Abstract: Methods and apparatus which allow a wireless terminal (302) to simultaneously maintain connections with multiple base stations (304, 306) are described. Each wireless terminal (302) is capable of supporting multiple separate timing and/or other control loops one, for each base station connection thereby allowing the connections to operate independently and in parallel. Different control signals and/or data are transmitted on each connection that is established with a base station (302, 306). In this manner base stations (302, 306) receive different data allowing for asynchronous data transmission. The data received by the base stations (302, 306) can be supplied to a wired asynchronous network (308) without the need to combine the received data prior to supplying it to the wired network (308). The communications techniques of the invention can be used to implement soft handoffs without the need to duplicate data transmissions to multiple base stations.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to configuring a host device through utilization of MMP, which is a protocol that is based upon MIP but not associated with several deficiencies associated therewith. In particular, a wireless terminal can be configured to run MMP and send messages that conform to MMP over a wireless link. A base station can be configured to act as a DHCP server. The base station can provide configuration information to host device by way of DHCP.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for establishing communication links, used to support communications sessions with one or more end nodes, e.g., mobile devices, are described. Various features are directed to a mobile node controlling the establishment of initial links to a first access node and the establishment of new links from a first access node to a second access node during a handoff operation using highly efficient messages and signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus which allow a wireless terminal (302) to simultaneously maintain connections with multiple base stations (304, 306) are described. Each wireless terminal (302) is capable of supporting multiple separate timing and/or other control loops one, for each base station connection thereby allowing the connections to operate independently and in parallel. Different control signals and/or data are transmitted on each connection that is established with a base station (302, 306). In this manner base stations (302, 306) receive different data allowing for asynchronous data transmission. The data received by the base stations (302, 306) can be supplied to a wired asynchronous network (308) without the need to combine the received data prior to supplying it to the wired network (308). The communications techniques of the invention can be used to implement soft handoffs without the need to duplicate data transmissions to multiple base stations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for storing, manipulating, retrieving, and forwarding state, e.g., context and other information, used to support communications sessions with one or more end nodes, e.g., mobile devices, are described. Various features are directed to a mobile node controlling the transfer of state from a first access node to a second access node during a handoff operation thereby eliminating any need for state transfer messages to be transmitted between the second access node and the first access node during handoff. Other features of the invention are directed to the use of a core network node to store state information. State information stored in the core node can be accessed and used by access nodes in cases where a mobile node does not send a state transfer message during a handoff, e.g., because communication with the first access node is lost or because such messages are not supported.

Abstract: Group communications methods and apparatus are described. In particular, methods for granting a mobile device access to a communications resource, e.g., the right to transmit data, associated with a group are described. User requests for the communications resource are suppressed by the corresponding mobile device, for periods during which the communications resource has been granted to another mobile device. A mobile device may store a suppressed user request so that a resource request signal may be transmitted after the communications resource has been released by the mobile device that was previously granted the resource. In this manner requests that cannot be granted are not transmitted, increasing communications efficiency as compared to systems where requests are not suppressed at the mobile devices. A priority scheme is used in some embodiments to determine whether or not a request should be suppressed while another device has been granted the communications resource.

Abstract: Described herein are mechanisms and methods that facilitate utilizing a base station as a regional mobility agent (e.g., regional home agent, regional foreign agent, and/or the like). Thus, a base station can have functionality embedded therein that enables the base station to create tunnels with other base stations and selectively direct data intended for a wireless terminal to those base stations. Such base stations can then transmit the data to the wireless terminal.

Abstract: Location update techniques are described. A dormant mobile node updates its location information by sending a first message over a wireless link to an access node. The access node generates a second update message in response to the first message. The second message includes a mobile node identifier and, in some embodiments is directed to the mobile node. The second message is received by a tracking agent, which updates location information corresponding to the mobile node. In the case where second message is an IP message and is routed to the mobile node using Mobile IP, a Mobile IP home agent routes the second message to the mobile node's last point of network attachment where the tracking agent is located and intercepts the message. The tracking agent may send a response message to the access node sending the second message.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for storing, manipulating, retrieving, and forwarding state, e.g., context and other information, used to support communications sessions with one or more end nodes, e.g., mobile devices, are described. Various features are directed to a mobile node controlling the transfer of state from a first access node to a second access node during a handoff operation thereby eliminating any need for state transfer messages to be transmitted between the second access node and the first access node during handoff. Other features of the invention are directed to the use of a core network node to store state information. State information stored in the core node can be accessed and used by access nodes in cases where a mobile node does not send a state transfer message during a handoff, e.g., because communication with the first access node is lost or because such messages are not supported.

