Patent ID: 6535493
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
A method for routing information in a data communications system having a home network and a remote network, each of the home and remote networks coupleable to a mobile unit and one or more stationary access points, the mobile unit having a unique address and adapted to roam from the home network to the remote network, the mobile unit adapted to connect to one access point on the home network serving as a home agent, comprising:discovering a physical location of the mobile unit using an agent advertisement packet broadcasted from an access point when the mobile unit first associates with the point; determining whether or not the mobile unit is at the home network by having the mobile unit determine whether it receives the agent advertisement packet; if mobile unit is not at the home network, associating the mobile unit with the access point broadcasting the agent advertisement packet as a foreign agent; registering the mobile unit with the home agent; encapsulating original data received by the home agent which is destined for the mobile unit; forwarding encapsulated data to the foreign agent; and converting the encapsulated data to the original data and delivering the original data to the mobile unit from the foreign agent.