Abstract: An apparatus, a search tree structure, methods and computer devices for constructing and using the structure to efficiently accomplish policy based service differentiation in packet networks is presented. This invention reduces the number of steps performed to implement packet classification. It uses a method of preprocessing a given set of policy rules by modeling the conditions in the rules as multidimensional hyper-cubes, a simple and compact search tree is constructed. Using this search tree, packet classification is achieved determining all applicable policies for a packet with a few compare and branch instructions.

Abstract: In communication systems which include high speed wired local area networks (LANs) and low speed wireless LANs, the bandwidth of the wireless LANs can be severely impacted. It has been found that many broadcast or multicast messages which are forwarded to the wireless LANs are not required as the mobile terminals which would receive the messages are not required to act on them. The present invention provides a means and method to filter out unneeded messages so that they do not impact the bandwidth of the wireless network. Each access point for each wireless LAN maintains a table of parameters for each associated mobile terminal in the connected wireless LAN. The parameters in that table are compared to the parameters in message frames received by the access point and only those messages having parameters found in the table are put on the wireless LAN. The level of filtering can be controlled by specifying which parameters are to be used for filtering messages.

Abstract: A method of routing packets through a fixed source routing communications network from and to mobile units. With this invention an initial access point is determined when a communications session is established to or from a mobile unit through the network. Location information is updated each time the mobile unit moves out of the range of one access point and into the range of another access point of the network. When packets for the session are to be transmitted to the mobile unit from the wired network, the packets are forwarded from the initial access point to a current access point, which by definition is in the range of the mobile unit. When packets for the session are to be transmitted from the mobile unit and to the wired network, the access point intercepts these packets and routes them to their destination and/or initiates route discovery to those destinations. When packets are to be transmitted between mobiles at different access points.