication of a mobile device identified by the mobile device identifier from the first access point downstream from the concentrator component to a second access point downstream from the concentrator component;
• code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether the first access point and the second access point are both associated with the MME based on a routing table in the concentrator component that stores an association between the locally unique identifier, the mobile device identifier, a first access point identifier of the first downstream access point, and a second access point identifier of the second access point;
• and
• code for causing the at least one computer to forward, by the concentrator component, the handover command to the second access point when the first access point and the second access point are both associated with the MME.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to:
• extract a locally unique identifier from a downlink packet received at a concentrator component from an access point, wherein the concentrator component is located between a mobility management entity (MME), the access point, and a disparate access point;
• determine, at the concentrator component, a mobile device identifier related to the locally unique identifier and replace the locally unique identifier in the downlink packet with the mobile device identifier;
• determine a disparate access point identifier related to the locally unique identifier;
• transmit the downlink packet from the concentrator component to the disparate access point related to the disparate access point identifier, without involving the MME;
• receive, at the concentrator component, a handover command from a first access point downstream from the concentrator component, wherein the handover command facilitates handing over communication of a mobile device identified by the mobile device identifier from the first access point downstream from the concentrator component to a second access point downstream from the concentrator component;
• determine whether the first access point and the second access point are both associated with the MME based on a routing table in the concentrator component that stores an association between the locally unique identifier, the mobile device identifier, a first access point identifier of the first downstream access point, and a second access point identifier of the second access point;
• and
• forward, by the concentrator component, the handover command to the second access point when the first access point and the second access point are both associated with the MME.