Patent ID: 6154461
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
A communication system, comprising:a plurality of local area networks (LANs), each of the LANs including:a network backbone; andat least one access point coupled to the network backbone which, when a mobile terminal is registered to the access point, enables the mobile terminal to communicate wirelessly with a device coupled to the network backbone via the at least one access point;wherein when the mobile terminal is registered to at least one access point in one of the plurality of LANs the mobile terminal is assigned a first network address, and when the mobile terminal is registered to at least one access point in another of the plurality of LANs the mobile terminal is assigned a second network address in place of the first network address, the second network address being different from the first network address;a system backbone interconnecting the plurality of LANs for permitting communications between the plurality of LANs;a gateway controller, operatively coupled to one of the plurality of LANs, for serving as an intermediary for communications between the mobile terminal and a device on one of the system backbones in order that in the event the mobile terminal is assigned a different network address by virtue of registering with an access point in another of the LANs, the device is able to maintain communications with the mobile terminal without requiring knowledge of a change in the network address of the mobile terminal; andthe gateway controller storing information relating to the current network address of the mobile terminal and the current network address of the device, wherein the gateway controller receives communications from the mobile terminal containing information intended for the device and forwards the information to the device, and the gateway controller receives communications from the device containing information intended for the mobile terminal and forwards the information to the mobile terminal.