Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a registration request from a Mobile Node that has roamed to a Foreign Agent supporting Mobile IP are disclosed. In a first one of a plurality of Home Agents supporting Mobile IP, a registration request addressed to a virtual Home Agent address associated with the plurality of Home Agents is received. The registration request is then sent to a second one of the plurality of Home Agents such that the second one of the plurality of Home Agents creates a binding between the Mobile Node and the Foreign Agent. The first one of the plurality of Home Agents creates a temporary binding between the Mobile Node and the Foreign Agent. A registration reply is then received from the second one of the plurality of Home Agents. The temporary binding is then updated to create a permanent binding when the registration reply is received from the second one of the plurality of Home Agents. The registration reply is then sent to the Foreign Agent identified in the temporary binding.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for performing optimizations for a mobile network device such as a Mobile Node or Mobile Router supporting multiple links to a Home Agent (or Correspondent Node in a Mobile IPv6 environment) are disclosed. During the registration process, link characteristics are transmitted in the registration request. From the link characteristics, it is possible to determine whether the mobile network device has roamed from a high to a low bandwidth link, or vice versa. A first set of optimizations may be performed when the mobile network device has roamed from a high to a low bandwidth link, while a second set of optimizations may be performed when the mobile network device has roamed from a low to a high bandwidth link. Some optimizations may be performed during the establishment of a TCP session, while others may be performed during or upon completion of the Mobile IP registration process.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus in a network receives packet flows that are communicated between a first network node and a second network node, and comprises a clock and latency analysis logic configured for receiving a first data segment that has been communicated from the first node and forwarding the first data segment to the second node; storing a first time value of the clock in association with a first timestamp value obtained from the first data segment; receiving a second data segment that has been communicated from the second node and forwarding the second data segment to the first node; retrieving the first time value based on the first timestamp value; determining a second time value of the clock; and determining a first latency value by computing a difference of the second time value and the first time value. Thus end-to-end packet latency is determined by passively observing timestamp values.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for compressing registration request and reply messages are disclosed. A compressed registration request is sent by a Mobile Node to a Foreign Agent or a Home Agent (in the case of a co-located care-of address). Communication with the Mobile Node is performed using compressed registration messages, while communication between a Foreign Agent and Home Agent is performed using standard registration request and reply formats. Thus, when a Foreign Agent receives a compressed registration request, it expands the registration request and sends it to the Home Agent for processing. Upon receipt of the registration reply from the Home Agent, the Foreign Agent compresses the registration reply and sends it to the Mobile Node. When a Mobile Node registers directly with the Home Agent via a co-located care-of address, the registration request and reply messages need not be expanded, since the Home Agent is capable of interpreting, processing and generating compressed registration messages.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for registering a mobile device such as a mobile node or mobile router with a Home Agent in an asymmetric link environment. A Foreign Agent associates each of one or more interfaces of the Foreign Agent with a different care-of address. An agent advertisement including the care-of address for the one or more interfaces of the Foreign Agent is then sent via one or more uplinks. A registration request is received via a downlink router. The registration request identifies a care-of address associated with one of the one or more interfaces of the Foreign Agent. One of the interfaces identified by the care-of address is ascertained, thereby identifying the interface to which the mobile device has roamed. The registration request is forwarded to the Home Agent. A registration reply is received from the Home Agent. The registration reply is then forwarded to the mobile device via the ascertained interface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for dynamically generating a set of Mobile IP keys are disclosed. The set of Mobile IP keys is dynamically generated using an existing HLR/AuC authentication infrastructure. This is accomplished, in part, by obtaining an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) that uniquely identifies a particular Mobile Node. Once a set of Mobile IP keys is generated from authentication information associated with the IMSI, the Mobile Node may register with its Home Agent using the set of Mobile IP keys.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for reducing latency in a Mobile IP environment. These embodiments are particularly applicable in a 3GPP2 architecture using Mobile IPv6. Each of the features disclosed may be implemented separately or in combination with one another, and include replay protection, duplicate address detection, and updating state information at a PDSN in a system implementing route optimization.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for optimizing Mobile VPN communications are disclosed. When a data packet is transmitted between a Mobile Node that is a member of a VPN and a Correspondent Node, the data packet is transmitted between the Mobile Node and a Home Agent via a Mobile IP tunnel without transmitting the data packet via a VPN tunnel. However, the data packet is transmitted between the Home Agent and a VPN headend via a VPN tunnel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for establishing an optimized route between a Mobile Node and a Correspondent Node are disclosed. In particular, a Correspondent Node is notified of the location of a Mobile Node, thereby enabling the Correspondent Node to communicate directly with the Mobile Node. This is accomplished by sending a HOTi message protected in IPSec transport mode from the Mobile Node to a Home Agent associated with the Mobile Node for modification and transmission of a modified HOTi message to the Correspondent Node. The Mobile Node then receives a HOT message protected in IPSec transport mode from the Home Agent associated with the Mobile Node, the HOT message being received from the Home Agent associated with the Mobile Node after modification has been performed by the Home Agent on an initial HOT message received by the Home Agent from the Correspondent Node.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting the management of mobility and addresses by a Customer Premises Edge (CPE) router in a Mobile IP environment are disclosed. When a network prefix is allocated by a DHCP router to the CPE router, the CPE router divides the network prefix among its interfaces, and allocates home addresses to Mobile Nodes connected to its interfaces, as appropriate. The CPE router also assists in performing Duplicate Address Detection (DAD) to ensure that a home address that has been allocated has not already been assigned to another node. Upon completion of registration of a Mobile Node that is connected to one of the interfaces of the CPE router with its Home Agent, the CPE router assists in routing traffic to the Mobile Node. In addition, the CPE router assists in notifying nodes when one of the Mobile Nodes has moved, as well as when one of the Mobile Nodes has de-registered with the Home Agent.

