US7224677B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for alerting mobile nodes of desirable access characteristics
Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
•
Filing: 2002-11-15
•
Granted: 2007-05-29
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Expires: 2022-11-15
Abstract
Abstract This invention provides a messaging interface between a Mobile Node (MN) and an Access Router (AR) that enables the registration of MN preferences with a current AR (AR_current) and, when appropriate, the notification of the MN of the discovery of an AR in the proximity of AR_current that matches MN-specified preference criteria. The notifying AR_current may be the one that the MN originally registered its preferences with, or it could be another AR that, due to movement by the MN, has assumed the role of AR_current. In this case the MN preference data set to be transferred from one AR to another in response to the movement of the MN. The presently preferred messaging interface has two main modes of operation. In a first mode of operation, a “Query” mode, the MN explicitly queries AR_current for information descriptive of the capabilities of nearby ARs. AR_current responds to the MN query after examining the information stored in its PNL. In a second mode of operation, an “Event Notification” mode, the MN registers a request with AR_current that AR_current notify the MN whenever an AR satisfying certain criteria is available in the proximity of AR_current. The request registered by the MN may be transferred from one AR to another during handoff of the MN.
Inventors
- 👤 Govind Krishnamurthi
- 👤 Dirk Trossen
- 👤 Hemant Chaskar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:51
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W36/00; H04W36/0005; H04W36/0011; H04W36/0033
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of operating a data communications network comprising a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising: sending a message to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network access-related preference of the MN; in response to receiving the message at AR_current, determining if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference; and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informing the MN of the existence of the AR, where the MN does not have knowledge of the existence of the AR prior to being informed by AR_current of the existence of the AR.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of operating a data communications network comprising a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising: sending a message to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network access-related preference of the MN; in response to receiving the message at AR_current, determining if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference; and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informing the MN of the existence of the AR, where the MN does not have knowledge of the existence of the AR prior to being informed by AR_current of the existence of the AR.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 1 , further comprising: during a handoff procedure for handing off the MN to a second AR, transferring the information to the second AR.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
109 words
A method as in claim 2 , further comprising: in response to receiving the transferred information at the second AR, determining if there is another AR in the vicinity of the second AR that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference; if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of the second AR that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informing the MN of the existence of the AR; and during a handoff procedure for handing off the MN to a third AR, transferring the information from the second AR to the third AR.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as in claim 1 , where determining if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference comprises examining a Physical Neighborhood List (PNL) of AR_ current.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as in claim 4 , where the PNL contains information descriptive of a capability set of other ARs determined by a Candidate Access Router (CAR) discovery procedure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 1 , where the message is an Event Notification Request message.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 1 , where the message is received from the MN.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 1 , where the message is received from an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as in claim 1 , where the AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference is one that provides an access point to the same network to which AR_current is connected.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as in claim 1 , where the AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference is one that provides an access point to a different network than the network to which AR_current is connected.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as in claim 1 , where AR_current provides an access point to a cellular network, and where the AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference provides an access point to a wireless local area network (WLAN).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
157 words
A method of operating a data communications network comprising a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising: sending a message to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network access-related preference of the MN; in response to receiving the message at AR_current determining at AR_Current if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference; and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informing the MN of the existence of the AR, where the message is received from the MN, and where the at least one of the service and network-access related preference is specified by a user with a user interface of the MN.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
157 words
A method of operating a data communications network comprising a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising: sending a message to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network access-related preference of the MN; in response to receiving the message at AR_current determining at AR_Current if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference; and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informing the MN of the existence of the AR, where the message is received from the MN, and where the at least one of the service and network-access related preference is specified by a user with a user interface of the MN.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
159 words
A data communications system, comprising: at least one Mobile Node (MN); and a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) coupled to a network and connectable to said MN through a wireless interface, where a current AR (AR_current) of the MN comprises an interface for receiving a message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network-related preference of the MN and, in response to receiving the message, determines if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informs the MN through said wireless interface of the existence of the AR, where the MN does not have knowledge of the existence of the AR prior to being informed by AR_current of the existence of the AR.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
