Home Agent Tunnel Management for Heterogeneous IP Mobility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing IP mobility solutions, such as Client Mobile IP (CMIP) and Proxy Mobile IP (PMIP), are ineffective in heterogeneous networks as they require additional functions at access routers, leading to inefficient resource utilization and increased power consumption, and fail to provide seamless handover between different mobility protocols.

Innovation Solution

A method for processing handover in heterogeneous mobility protocol mixed networks by creating and managing tunnels between Client Mobile IP (CMIP) and Proxy Mobile IP (PMIP) protocols at the home agent, allowing seamless IP mobility across different access networks without requiring modifications to existing access routers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If additional functions are loaded at access routers to provide IP mobility, then IP mobility capability is improved, but device complexity and resource utilization efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIP mobility capabilityVSAvoidaccess router complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a Home Agent as an intermediary component that handles IP mobility management functions separately from access routers. The Home Agent maintains binding information and manages tunnels between mobile terminals and correspondent nodes, while access routers only perform basic packet forwarding. This separation allows IP mobility capability to be provided without complicating access router architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the IP mobility management functions (binding update, tunnel management) from access routers and relocates them to a dedicated Home Agent. This extraction removes the complexity burden from access routers while preserving the IP mobility capability, as the Home Agent handles all mobility-related operations centrally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If heterogeneous mobility protocols are supported in access networks, then adaptability is improved, but handover seamless capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol compatibilityVSAvoidhandover seamless capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The Home Agent is designed with multi-functionality to handle both CMIP and PMIP protocols simultaneously. It can maintain multiple binding entries for the same mobile terminal using different protocols depending on the access network type. This universal capability allows seamless handover between heterogeneous networks without requiring protocol conversion or additional complexity at access routers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of requiring access routers to support multiple mobility protocols directly, the patent inverts the approach by having the Home Agent handle protocol diversity. The access routers maintain simple, protocol-agnostic packet forwarding functions, while the Home Agent manages the complexity of protocol-specific operations, enabling seamless handover through centralized control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Speed

If mobile terminals perform frequent binding updates during handover, then mobility responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover responsivenessVSAvoidterminal power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements predictive handover mechanisms where the Home Agent proactively prepares binding updates before actual handover occurs. When the mobile terminal approaches a handover boundary, the Home Agent anticipates the protocol change and pre-configures the necessary binding information, reducing the need for frequent reactive binding updates and thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining fast handover responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9078188B2Method and system for processing handover in heterogeneous mobility protocol mixed networks and MIP client device

Publication Date: 2015.07.07 KT CORP

AI summary

A method for processing handover to provide IP mobility for mobile user equipment, a system thereof, and a Mobile IP (MIP) client device using the same method. The method processing handover at a home agent in a heterogeneous protocol mixed network includes: at a home agent, creating a Proxy Mobile IP (PMIP) tunnel when user equipment accesses a PMIP network; at the home agent, creating a Client Mobile IP (CMIP) tunnel when a CMIP network is accessed due to handover of the user equipment; and at the home agent, severing the PMIP tunnel when the user equipment completes performing handover.