Abstract: A mobile communications system that uses IP packets to transmit data between end nodes, such as mobile devices, is described. In order to facilitate session establishment, maintenance, security, and handoff operations, access nodes through which end nodes communicate with one another include a session signaling server module and a mobility agent module. The session signaling server module may be implemented as a SIP server while the mobility agent module may be implemented using Mobil IP signaling. The mobility agent and SIP server within an access node are identified using a single shared identifier, IP address. The same security method and common secret may be used to provide security with regard to both mobile IP messages and SIP messages. Sessions admission decisions and resource allocation for admitted sessions can also take place internally to the access node of this invention without need for signaling to external elements.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate supporting multiple connections associated with a wireless terminal. Notifications may be provided to a primary base station upon establishment and/or removal of connections between the wireless terminal and secondary base station(s). Additionally, the multiple connections may be evaluated and a preferred connection from the set of multiple connections may be utilized to transfer data to the wireless terminal over a downlink connection.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to assigning a home agent to a wireless terminal during authentication, authorization, and/or accounting with respect to the wireless terminal. The wireless terminal can provide identifying indicia which can be relayed to a AAA server by way of a base station. The AAA server can then determine one or more home agents that can be associated with the wireless terminal. If more than one home agent can be assigned to the wireless terminal, the base station can resolve which home agent to utilize during registration of the wireless terminal. Such determination can be important with respect to MVNOs.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to providing appropriate QoS treatment to one or more traffic flows associated with a terminal, wherein the QoS treatment is defined within a profile assigned to the terminal and implemented when the terminal requests access to a network. An access mode can receive identifying indicia associated with the terminal and relays such indicia to an authentication and authorization server (AAS). The AAS can thereafter provide the access node with a profile that defines QoS treatment to associate with one or more traffic flows related to the terminal.

Abstract: An access node, e.g., base station, determines a configuration of an end node, e.g., wireless terminal, intended to support a specific traffic flow and sends a configuration command to the wireless terminal. A base station may determine one or more parameters associated with classification, queue management, scheduling, and/or automatic repeat request, and then send a configuration command to the wireless terminal instructing it to implement a configuration operation. In some embodiments, a wireless terminal sets the value of an internal parameter to a value directly provided by the base station in a configuration command. In some embodiments, a wireless terminal determines and sets the value of an internal parameter as a function of information included in the configuration command from the base station.

Abstract: Signal, e.g., message, security techniques are described for wireless systems. A first signal is received by an access node via a wireless link. The signal includes a first authenticator that was generated by the transmitting device, e.g., wireless terminal. The access node determines from an attribute of the signal at least some information known to both the access node and transmitting device but which was not transmitted as part of the message content. The determined information was used by the wireless terminal in generating the first authenticator. The access node sends at least a portion of the first signal including the first authenticator and the determined information to another entity. The entity compares the first authenticator to a second authenticator it generates from the determined information and a secure key which it shares with the transmitting device to determine if the first and second authenticators match.

Abstract: Location update techniques are described. A dormant mobile node updates its location information by sending a first message over a wireless link to an access node. The access node generates a second update message in response to the first message. The second message includes a mobile node identifier and, in some embodiments is directed to the mobile node. The second message is received by a tracking agent, which updates location information corresponding to the mobile node. In the case where second message is an IP message and is routed to the mobile node using Mobile IP, a Mobile IP home agent routes the second message to the mobile node's last point of network attachment where the tracking agent is located and intercepts the message. The tracking agent may send a response message to the access node sending the second message.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for storing, manipulating, retrieving, and forwarding state, e.g., context and other information, used to support communications sessions with one or more end nodes, e.g., mobile devices, are described. Various features are directed to a mobile node controlling the transfer of state from a first access node to a second access node during a handoff operation thereby eliminating any need for state transfer messages to be transmitted between the second access node and the first access node during handoff. Other features of the invention are directed to the use of a core network node to store state information. State information stored in the core node can be accessed and used by access nodes in cases where a mobile node does not send a state transfer message during a handoff, e.g., because communication with the first access node is lost or because such messages are not supported.

Abstract: A mobile communications system that uses IP packets to transmit data between end nodes, such as mobile devices, is described. In order to facilitate session establishment, maintenance, security, and handoff operations, access nodes through which end nodes communicate with one another include a session signaling server module and a mobility agent module. The session signaling server module may be implemented as a SIP server while the mobility agent module may be implemented using Mobil IP signaling. The mobility agent and SIP server within an access node are identified using a single shared identifier, IP address. The same security method and common secret may be used to provide security with regard to both mobile IP messages and SIP messages. Sessions admission decisions and resource allocation for admitted sessions can also take place internally to the access node of this invention without need for signaling to external elements.

Abstract: Group communications methods and apparatus are described. In particular, methods for granting a mobile device access to a communications resource, e.g., the right to transmit data, associated with a group are described. User requests for the communications resource are suppressed by the corresponding mobile device, for periods during which the communications resource has been granted to another mobile device. A mobile device may store a suppressed user request so that a resource request signal may be transmitted after the communications resource has been released by the mobile device that was previously granted the resource. In this manner requests that cannot be granted are not transmitted, increasing communications efficiency as compared to systems where requests are not suppressed at the mobile devices. A priority scheme is used in some embodiments to determine whether or not a request should be suppressed while another device has been granted the communications resource.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for storing, manipulating, retrieving, and forwarding state, e.g., context and other information, used to support communications sessions with one or more end nodes, e.g., mobile devices, are described. Various features are directed to a mobile node controlling the transfer of state from a first access node to a second access node during a handoff operation thereby eliminating any need for state transfer messages to be transmitted between the second access node and the first access node during handoff. Other features of the invention are directed to the use of a core network node to store state information. State information stored in the core node can be accessed and used by access nodes in cases where a mobile node does not send a state transfer message during a handoff, e.g., because communication with the first access node is lost or because such messages are not supported.