Seamless mobility in layer 2 radio access networks
View Patent ↗Systems and techniques for routing frames in one or more radio access networks based on a physical addressing scheme involve assigning a unique identifier to a virtual local area network that includes a path connecting an access point to a radio network serving node. For each of multiple nodes in the radio access network, the virtual local area network is associated with a port for routing frames towards the radio network serving node and/or a port for routing frames towards the access point. Frames that include a destination address associated with a mobile station associated with the access point are unicast from the radio network serving node towards the access point using the virtual local area network.
1. A method for routing frames in one or more radio access networks based on a physical addressing scheme, the method comprising:
an access point serving a mobile station assigning a unique identifier to a first virtual local area network, wherein the unique identifier is a virtual local area network identifier and wherein the first virtual local area network includes a path connecting the access point to a first radio network serving node, wherein the first virtual local area network, for each of a plurality of nodes in the first radio access network, is associated with at least one of a port for routing frames towards the first radio network serving node or a port for routing frames towards the access point;
at least one of the access point and the first radio network serving node unicasting frames that include a destination address associated with the mobile station from the first radio network serving node towards the access point using the first virtual local area network;
the access point determining that the mobile station is moving from a location adjacent the access point toward a target access point; and
the first radio network serving node bicasting a first copy of frames addressed to the mobile station and a second copy of said frames addressed to the mobile station, wherein the first copy of said frames includes the virtual local area network identifier associated with the access point and the second copy of said frames includes a virtual local area network identifier associated with the target access point.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
the first radio network serving node duplicating frames addressed to the mobile station for generating the first copy of said frames addressed to the mobile station and the second copy of said frames addressed to the mobile station.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
the access point assigning a second identifier to a second virtual local area network that includes a path connecting the access point to the target access point, wherein the second virtual local area network, for each of at least one node in the first radio access network, is associated with at least one of a port for routing frames toward the access point or a port for routing frames toward the target access point.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
the access point serving the mobile station assigning a second identifier to a second virtual local area network that includes a path connecting the first radio network serving node to the second radio network serving node, wherein the second virtual local area network, for each of a plurality of nodes in the second radio access network, is associated with at least one of a port for routing frames toward the first radio network serving node or a port for routing frames toward the second radio network serving node.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radio area network is a layer-2 network.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the destination address is a media access control address.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the radio area network is a wide area wireless network.
8. A method for routing frames in one or more radio access networks based on a physical addressing scheme, the method comprising:
an access point serving a mobile station assigning a unique identifier to a first virtual local area network, wherein the unique identifier is a virtual local area network identifier and wherein the first virtual local area network includes a path connecting the access point to a first radio network serving node, wherein the first virtual local area network, for each of a plurality of nodes in the first radio access network, is associated with at least one of a port for routing frames towards the first radio network serving node or a port for routing frames towards the access point;
at least one of the access point and the first radio network serving node unicasting frames that include a destination address associated with the mobile station from the first radio network serving node towards the access point using the first virtual local area network;
the access point determining that the mobile station is moving from a location adjacent the access point toward a target access point;
the first radio network serving node duplicating frames addressed to the mobile station, wherein a first copy of the frames includes the virtual local area network identifier associated with the access point, and a second copy of the frames includes a virtual local area network identifier associated with the target access point;
the first radio network serving node bicasting the first copy of the frames and the second copy of the frames; and
said at least one of the access point serving the mobile station and the first radio network serving node serving the mobile station assigning a second identifier to a second virtual local area network that includes a path connecting the access point to the target access point, wherein the second virtual local area network, for each of at least one node in the first radio access network, is associated with at least one of a port for routing frames toward the access point or a port for routing frames toward the target access point.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
at least one of the access point and a second radio network serving node serving the mobile station assigning a second identifier to a second virtual local area network that includes a path connecting the first radio network serving node to the second radio network serving node, wherein the second virtual local area network, for each of a plurality of nodes in the second radio access network, is associated with at least one of a port for routing frames towards the first radio network serving node or a port for routing frames towards the second radio network serving node.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the radio area network is a layer-2 network.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the destination address is a media access control address.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the radio area network is a wide area wireless network.