Granted Patent B2

US 7,616,599 · App. 11/419,286 · Granted Nov 10, 2009

Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (86)

1. A cellular network base station configured to operate in a cellular network, the cellular network comprising:

(a) a service area divided into a multitude of cells through which one or more mobile terminals can move through, said base station configured to communicate with said mobile terminals deployed in said multitude of cells for forwarding packets between said base station and said mobile terminals;

(b) a cellular label switched network, including a plurality of nodes, said plurality of nodes topologically connected, said plurality of nodes including at least one label switching node;

(c) a connection between said base station and at least one label switching node for forwarding packets between said base station and said at least one label switching node;

(d) a means for determining a label switched path for directing packets between a pair of locations, said pair of locations consisting of:

(i) nodes; and

(ii) said base station;

(e) a means for attaching a label to said packets, said label including:

(i) said label switched path; and

(ii) control information;

(f) a means for removing said label from said labeled packet;

(g) a means for each of said nodes to interpret said label; and

(h) a means for each of said nodes to forward said label switched packet along said label switched path; and

wherein said base station uses wireless technology to communicate with said mobile terminals, said wireless technology using a protocol layer architecture including at least one of the following:

(i) a wireless physical layer;

(ii) a wireless medium access control protocol layer;

(iii) a radio link control layer, said radio link control segments mobile packets into radio link frames identified by radio link identifiers and users means for error mitigation to enhance poor radio link quality; and

(iv) a network layer.

2. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said label switched nodes provide base station control information to said base station.

3. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said label switched nodes concentrate traffic to said base station.

4. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said label switched nodes provide support for fast handoff of said mobile terminals to said base station.

5. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said label switched nodes provide location management information to said base station.

6. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said base station:

(a) reassembles said radio frames received from said mobile terminals into said packets;

(b) attaching said label to said packets; and

(c) forwarding said labeled packets to said label switching node.

7. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said base station:

(a) receives said labeled packets from said label switching node;

(b) segments the said labeled packets into radio frames;

(c) removes said label from said labeled packets; and

(d) forwards said radio frames to said mobile terminal.

8. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said label switched path is determined by:

(a) information derived from broadcasting a network state through said network topology using a routing protocol; and

(b) establishing said label switched path using a signaling protocol.

9. A cellular network base station according to claim 8 , wherein said routing protocol is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a link state routing protocol; and

(b) a vector space routing protocol.

10. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said label switched path is determined by a topology database.

11. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein a topology database exists in a multitude of said nodes.

12. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , further including label merging wherein at least one of said label switching nodes is capable of:

(a) receiving two or more packets with different labels; and

(b) forwarding said two or more packets over a single outgoing interface with a singular label.

13. A cellular network base station according to claim 12 , wherein said packets are received from said base station.

14. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said label switched path is rerouted by:

(a) establishing a new label switched path tunnel;

(b) transferring traffic from said label switched path to a new label switched path; and

(c) removing said label switched path.

15. A cellular network base station according to claim 14 , wherein additional messages between said base station and said mobile terminals are exchanged to complete handoff and cell selection process.

16. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein a label switched path is rerouted using pre-established paths and further comprising the steps of:

(a) setting a pre-established tree between said base station and other base stations located in the region of influence of said mobile terminal and a common node prior to handoff; and

(b) selecting a different tree branch for communication when said mobile terminal moves from said base station to another of said other base stations.

17. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein said mobile terminal receives and transmits radio packets to and from said base station and at least one other base station.

18. A cellular network base station according to claim 1 , wherein a mobile terminal in a diversity area establishes packet links to said base station and at least one other base station capable of communicating to said mobile terminal.

19. A cellular network base station configured to operate in a cellular network, the cellular network comprising:

(a) a service area divided into a multitude of cells through which one or more mobile terminals can move through, said base station configured to communicate with said mobile terminals within said multitude of cells for forwarding packets between said base station and said mobile terminals;

(b) a cellular label switched network, including a plurality of nodes, said plurality of nodes topologically connected, said plurality of nodes including at least one label switching node;

(c) a connection between said base station and at least one label switching node for forwarding packets between said base station and said label switching nodes;

(d) means for determining a label switched path for directing packets between a pair of locations, said pair of locations consisting of:

(i) nodes; and

(ii) said base station;

(e) means for attaching a label to said packets, said label including:

(i) said label switched path; and

(ii) control information;

(f) means for removing said label from said labeled packet;

(g) a means for each of said nodes to interpret said label;

(h) a means for each of said nodes to forward said label switched packet along said label switched path; and

(i) a routing area consisting of a set of cells wherein said base station is connected to the same label switched node as other base stations.

20. A cellular network base station configured to operate in a cellular network, the cellular network comprising:

(a) a service area divided into a multitude of cells through which one or more mobile terminals can move through, said base station configured to communicate with said mobile terminals in said multitude of cells for forwarding packets between said base station and said mobile terminals;

(b) a cellular label switched network, including a plurality of nodes, said plurality of nodes topologically connected, said plurality of nodes including at least one label switching node;

(c) a connection between said base station and at least one label switching node for forwarding packets between said base station and said at least one label switching node;

(d) means for determining a label switched path for directing packets between a pair of locations, said pair of locations consisting of:

(i) nodes; and

(ii) said base station;

(e) a means for attaching a label to said packets, said label including:

(i) said label switched path; and

(ii) control information;

(f) a means for removing said label from said labeled packet;

(g) a means for each of said nodes to interpret said label;

(h) a means for each of said nodes to forward said label switched packet along said label switched path; and

(i) a mobile terminal hand-off mechanism including the steps of:

(i) finding a new data path from said mobile to a new base station;

(ii) using said new data path to establish a new label switched path to said new base station;

(iii) enabling said mobile to receive and transmit to both said base station and said new base station when said mobile is in a diversity area;

(iv) shifting the data path at a crossover node to said new label switched path; and

(v) extending traffic flow to said new base station when said mobile has completely moved under said new base station's coverage.

Assignments (10)

Continuity (3)