Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling transmission of a data stream from a station. A QoS registration frame is received, via an access point, from the station. The QoS registration frame includes information indicating a request for transmission of a data stream from the station, and information indicating a minimum required interval and a maximum required interval for an interval which is between start points of two successive durations of a medium dedication. Each duration of the medium dedication represents a time period in which the station is permitted to transmit the data stream. A schedule for the transmission of the data stream is calculated by setting a new interval which is between the minimum required interval and the maximum required interval, when the transmission is admitted. A QoS response frame, which includes information indicating the schedule, is then transmitted from the access point to the station.

Abstract: A wireless communication system is provided for configuring a multihop chain while suppressing the cost and complexity. In this system, one network controller (NC) (105) for executing the infrastructure function distributes the scheduling information to a plurality of communication entities (WCE) (110, 115, 120, 210, 215) configuring the multihop chain for alternating operation in the infrastructure function mode and the client function mode. The WCE (110, 115, 120, 210, 215) alternately operates the infrastructure function and the client function according to the distributed control and operations information.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed to decrease unnecessary routing during communication between a mobile node and a correspondent node in case a home agent of the mobile node is a mobile home agent. According to this technique, HA 112 positioned in a home network 102 and HA 114 of MN 130 are included. In a communication system, where HA 114 is a mobile home agent, and a mobile network 104 of HA 114 is hierarchized under the home network 102, HA 114, which is a home agent, discovers HA 112 positioned in the home network 102 when it is detected that it is away from the home network 102 and delegates binding cache entry of MN 130 under its own management to HA 112 so that HA 112 acts as a home agent for MN 130.

Abstract: A method for negotiations between various entities of a wireless local area network (WLAN) including negotiations between controlling nodes (CNs) and wireless access points (WAPs) and negotiations between WAPs is disclosed. These negotiations are used for the purpose of establishing the capabilities of the various entities, determining how such capabilities may be optimally divided among the negotiating entities and then dividing the capabilities among the entities based on this determination. The capabilities include those required for the operation, control and management of the WLAN entities and the encompassing WLAN. The disclosed method introduces means for flexibly accommodating the varying degrees of differences in capabilities among the WLAN entities between the WLAN entities including dynamic changes in WLAN topologies.

Abstract: A technology is disclosed for a mobile device with multiple interfaces to make use of its multiple interfaces capability with Mobile IP. According to this technology, MN (Mobile Node) 100 comprises a cellular interface to connect to the cellular network 112 and a Wireless-LAN interface to connect to the local network 122 and 132, and sends a Binding Update message to set the address of the Wireless-LAN interface to CoA (Care-of Address) to HA (Home Agent) at the cellular network or CN (Correspondent Node) 160. This Binding Update message includes a special label indication that the cellular interface is currently connected to the home network.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solution to the mobile terminal address management in the WLAN inter-working. By using the access control framework, the mobile terminal could obtain the address, and setup the tunnel together with the granting of service access. The management process would be shielded by the inherent encryption and protection of the access control process, and thus does not need extra security setup procedures to be performed. The invention also provides a method for the terminal to obtain address that binds to the session, using a fine grain service authorization procedure. The terminal could maintain multiple addresses when accessing multiple parallel sessions. The address management is also integrated with the policy control mechanisms. The policy control would provide means for the terminal and its home network to configure the WLAN when necessary after an address alternation.

Abstract: As an apparatus itself moves, its access section gets access to a router using a temporarily assigned global address when making a roaming connection to a different network from a network to which the apparatus belongs currently. A message generating section generates a binding update message, which contains a global address which is uniquely assigned to a network element apparatus, the above temporarily assigned global address, and a global address of the router, to transmit the generated message via the access section to a router, which is a serving router after move. This makes it possible to deliver packets among moving networks with the minimum delay to an intended recipient.

Abstract: A mobility condition determination unit, provided in an MIP controller that manages moving of a communication node, obtains and examines various conditions that have occurred as the communication node is moving, selects an appropriate HoA (e.g., the home address of an MN1) for the current connection situation, and transmits, to a multihoming controller, a notification indicating that a set of the selected HoA and a CoA constitutes appropriate addresses to be used. Upon receiving the notification from the mobility condition determination unit, the multihoming controller transmits, to the MIP controller, an address (Addr2) consonant with the received HoA, and the MIP controller performs packet communication using the HoA or the CoA consonant with the address.

Abstract: A method for negotiations between various entities of a wireless local area network (WLAN) including negotiations between controlling nodes (CNs) and wireless access points (WAPs) and negotiations between WAPs is disclosed. These negotiations are used for the purpose of establishing the capabilities of the various entities, determining how such capabilities may be optimally divided among the negotiating entities and then dividing the capabilities among the entities based on this determination. The capabilities include those required for the operation, control and management of the WLAN entities and the encompassing WLAN. The disclosed method introduces means for flexibly accommodating the varying degrees of differences in capabilities among the WLAN entities between the WLAN entities including dynamic changes in WLAN topologies.

Abstract: A technology is disclosed for a mobile device with multiple interfaces to make use of its multiple interfaces capability with Mobile IP. According to this technology, MN (Mobile Node) 100 comprises a cellular interface to connect to the cellular network 112 and a Wireless-LAN interface to connect to the local network 122 and 132, and sends a Binding Update message to set the address of the Wireless-LAN interface to CoA (Care-of Address) to HA (Home Agent) at the cellular network or CN (Correspondent Node) 160. This Binding Update message includes a special label indication that the cellular interface is currently connected to the home network.