159 words
A data communications system, comprising: at least one Mobile Node (MN); and a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) coupled to a network and connectable to said MN through a wireless interface, where a current AR (AR_current) of the MN comprises an interface for receiving a message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network-related preference of the MN and, in response to receiving the message, determines if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informs the MN through said wireless interface of the existence of the AR, where the MN does not have knowledge of the existence of the AR prior to being informed by AR_current of the existence of the AR.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A data communications system as in claim 13 , where AR_current, during a handoff procedure for handing off the MN to a second AR, transfers the information to the second AR.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
106 words
A data communications system as in claim 14 , where the second AR, in response to receiving the transferred information, determines if there is another AR in the vicinity of the second AR that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference; and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of the second AR that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informs the MN of the existence of the AR; and during a handoff procedure for handing off the MN to a third AR, transfers the information to the third AR.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
A data communications system as in claim 13 , where AR_current comprises a Physical Neighborhood List (PNL) and, when determining if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, examines the PNL.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A data communications system as in claim 16 , where the PNL contains information descriptive of a capability set of other ARs determined by a Candidate Access Router (CAR) discovery procedure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A data communications system as in claim 13 , where the message is an Event Notification Request message.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
A data communications system as in claim 13 , where the message is received from the MN.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
A data communications system as in claim 13 , where the message is received from an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
A data communications system as in claim 13 , where the AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference is one that provides an access point to the same network to which AR_current is connected.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
49 words
A data communications system as in claim 13 , where the AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference is one that provides an access point to a different network than the network to which AR_current is connected.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
52 words
A data communications system as in claim 13 , where AR_current provides an access point to a cellular network, and where the AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference provides an access point to a wireless local area network (WLAN).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
165 words
A data communications system, comprising: at least one Mobile Node (MN); and a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) coupled to a network and connectable to said MN through a wireless interface, where a current AR (AR_current) of the MN comprises an interface for receiving a message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network-related preference of the MN and, in response to receiving the message, determines if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informs the MN through said wireless interface of the existence of the AR, where the message is received from the MN, and where the MN comprises a user interface whereby a user specifies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
165 words
A data communications system, comprising: at least one Mobile Node (MN); and a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) coupled to a network and connectable to said MN through a wireless interface, where a current AR (AR_current) of the MN comprises an interface for receiving a message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network-related preference of the MN and, in response to receiving the message, determines if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, and if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informs the MN through said wireless interface of the existence of the AR, where the message is received from the MN, and where the MN comprises a user interface whereby a user specifies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of operating a data communications network comprising a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising: sending a Query message from the MN to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current; and sending the information from AR_current to the MN.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of operating a data communications network comprising a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising: sending a Query message from the MN to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current; and sending the information from AR_current to the MN.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 25 , where before sending the information AR_current examines a Physical Neighborhood List (PNL) of AR_current.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of operating a data communications network comprising a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising: sending a Query message from the MN to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN. the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current; and sending the information from AR current to the MN. where before sending the information AR_current examines a Physical Neighborhood List (PNL) of AR_current and where the PNL contains information descriptive of a capability set of other ARs determined by a Candidate Access Router (CAR) discovery procedure.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of operating a data communications network comprising a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising: sending a Query message from the MN to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN. the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current; and sending the information from AR current to the MN. where before sending the information AR_current examines a Physical Neighborhood List (PNL) of AR_current and where the PNL contains information descriptive of a capability set of other ARs determined by a Candidate Access Router (CAR) discovery procedure.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
