IP Mobility Locator Identifier Decoupling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing IP mobility solutions face scalability issues and break transport connections when a mobile node changes its topological attachment point, leading to triangular routing and dynamic updates in the global routing system, which causes inefficiencies and disruptions.

Innovation Solution

Introducing a locator identifier space between user and network IP addressing spaces, allowing multiple network addresses to be associated with a mobile node, and using a mapper system to decouple user IP addresses from network IP addresses via locator identifiers, ensuring continuous transport connections and efficient mobility across different network domains.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the mobile node renumbers its IP address when changing topological attachment point, then the mobile node can be reached at its new location, but the transport connection is broken

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereachability at new locationVSAvoidtransport connection continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the IP addressing space into two distinct parts: a user identifier (UID) that remains constant and a locator identifier (LID) that changes with location. This segmentation allows the mobile node to change its network attachment point without breaking transport connections, as the UID portion of the address remains stable while only the LID portion needs to be updated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mapping system that maintains the association between the constant UID and the changing LID. This intermediary (the mapping database and resolution mechanism) allows transport connections to remain intact by translating the stable UID into the current LID, preventing connection breaks during mobility events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If tunnels are created from the mobile node's new location back to its original location, then the mobile node can be reached, but triangular routing occurs requiring communication via the home agent

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereachabilityVSAvoidrouting complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the location tracking function from the home agent and places it at the network edge where the mobile node actually attaches. By removing the need for home agents and triangular routing, the system simplifies the routing path to a direct route between correspondent node and mobile node, eliminating the unnecessary intermediate hop through the home agent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of routing traffic back to the original location (home agent) and then forwarding it to the new location, the patent inverts the approach by directly routing traffic to the current location using the updated LID. This reverses the traditional triangular routing pattern into a direct linear path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If the mobile node announces its prefixes from its new attachment point, then the mobile node can be reached at the new location, but dynamic updates cause scalability problems in the global routing system

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereachability at new locationVSAvoidrouting system scalability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by confining prefix announcement and location update activities to local network domains rather than propagating them globally. The LID changes are announced only within the local domain where the mobile node is attached, while the global routing system only needs to know the stable UID, thereby improving scalability by limiting the scope of dynamic updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension to the addressing hierarchy by introducing the LID as a separate layer between the global UID and the local network prefix. This dimensional addition allows location-specific information to be handled locally without affecting global routing tables, thereby improving scalability by separating global and local routing concerns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Device complexity

If a single IP address is used for the mobile node, then the addressing is simple, but the mobile node cannot maintain multiple network domains active simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaddressing simplicityVSAvoidmulti-domain connectivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the UID portion of the address universal and multi-functional, serving as both the global identifier for the mobile node and the stable endpoint for transport connections. This universal UID can be associated with multiple different LIDs simultaneously, enabling the mobile node to maintain connectivity across multiple network domains while preserving addressing simplicity through the consistent UID.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamics by allowing the LID portion of the address to change over time and across different network attachments, while the UID remains static. This dynamic LID enables the mobile node to adapt to different network domains and maintain multiple active connections, with the system automatically managing the mapping between UID and current LID.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2178265B1System and method for mobile IP
Publication Date: 2013.09.04 ALCATEL LUCENT SA
  • EP2178265B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2178265B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Network system for communicating between a mobile node and a correspondent node via a first IP edge-IP network-second IP edge connectivity, comprising a user IP addressing space and a network IP addressing space, wherein a locator identifier space is inserted between the user IP and network IP addressing space, wherein the first and second IP edges are associated with first and second locator identifiers, and wherein the system is further arranged for associating a mobile node with one or more IP network addresses and an IP user address decoupled from the one or more IP network addresses via the first locator identifier.