Method and apparatus for alerting mobile nodes of desirable access characteristics

• Main Authors: TROSSEN DIRK, KRISHNAMURTHI GOVIND, CHASKAR HEMANT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.09.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

This invention provides a messaging interface between a Mobile Node (MN) and an Access Router (AR) that enables the registration of MN preferences with a current AR (AR_current) and, when appropriate, the notification of the MN of the discovery of an AR in the proximity of AR_current that matches MN-specified preference criteria. The notifying AR_current may be the one that the MN originally registered its preferences with, or it could be another AR that, due to movement by the MN, has assumed the role of AR_current. In this case the MN preference data set to be transferred from one AR to another in response to the movement of the MN. The presently preferred messaging interface has two main modes of operation. In a first mode of operation, a "Query" mode, the MN explicitly queries AR_current for information descriptive of the capabilities of nearby ARs. AR_current responds to the MN query after examining the information stored in its PNL. In a second mode of operation, an "Event Notification" mode, the MN registers a request with AR_current that AR_current notify the MN whenever an AR satisfying certain criteria is available in the proximity of AR_current. The request registered by the MN may be transferred from one AR to another during handoff of the MN.