Abstract: This system provides for communications between several different types of wireless networks and a mobile node. The system provides various services from a wireless network to a mobile node which is not covered by that wireless network without exhaustion of the mobile node battery. According to this system, the mobile node sends an update message to a currently accessible network node, which transfers the update message to the same or different types of nearby network nodes with incrementing the hop count for every transfer. The different type of network node that has received the update message checks whether the hop count decreases from that previously received, judges that the mobile node is approaching if the hop count decreases, and sends the guide message to the mobile node via the same and different types of networks.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique which provides a handover processing method and the like which enable a smooth handover without service interruption and allow a desired handover to be performed. The technique includes the steps of: generating by a mobile node 100 a message including certain information to prioritize a connection of the mobile node to a desired access network among multiple access networks; transmitting the generated message from the mobile node to a base station located in the desired access network or a base station located in a currently-connected access network; and rejecting by a connection managing apparatus 104 for managing connections of the mobile node a path switching request from a base station of an access network other than the desired access network, the rejection being made according to certain information acquired through a base station that receives the transmitted message.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique whereby a tunnel entry point, which encapsulates a packet (generates a tunnel packet), can detect the presence of a tunneling loop causing a packet to loop the same path while encapsulated. According to this technique, upon receipt of a packet from a source node (source) 1100, TEP (tunnel entry point) 1120 inserts it into a tunnel packet header for encapsulation. Upon receipt of tunnel packets from TEP 1120 and TEP 1140, each of TEP 1140 and TEP 1160 copies the identifier of the original tunnel packet header to a new tunnel packet header for encapsulation. When this tunnel packet returns to TEP 1120 due to a tunneling loop, the tunneling loop is detected by referring to the identifier in the received tunnel packet.

Abstract: A mobile network control apparatus capable of improving transmission efficiency without giving any processing loads to nodes of a mobile network. In mobile routers to which the present apparatus is applied, a tunnel failure detection unit detects a failure of packet tunneling executed using an interface of the mobile routers. A multi-homing detection unit searches for interfaces having a connection route to a global network out of an interface of the mobile routers according to the detected failure of packet tunneling. A bidirectional tunneling unit executes packet tunneling using the searched interfaces instead of the interface of the mobile routers.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a technique for realizing more secure communication and more efficient communication. According this technique, mobile router 111 informs correspondent node 130 of network prefix of a mobile network which mobile router includes behind, by sending HoTI message 203. Correspondent node sends NPT message 205 including the token which is cryptographically generated based on the network prefix in the HoTI message. Mobile router extracts this token and sends BU message 206 which comprises the checksum which is generated by this token and the conventional RR procedure tokens. Instead of the above mobile router, correspondent router can be also applied.

Abstract: According to the present invention, connection can be always maintained between the mobile node and the access router, and disruption of on-going transport session can be prevented by making effective use of two architectures (hierarchical and mesh architectures). The mobile nodes 1000-1, 1000-2 and 1000-3 are attached to the access router 1100-1. When the mobile node maintains link layer connectivity with the access router, it is in the hierarchical mode, whereas when the link layer connectivity is lost, it enters the mesh mode. In the mesh mode, the mobile node attempts to establish virtual link layer connectivity with the access router through other nodes by using mesh network protocol such as MANET. In the mesh mode, the packet is capsulated between the mobile node and the access router when the mobile node and the peer 1400-1 communicate with each other.

Abstract: A technology is disclosed for certainly performing dynamic routing and error checking processes in the mobile network. According to this technology, the home agent sets up a Binding Acknowledgement message with a smaller Lifetime value when receiving a Binding Update message from a mobile router. During this smaller Lifetime, the mobile router can send a Routing Update message to the home agent. Thus, the home agent, for example, can check consistency of prefix information specified in the Biding Update with route installed by the Routing Update message. The present invention can be applied to both two distinct modes (explicit mode and implicit mode) that prefix information is specified in the Binding Update or not.

Abstract: Disclosed is a communication channel building device which can guarantee a fair bandwidth allocation and exhibit a preferable perception AV quality in an ALM application. A transfer table building controller (316) controls building of a distribution type optimal channel table over a plurality of communication nodes. A group constructor (308) distributes communication nodes to a group dedicated for a specific source in accordance with the communication node display resolution and the content type and assigns a priority to the group for the specific source. A bandwidth allocator (322) temporarily allocates a bandwidth which can be used for a logic stream between communication nodes. A transfer table constructor (328) builds a distribution type optimal channel table according to the priority of the group for the specific source.

Abstract: In order to verify if upper-level router information, or ULRI (information on the upper-level router with respect to a predetermined node) is valid, MN (Mobile Node) 220 associated to ULMR (Upper-Level Mobile Router) 210 acquires ULRI such as the address of ULMR (310), inserts ULRI into a BU (Binding Update) message, and sends it to HA (Home Agent) 235 (320). On receiving the BU message with ULRI, HA sends a BA (Binding Acknowledgement) message set to pass through the router that is specified in ULRI (330). If ULRI is valid, ULMR forwards the BA message to MN (340). If ULRI is not valid, ULMR discards the BA message.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed that can be applied to achieve high-throughput in a WLAN. Central to the present invention is the use of an SDMA compatible multi-beam antenna system by a WLAN access point. A system based on two types of antennas-dynamic beam forming and fixed beam antennas—is described. A mechanism and protocol are described that implement simultaneous transmissions with respect to an SDMA compatible access point and thereby improve spectral efficiency, and by extension achieve higher throughput. Based on the recognition that current WLAN MAC has major limitations in throughput, certain MAC extensions (that can be applied independently of SDMA) are described. Also disclosed are power-saving and power control techniques that improve battery performance and contribute to a reduction in station size, and a means of reducing channel interference.