Patent ID: 8428024
Filing Date: 2013-04-23
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method implemented in a network element in a wide area network, the network element functioning as a home agent (HA) for a mobile node (MN) communicating with a corresponding node (CN) using Mobile Internet Protocol version 6 (MIPv6), the method comprising the steps of: selecting by the HA a virtual home agent (VHA) in the network to provide home agent services to the MN with a better quality of service than the HA based on pre-defined policies; sending a flow switch request (FSR) message to the selected VHA, the FSR message including transmission control protocol (TCP) parameters for a session between the MN and CN and the FSR message including a care-of address for the MN and an address of the CN, the FSR message to initiate a flow redirection at the VHA using multi-path TCP exchange; and receiving a flow switch acknowledgement (FSA) message from the VHA indicating that the VHA is receiving data packets from the CN and tunneling the data packets to the MN at the care-of address, whereby the MN receives a better quality of service when communicating with the CN through the VHA than through the HA.