Patent ID: 7660582
Filing Date: 2010-02-09
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: determining, at a first network element, that a given mobile node using mobile Internet Protocol should receive subsequent broadcast packets as sourced by a Home Agent; at the first network element, automatically determining whether to support such subsequent broadcast packets using a first broadcast packet handling approach or a second broadcast packet handling approach; if the Home Agent is determined to be capable of supporting the second broadcast packet handling approach, adding the Home Agent in a list stored at the first network element, wherein the list identifies Home Agents that are capable of supporting the second broadcast packet handling approach; and if the Home Agent is determined to be capable of supporting the first broadcast packet handling approach and determined to not be capable of supporting the second broadcast packet handling approach and if the Home Agent is presently identified in the list, removing the Home Agent from the list, the first broadcast packet handling approach includes forwarding to a plurality of mobile nodes, by the first network element, a discrete version of each subsequent broadcast packet as provided by the Home Agent, and the second broadcast packet handling approach includes respectively forwarding, by the first network element to each of the plurality of mobile nodes, replicates of a shared version of each subsequent broadcast packet as provided by the Home Agent.