79 words
A data communications system, comprising: at least one Mobile Node (MN); and a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) coupled to a network and connectable to said MN through a wireless interface, where a current AR (AR_current) of the MN comprises an interface for receiving a Query message from the MN, the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current, said AR_current sending the information from AR_current to the MN using the wireless interface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
79 words
A data communications system, comprising: at least one Mobile Node (MN); and a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) coupled to a network and connectable to said MN through a wireless interface, where a current AR (AR_current) of the MN comprises an interface for receiving a Query message from the MN, the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current, said AR_current sending the information from AR_current to the MN using the wireless interface.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
A data communications system as in claim 28 , where before sending the information AR_current examines a Physical Neighborhood List (PNL) of AR_current.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
116 words
A data communications system, comprising: at least one Mobile Node (MN); and a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) coupled to a network and connectable to said MN through a wireless interface, where a current AR (AR_current) of the MN comprises an interface for receiving a Query message from the MN, the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current, said AR_current sending the information from AR_current to the MN using the wireless interface, where before sending the information AR_current examines a Physical Neighborhood List (PNL) of AR_current, and where the PNL contains information descriptive of a capability set of other ARs determined by a Candidate Access Router (CAR) discovery procedure.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
116 words
A data communications system, comprising: at least one Mobile Node (MN); and a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) coupled to a network and connectable to said MN through a wireless interface, where a current AR (AR_current) of the MN comprises an interface for receiving a Query message from the MN, the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current, said AR_current sending the information from AR_current to the MN using the wireless interface, where before sending the information AR_current examines a Physical Neighborhood List (PNL) of AR_current, and where the PNL contains information descriptive of a capability set of other ARs determined by a Candidate Access Router (CAR) discovery procedure.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
190 words
A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and comprising program instructions to operate at least one computer in a data communications network that comprises a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising operations of: receiving a message from the MN at a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network access-related preference of the MN; in response to receiving the message at AR_current, determining if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference; if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informing the MN of the existence of the AR, where the MN does not have knowledge of the existence of the AR prior to being informed by AR_current of the existence of the AR; and during a handoff procedure for handing off the MN to a second AR, transferring the information to the second AR.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
190 words
A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and comprising program instructions to operate at least one computer in a data communications network that comprises a plurality of Access Routers (ARs) and at least one Mobile Node (MN), comprising operations of: receiving a message from the MN at a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the message comprising information descriptive of at least one of a service and network access-related preference of the MN; in response to receiving the message at AR_current, determining if there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference; if it is determined that there is another AR in the vicinity of AR_current that satisfies the at least one of the service and network-access related preference, informing the MN of the existence of the AR, where the MN does not have knowledge of the existence of the AR prior to being informed by AR_current of the existence of the AR; and during a handoff procedure for handing off the MN to a second AR, transferring the information to the second AR.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
21 words
A computer program product as in claim 31 , where the information is descriptive of a desired type of access technology.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer program product as in claim 31 , where the information is descriptive of a desired type of service.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
21 words
A computer program product as in claim 31 , where the information is descriptive of a desired type of special feature.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
A computer program product as in claim 34 , where the special feature comprises at least one of security, transcoding service, playout buffer hosting and protocol header conversion.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer program product as in claim 31 , where the information is descriptive of a desired cost of access.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
29 words
A computer program product as in claim 31 , where the information is descriptive of a desire to locate an AR having access to a desired type of service.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
79 words
A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and comprising program instructions to operate at least one computer of a Mobile Node (MN) in a data communications network that comprises a plurality of Access Routers (ARs), comprising operations of: sending a Query message from the MN to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current; and subsequently receiving the requested information from AR_current.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
79 words
A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and comprising program instructions to operate at least one computer of a Mobile Node (MN) in a data communications network that comprises a plurality of Access Routers (ARs), comprising operations of: sending a Query message from the MN to a current AR (AR_current) of the MN, the Query message requesting information regarding capabilities of other ARs in the vicinity of AR_current; and subsequently receiving the requested information from AR_current.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-05-28 | 2014-11-27 | 2015-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-05-28 | 2018-11-27 | 2019-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |