Inter-access Network Handover via Router Advertisement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network technologies face challenges in seamlessly handover mobile nodes between access networks that use tunnelling-type micro-mobility protocols and Quality of Service (QoS) routing protocols, leading to delays and packet loss during inter-access network handovers, which disrupt ongoing sessions.
Innovation Solution
A method that facilitates network layer handover by allowing mobile nodes to receive router advertisements from the target access network, enabling pre-computation of QoS routes and admission procedures before handover, and establishing a temporary tunnel to reduce packet loss and delay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mobile node performs binding updates to the Home Agent during handover, then mobility is maintained, but handover delays and packet loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing QoS admission procedures and route computations in the target access network before the actual handover occurs. The mobile node receives router advertisements from the target network, triggers QoS admission, and computes routes in advance, so that when handover occurs, the target network is already prepared to immediately accept and route packets, eliminating the traditional delay sequence of binding updates followed by QoS setup.
2Measurement precision
If QoS route computation is performed after handover, then routing accuracy is maintained, but session continuity is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs QoS route computation and admission procedures in the target access network before handover occurs. The mobile node receives router advertisements from the target network, which enables the target network to compute routes and prepare QoS parameters in advance. This preliminary route computation ensures that when handover occurs, routing is already established, maintaining both accuracy and session continuity.
3Measurement precision
If the mobile node frequently updates its Care-of Address during movement, then location accuracy is maintained, but network performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the mobile node receive router advertisements and trigger QoS admission procedures before actually moving to the new access network. This allows the target network to prepare routing and QoS parameters in advance, so that when the mobile node does move and update its location, the network is already optimized and ready, reducing the performance impact of frequent location updates.
Data Source
AI summary
In a wireless network environment comprising first and second packet-switched access networks, each access network using a tunnelling-type micro-mobility protocol and a Quality of Service (QoS) routing protocol to route packet data to and from mobile nodes attached thereto, and each access network comprising an access router to which a mobile node may attach, a mobility agent with which said mobile node may register and a gateway, a method of facilitating network layer handover of said mobile node from said first access network to said second access network, said mobile node registered in said first access network with a serving mobility agent, which method comprises the steps of: said mobile node receiving a router advertisement from said second access network, which router advertisement comprises a network-layer address of a target mobility agent in said second access network with which said mobile node may register; and said mobile node forwarding said network-layer address to said serving mobility agent, whereby said serving mobility agent may communicate with said target mobility agent to facilitate network-layer handover of said mobile node to said second access network.