Multiple interface mobile node with simultaneous home- and foreign network connection
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a method for node management in a packet-switched network, wherein a first node acts as a proxy for a second node, both nodes having network-layer addresses and link-layer addresses, the network-layer addresses at the network layer and the link-layer addresses at the link layer being used for communication in the packet-switched network. The method comprises the following steps performed by the first node: The first node receives from the second node a request to receive and forward packets addressed to the second node's network-layer address, whereby the same network-layer address is associated with the first node and the second node, and the first node and the second node have distinct link-layer addresses. The first node advertises to nodes attached to the packet-switched network the first node's link-layer address as a destination address for the second node's network-layer address, while the second node does not advertise. The first node receives in response to advertising, packets destined to the second node's network-layer address having the first node's link-layer address; and forwards packets addressed to the second node's network-layer address to the second node using its link-layer address.
1. A method for controlling the forwarding of packets destined to a mobile node, wherein the mobile node is attached to a home link, a home agent on the home link is configured to intercept packets destined to the mobile node's home address, and at least one router other than the home agent is on the home link, the method comprising the following steps:
receiving from the mobile node a request to receive and forward packets addressed to the mobile node's home address, wherein the mobile node includes a link-layer address of the mobile node in the request;
advertising on behalf of the mobile node, on the home link, the home agent's link-layer address as a destination address for the mobile node's home address;
stopping, by the mobile node, an operation of advertising to the at least one router on the home link the mobile node's link-layer address as the destination address for the mobile node's home address when the mobile node attaches to the home link;
receiving from the at least one router in response to the advertising of the home agent's link-layer address, the packets destined to the mobile node's home address having the home agent's link-layer address; and
forwarding, by the home agent, all of the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address to the mobile node using the mobile node's link-layer address.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the home agent maps the mobile node's home address to the mobile node's link layer address.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein neighbor caches of nodes attached to the home link are updated with the home agent's link-layer address as a destination address for the mobile node's home address.
4. A system for controlling the forwarding of packets destined to a mobile node, comprising:
the mobile node attached to a home link;
a home agent on the home link configured to intercept packets destined to the mobile node's home address; and
at least one router on the home link other than the home agent, wherein:
the home agent is further configured to receive from the mobile node a request to receive and forward packets addressed to the mobile node's home address, wherein the mobile node includes the mobile node's link-layer address in the request;
the home agent is further configured to advertise on the home link the home agent's link-layer address as a destination address for the mobile node's home address;
the mobile node is configured to stop an operation of advertising to the at least one router on the home link the mobile node's link-layer address as the destination address for the mobile node's home address when the mobile node attaches to the home link;
the home agent is further configured to receive from the at least one router, in response to the advertising of the home agent's link-layer address, the packets destined to the mobile node's home address having the home agent's link-layer address; and
the home agent is further configured to forward all of the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address to the mobile node using the mobile node's link-layer address.
5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the home agent maps the mobile node's home address to the mobile node's link layer address.
6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein neighbor caches of nodes attached to the home link are updated with the home agent's link-layer address as a destination address for the mobile node's home address.
7. A mobile node attached to a home link, wherein a home agent on the home link is configured to intercept packets addressed to the mobile node's home address, and at least one router other than the home agent is on the home link, the mobile node comprising:
a transmitting unit configured to include the mobile node's link-layer address in a binding update message and send the message to the home agent;
a stopping unit configured to stop an operation of advertising to the at least one router on the home link the mobile node's link-layer address as a destination address for the mobile node's home address when the mobile node attaches to the home link; and
a receiving unit configured to receive the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address at the mobile node's link-layer address forwarded from the home agent, wherein the home agent forwards to the mobile node all of the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address.
8. A mobile node attached to a home link, wherein the mobile node comprises a plurality of interfaces, and at least one of the interfaces is attached to a foreign link and assigned the mobile node's care-of address, wherein a home agent on the home link is configured to intercept packets addressed to the mobile node's home address, and at least one router other than the home agent is on the home link, the mobile node comprising:
a transmitting unit configured to include the mobile node's link-layer address in a binding update message and send the message to the home agent;
a stopping unit configured to stop an operation of advertising to the at least one router on the home link the mobile node's link-layer address as a destination address for the mobile node's home address when the mobile node attaches to the home link, and
a receiving unit configured to receive the packets forwarded from the home agent addressed to the mobile node's home address either at the mobile node's link-layer address or by tunneling to the care-of address, wherein the home agent forwards to the mobile node all of the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address.
9. The mobile node according to claim 8 , wherein the home agent decides to send the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address directly to the home address on the home link or tunnel to the care-of address.
10. A method for controlling the forwarding of packets destined to a mobile node, wherein the mobile node is attached to a home link, and wherein the mobile node comprises a plurality of interfaces, and at least one of the interfaces is attached to a foreign link and assigned the mobile node's care-of address, a home agent on the home link is configured to intercept packets destined to the mobile node's home address, and at least one router other than the home agent is on the home link, the method comprising the following steps:
receiving from the mobile node a request to receive and forward packets addressed to the mobile node's home address, wherein the mobile node includes a link-layer address of the mobile node in the request;
advertising on behalf of the mobile node, on the home link, the home agent's link-layer address as a destination address for the mobile node's home address;
stopping, by the mobile node, an operation of advertising to the at least one router on the home link the mobile node's link-layer address as the destination address for the mobile node's home address when the mobile node attaches to the home link;
receiving from the at least one router in response to the advertising of the home agent's link-layer address, the packets destined to the mobile node's home address having the home agent's link-layer address; and
forwarding, by the home agent, all of the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address to the mobile node either using the mobile node's link-layer address or by tunneling to the care-of address.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the home agent decides to send the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address directly to the home address on the home link or tunnel to the care-of address.
12. A system for controlling the forwarding of packets destined to a mobile node, comprising:
the mobile node attached to a home link, wherein the mobile node comprises a plurality of interfaces, and at least one of the interfaces is attached to a foreign link and assigned the mobile node's care-of address,
a home agent on the home link configured to intercept packets destined to the mobile node's home address; and
at least one router on the home link other than the home agent, wherein:
the home agent is further configured to receive from the mobile node a request to receive and forward packets addressed to the mobile node's home address, wherein the mobile node includes the mobile node's link-layer address in the request;
the home agent is further configured to advertise on the home link the home agent's link-layer address as a destination address for the mobile node's home address;
the mobile node is configured to stop an operation of advertising to the at least one router on the home link the mobile node's link-layer address as the destination address for the mobile node's home address when the mobile node attaches to the home link;
the home agent is further configured to receive from the at least one router, in response to the advertising of the home agent's link-layer address, the packets destined to the mobile node's home address having the home agent's link-layer address; and
the home agent is further configured to forward to the mobile node all of the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address using either the mobile node's link-layer address, or by tunneling to the care-of address.
13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the home agent decides to send the packets addressed to the mobile node's home address directly to the home address on the home link or tunnel to the care-of address.