Mobile Router QoS Handover via Multiple Mobility Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile routers operating in networks with both micro-mobility and QoS protocols face bottlenecks due to high resource utilization, leading to congestion and increased handover latency, as no single mobility agent can support the resource requirements of moving networks with multiple mobile terminals, resulting in potential session drops or QoS reduction.
Innovation Solution
A method where the mobile router sends a QoS request message to a mobility agent, which includes a QoS parameter for admission decision, and if the agent cannot handle the aggregate, it provides alternative mobility agent identities, allowing the router to distribute traffic across multiple agents, thereby avoiding QoS downgrades and reducing handover latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single mobility agent handles all QoS aggregate requirements, then the handover process is simple, but the agent becomes congested and cannot support resource requirements of moving networks with multiple mobile terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the QoS aggregate requirements into multiple sub-aggregates and distributes them across multiple mobility agents. Each mobility agent handles a portion of the QoS aggregate, preventing any single agent from becoming congested while maintaining manageable complexity in the handover process through structured division of responsibilities.
2Reliability
If the mobile router attempts to bind with multiple mobility agents simultaneously, then QoS requirements can be met, but the binding process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the mobile router send binding updates to multiple mobility agents in advance before actual handover is needed. The network also pre-establishes alternative paths and resource reservations, so when handover occurs, the router can quickly switch between agents without complex real-time negotiation, reducing binding process complexity while ensuring QoS fulfillment.
3Reliability
If binding updates are sent frequently to the Home Agent during micro-mobility events, then the mobile node stays updated, but packet loss and delays increase due to unwanted binding updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mobility agents as intermediaries between the mobile router and the Home Agent. These intermediate agents handle frequent micro-mobility events locally, processing binding updates at closer proximity to the mobile node. This reduces the frequency and impact of binding updates reaching the Home Agent, thereby reducing packet loss and delays while maintaining accurate mobility tracking through the intermediary agents.
Data Source
AI summary
In a wireless network environment comprising a mobile router serving a moving network, said mobile router for attaching to a packet-switched access network that uses a micro-mobility protocol and a Quality of Service (QoS) protocol to route packet data to and from said mobile router, wherein said mobile router has a QoS aggregate requirement generated by nodes attached thereto, a method of handover of said mobile router to a mobility agent in said access network, which method comprises the steps of: (i) said mobile router sends a QoS request message to said mobility agent, which QoS request message comprises a QoS parameter representing said QoS aggregate; (ii) upon receipt by said mobility agent, said access network takes a QoS admission decision on the basis of said QoS parameter; and (iii) said mobility agent sends a QoS acknowledgement to said mobile router whereby said mobility agent informs said mobile router of the outcome of said QoS admission decision; characterized by the step of (iv) if said QoS admission decision is that said mobility agent cannot handle all of said QoS aggregate, said QoS acknowledgement comprises an identity of one or more alternative mobility agent that might meet at least a part of said QoS aggregate that will not be provided by said mobility agent.