Method and apparatus to facilitate network processes
View Patent ↗One determines ( 101, 102 ) that a given wireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its network location (using, for example, an 802.16( e )-compatible protocol) at a time when there is no downlink traffic to provide to the platform and at a time when the platform should conduct at least one of an authenticator relocation process and an Internet Protocol address renewal process. In response to such determinations, one then automatically provides ( 103 ) to the platform, as part of updating the network location for the platform, an indication (such as, for example, a downlink traffic pending (DTP) flag) that the platform has pending downlink traffic notwithstanding that there is, in fact, no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform. Subsequent to this, one can then automatically cause ( 104 ) the platform to effect at least one of the authenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol address renewal process.
1. A method comprising:
determining that a wireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its network location at a time when there is no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform;
determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should be brought to an active mode;
in response to determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its network location and determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should be brought to the active mode, automatically providing to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform, as part of updating the network location for the wireless mobile two-way communications platform, a false indication that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlink traffic although there is no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should be brought to an active mode comprises determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of:
an authenticator relocation process;
an Internet Protocol address renewal process.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of an authenticator relocation process and an Internet Protocol address renewal process comprises detecting a network topological change as corresponds to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein updating the network location for the wireless mobile two-way communications platform comprises updating the network location in a manner that is compatible with an 802.16e/m-compatible protocol.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein automatically providing to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform a false indication that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlink traffic comprises using a downlink traffic pending (DTP) flag as comprises a part of updating the network location.
6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
subsequent to the false indication that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlink traffic, automatically causing the wireless mobile two-way communications platform to conduct at least one of the authenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol address renewal process.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein effecting the Internet Protocol address renewal process comprises using at least one of a client mobile Internet Protocol (CMIP) and proxy mobile Internet Protocol (PMIP)-compatible rebinding process.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a network interface;
a controller operably coupled to the network interface and configured to:
determine that a wireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its network location at a time when there is no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform;
determine that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of:
an authenticator relocation process;
an Internet Protocol address renewal process;
in response to determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its network location and determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of the authenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol address renewal process, automatically provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform, as part of updating the network location for the wireless mobile two-way communications platform, a false indication that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlink traffic although there is no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of an authenticator relocation process and an Internet Protocol address renewal process by detecting a network topological change as corresponds to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller is further configured to update the network location for the wireless mobile two-way communications platform by updating the network location in a manner that is compatible with an 802.16e-compatible protocol.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is further configured to automatically provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform a false indication that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlink traffic by using a downlink traffic pending (DTP) flag as comprises a part of updating the network location.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the controller is further configured to, subsequent to the false indication that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlink traffic, automatically cause the wireless mobile two-way communications platform to conduct at least one of the authenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol address renewal process.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the controller is further configured to effect the Internet Protocol address renewal process by using at least one of a client mobile Internet Protocol (CMIP) and proxy mobile Internet Protocol (PMIP)-compatible rebinding process.
14. A method comprising:
determining that a wireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its network location;
determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of:
an authenticator relocation process;
an Internet Protocol address renewal process;
in response to determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform is updating its network location and determining that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform should conduct at least one of the authenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol address renewal process, automatically providing to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform, as part of updating the network location for the wireless mobile two-way communications platform, a non-page-based message to thereby place the wireless mobile two-way communications platform into a state that will operationally support conducting at least one of the authenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol address renewal process,
wherein the non-page-based message comprising a false indication that the wireless mobile two-way communications platform has pending downlink traffic is automatically provided to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform although there is no downlink traffic to provide to the wireless mobile two-way communications platform.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
subsequent to providing the non-page-based message, automatically causing the wireless mobile two-way communications platform to effect at least one of the authenticator relocation process and the Internet Protocol address renewal process.