Multiple Interface Device Seamless Mobility via IP Comparator
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Solution Overview
Problem
In co-located wireless environments, multiple interface devices experience disruptions and packet loss when moving between different wireless networks due to the linkage of IP addresses with location, leading to 'black-out' periods and broken communication sessions.
Innovation Solution
A method employing an IP-layer Comparator in multiple interface devices to inspect and combine data packets from different access networks, ensuring seamless mobility by buffering and forwarding missing packets, thereby eliminating unnecessary retransmissions and maintaining continuous service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mobile device uses traditional IP protocols with location-bound addresses, then the device can be identified on the network, but the device experiences service disruption and packet loss when moving between networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network interface functionality by separating the physical interface layer from the network layer identity. Multiple physical interfaces (WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular) are segmented and managed independently, each capable of maintaining network connectivity. This allows the device to switch between segmented interface paths without disrupting the overall network session, eliminating the black-out period when moving between networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of interface diversity by utilizing multiple concurrent network interfaces (WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular) instead of relying on a single interface. This dimensional expansion allows the device to maintain network presence across multiple simultaneous connections, enabling seamless handoff and eliminating service disruption when one interface becomes unavailable.
2Reliability
If multiple interfaces are deployed for seamless mobility, then service continuity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple network interfaces (WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular) into a unified network stack that operates as a single logical entity. The interfaces are combined at the protocol layer, allowing them to work together cooperatively rather than as separate, independently managed components. This merging reduces management complexity while maintaining service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal network interface framework that can handle multiple types of network connections (WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular) through a single unified protocol stack. This multi-functional approach allows the same software layer to manage diverse interface types, reducing the complexity that would otherwise arise from needing separate management systems for each interface type.
3Reliability
If packets are transmitted through multiple access networks simultaneously, then packet delivery reliability is improved, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing mobility bindings and configuring the network stack before handoff is needed. The system proactively sets up multiple interface paths and pre-registers with network agents, so that when handoff is required, the switching can occur immediately without complex real-time processing. This preliminary configuration reduces processing overhead during actual packet transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mobility agents as intermediary components that mediate between the multiple network interfaces and the core network. These agents handle the complex packet routing, binding management, and interface coordination tasks, offloading the processing overhead from the device itself. The intermediary agents simplify packet processing by managing the complexity of multi-interface coordination centrally.
Data Source
AI summary
Data packets are transmitted from a first access network to a first interface of a multiple interface device (MID), and identical data packets are transmitted concurrently from a second access network to a second interface of the MID. Some of the data packets that are transmitted to the MID from the first access network are not received by the first interface. The MID inspects identifiers of data packets from the first and second interfaces in order to send to the application a stream including all of the data packets. For example, the MID sends to the application the data packets from the first interface, buffers the data packets from the second interface, and sends data packets from the buffer to the application upon detecting that data packets in the buffer were transmitted to the first interface but not received by the first interface.