Abstract: The present teachings provide for identification of peptides using small sequence tags to focus computational resources on searching regions of a protein database that are the most likely to yield correct identifications. They allow for the incorporation of modifications and in doing so focuses the search to peptides with a precursor mass match. Additionally, probability or relevance factors can be used to determine peptide hypotheses. Various embodiments are presented that search for peptides when a single precursor is selected or when multiple precursors are simultaneously fragmented.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting a session in Mobile IP are disclosed. A Mobile Node sends a first Mobile IP message identifying the Mobile Node to a Home Agent, wherein the first Mobile IP message indicates to the Home Agent that the Mobile Node is requesting dynamic configuration of a Mobile-Home authentication key to be shared between the Mobile Node and the Home Agent during the session. A Mobile-Home authentication key to be shared between the Home Agent and the Mobile Node is obtained or generated by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent, where the Mobile-Home authentication key is not valid after the session has ended or during another session. The Home Agent allocates a home address to the Mobile Node for the session.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for dynamically generating authentication keys are disclosed. Specifically, a Mobile-Foreign authentication key is separately generated by both the Mobile Node and Foreign Agent. Similarly, a Foreign-Home authentication key is separately generated by the Foreign Agent and the Home Agent. In accordance with one embodiment, generation of the Mobile-Foreign authentication key and Foreign-Home authentication key are accomplished via the Diffie-Hellman key generation scheme.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for performing proxy registration on behalf of a node with a Home Agent supporting Mobile IP are disclosed. A first registration request is composed on behalf of the node and transmitted to the Home Agent via a first Local Mobility Anchor, wherein the first Local Mobility Anchor is a regional controller via which registration is performed when the node moves within a region associated with the first Local Mobility Anchor. When the node moves within a region or between regions, the node is re-registered. Specifically, a second registration request is composed and transmitted to the first Local Mobility Anchor when the node moves within the region associated with the first Local Mobility Anchor.

Abstract: A method for communicating in a loadbalancing environment is provided that in a particular embodiment includes receiving a request packet from a network access server (NAS) to initiate a communication session. The request packet is then communicated to a tunneling protocol network server (TPNS) and a response packet is received in response to the request packet. The response packet establishes a tunnel that facilitates the communication session and that includes an identification element associated with the TPNS such that a data transfer associated with the communication session is executed between the NAS and the TPNS.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing a centralized source of session keys to be shared by a Home Agent and a Mobile Node are disclosed. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a Mobile Node registers with a Home Agent supporting Mobile IP by sending a registration request to the Home Agent. The Home Agent sends a request message (e.g., access-request message) to a AAA server, the request message identifying the Mobile Node. The AAA server then derives key information from a key or password associated with the Mobile Node. The AAA server then sends a reply message (e.g., access-reply message) to the Home Agent, the reply message including the key information associated with the Mobile Node, thereby enabling the Home Agent to derive a shared key to be shared between the Mobile Node and the Home Agent from the key information. The Home Agent derives a key from the key information, the key being a shared key between the Mobile Node and the Home Agent. A registration reply is then sent to the Mobile Node.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the invention, methods and apparatus for distributing a Mobile IP registration request to one of a plurality of Home Agents are disclosed. A registration request is received from a Foreign Agent to which the Mobile Node has roamed. One of the plurality of Home Agents is selected. The registration request is then forwarded to the selected one of the plurality of Home Agents. The source IP address of the registration request is an IP address of the Foreign Agent to which the Mobile Node has roamed, thereby enabling the selected one of the plurality of Home Agents to send a Mobile IP registration reply directly to the Foreign Agent without interception by the network device.

Abstract: An adaptive feedback technique is described for a Mobile IP environment in which Mobile IP mechanisms provide early feedback to mechanisms in the transport layer and/or application layer of a mobile node in response to detection of changes in link characteristics of the communication used by the mobile node to communicate with a data network. Using the early feedback information, appropriate measures may then be taken in order to accommodate the changes in link characteristics. Such appropriate measures may include, for example, providing feedback to media aware applications in order to allow such applications to dynamically adjust their bandwidth requirements to accommodate the new link characteristics, modifying timeout parameters, modifying an encoding formats to accommodate the new link characteristics, notifying participants in a real-time application session of the detected changes in the link characteristics, etc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for registering a mobile node with a home agent are disclosed. The invention uses a Mobile IP proxy to inform the mobile node of whether the mobile node is in an internal network or a remote network. The mobile node sends out a registration request. From the registration request, the Mobile IP proxy determines whether the mobile node is in the internal network or a remote network. In accordance with one embodiment, the Mobile IP proxy sends a notification when the mobile node is in the internal network. For instance, the notification may be provided in an extension to a registration reply. In addition, a home agent may be assigned and identified in the registration reply. This notification may then be used by both a foreign agent to which the mobile node has roamed and the mobile node to update its information for the mobile node. If the mobile node is in a remote network, the Mobile IP proxy acts as an intermediary, creating tunnels to the care-of address and the home agent.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for conserving addresses. The invention allows a mobile node to manage its own address, shifting responsibility away from the home agent. The home agent is able to detect when a mobile node has already been assigned an address for use of resources on the network. When the home agent recognizes that the mobile address has already been assigned an address, it allows the mobile node to use its already-assigned address in connection with mobile IP services. Additionally, the mobile node can be notified that it is now responsible for renewing the address.