Patent US6549522B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6549522B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Mobile data rate enhancement via foreign agent load balancing
Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
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Filing: 1998-12-11
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Granted: 2003-04-15
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Expires: 2018-12-11
Abstract
Abstract Data is routed through the Internet to a mobile node by using home agents and foreign agents to provide mobility functions. Data transfer rates to the mobile node are improved by providing for transfer of data from the home agent to a plurality of foreign agents on a round-robin basis, which can be enhanced by checking the quality of the connection between the foreign agent and the mobile node and re-routing the data through another foreign agent if certain predetermined quality criteria are not met.
Inventors
- 👤 Jason Stuart Flynn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 19:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/1001; H04L67/1036; H04L45/00; H04L45/24; H04L67/1004; H04L67/1017; H04W; H04W28/00; H04W28/02; H04W28/08; H04W28/088; H04W40/00; H04W40/02; H04W40/12; H04L67/101; H04L67/1012; H04W40/24; H04W40/30; H04W40/34; H04W40/36; H04W80/00; H04W80/04; Y; Y02; Y02D; Y02D30/00; Y02D30/70
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of routing data from a home agent of a home communications network to a mobile node associated with the home communications network but currently connected to a foreign communications network away from the home communications network, the method comprising: determining the location of a plurality of foreign agent nodes associated with the foreign communications network from which data may be transmitted to the mobile node; and transmitting from the home agent successive data units from a received stream of data units intended for the mobile node to different respective ones of the foreign agent nodes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of routing data from a home agent of a home communications network to a mobile node associated with the home communications network but currently connected to a foreign communications network away from the home communications network, the method comprising: determining the location of a plurality of foreign agent nodes associated with the foreign communications network from which data may be transmitted to the mobile node; and transmitting from the home agent successive data units from a received stream of data units intended for the mobile node to different respective ones of the foreign agent nodes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein next successive ones of the data units are transmitted to the foreign agent nodes on a round-robin basis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising assessing the quality of the connection between each foreign agent node and the mobile node prior to transmitting a data unit to the foreign agent node.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 3 , including re-routing the data unit to a different one of the foreign agent nodes if the connection quality does not meet predetermined criteria.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined criteria include a minimum bandwidth for the connection between one of the foreign agent nodes and the mobile node.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 3 , wherein the available bandwidth for data transfer across the connection is a measure of the quality of the connection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 3 , wherein the foreign agent nodes include data buffers and the level of buffer use is a measure of the quality of the connection.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein each data unit is an encapsulated IP datagram.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of routing data to a mobile node within a communications network, comprising: determining the location of a location of a plurality of agent nodes from which data may be transmitted to the mobile node; and transmitting successive data units from a stream of data units intended for the mobile node to different respective ones of the agent nodes; wherein the agent nodes are foreign agents within a Mobile IP based network.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of routing data to a mobile node within a communications network, comprising: determining the location of a location of a plurality of agent nodes from which data may be transmitted to the mobile node; and transmitting successive data units from a stream of data units intended for the mobile node to different respective ones of the agent nodes; wherein the agent nodes are foreign agents within a Mobile IP based network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
96 words
A communications system for mobile data transfer comprising: a mobile node connectable to a foreign network away from its home network; a home agent node associated with the home network for receiving a stream of data units intended for the mobile node; and a plurality of foreign agent nodes associated with the foreign network for forwarding data units received from the home agent node to the mobile node; wherein the home agent node is configured to transmit different data units from the received stream of data units to different respective ones of the foreign agent nodes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
96 words
A communications system for mobile data transfer comprising: a mobile node connectable to a foreign network away from its home network; a home agent node associated with the home network for receiving a stream of data units intended for the mobile node; and a plurality of foreign agent nodes associated with the foreign network for forwarding data units received from the home agent node to the mobile node; wherein the home agent node is configured to transmit different data units from the received stream of data units to different respective ones of the foreign agent nodes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A communications system according to claim 10 , wherein successive ones of the different data units are transmitted to the different agent nodes on a round-robin basis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
101 words
A communications system for mobile data transfer, the system comprising: a correspondent node; a mobile node; a first agent node and a second agent node for respectively receiving successive ones of data units transmitted from the correspondent node, the first agent node having a first individual data transfer rate to the mobile node and the second agent node having a second individual data transfer rate to the mobile node; wherein the correspondent node is capable of transferring data to the mobile node at a composite data transfer rate which is the sum of the first and second individual data transfer rates.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
101 words
A communications system for mobile data transfer, the system comprising: a correspondent node; a mobile node; a first agent node and a second agent node for respectively receiving successive ones of data units transmitted from the correspondent node, the first agent node having a first individual data transfer rate to the mobile node and the second agent node having a second individual data transfer rate to the mobile node; wherein the correspondent node is capable of transferring data to the mobile node at a composite data transfer rate which is the sum of the first and second individual data transfer rates.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 12 , wherein successive ones of data units transmitted from the correspondent node to the first and second agent nodes are done so on a round-robin basis.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of transmitting successive data units from a stream of data units from a correspondent node of a home communications network to a mobile node through different respective ones of foreign agent nodes, wherein each of the foreign agent nodes is capable of transferring data to the mobile node at a respective individual data transfer rate, the mobile node being associated with the home communications network but currently connected to a foreign communications network away from the home communications network, wherein the method comprises: transmitting from the correspondent node successive data units from a stream of data units to the mobile node using different respective ones of the foreign agent nodes associated with the foreign network at an aggregate data transfer rate, the aggregate data transfer rate being the sum of the individual data transfer rates.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of transmitting successive data units from a stream of data units from a correspondent node of a home communications network to a mobile node through different respective ones of foreign agent nodes, wherein each of the foreign agent nodes is capable of transferring data to the mobile node at a respective individual data transfer rate, the mobile node being associated with the home communications network but currently connected to a foreign communications network away from the home communications network, wherein the method comprises: transmitting from the correspondent node successive data units from a stream of data units to the mobile node using different respective ones of the foreign agent nodes associated with the foreign network at an aggregate data transfer rate, the aggregate data transfer rate being the sum of the individual data transfer rates.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 14 , wherein successive ones of the data units are transmitted.to the different foreign agent nodes on a round-robin basis.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
117 words
A communications system for mobile data transfer, the system comprising: a correspondent node of a home communications network; a mobile node associated with the home communications network but currently connected to a foreign communications network away from the home communications network; and a plurality of foreign agent nodes associated with the foreign communications network for respectively receiving successive ones of data units transmitted from the correspondent node, each of the foreign agent nodes being capable of transferring data to the mobile node at a respective individual transfer rate; wherein the correspondent node is capable of transferring data to the mobile node at a composite data transfer rate which is the sum of the individual data transfer rates.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
117 words
A communications system for mobile data transfer, the system comprising: a correspondent node of a home communications network; a mobile node associated with the home communications network but currently connected to a foreign communications network away from the home communications network; and a plurality of foreign agent nodes associated with the foreign communications network for respectively receiving successive ones of data units transmitted from the correspondent node, each of the foreign agent nodes being capable of transferring data to the mobile node at a respective individual transfer rate; wherein the correspondent node is capable of transferring data to the mobile node at a composite data transfer rate which is the sum of the individual data transfer rates.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 16 , wherein successive ones of the data units transmitted from the correspondent node to the respective foreign agent nodes are done so on a round-robin basis.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-04-14 | 2006-10-14 | 2007-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-04-14 | 2010-10-14 | 2011-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-04-14 | 2014-10-14 | 2015-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |