Patent ID: 7995523
Filing Date: 2011-08-09
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of enabling a gateway node of a first packet-switched data network to select a first channel for transferring a data packet tunnelled via a tunnelling node to a destination packet data protocol address of a mobile node provided service in the first network, wherein the gateway node is configured to select the first channel from a plurality of channels configured to transfer data packets to the destination packet data protocol address of the mobile node, wherein selection of the first channel comprises matching a packet data protocol address to one or more data packet filters associated with the plurality of channels, wherein the packet data protocol address is associated with a data packet received by the gateway node, the method comprising: including the packet data protocol address in a first data packet filter associated with the first channel, wherein the packet data protocol address includes an address of the tunnelling node, wherein the first data packet filter is configured for use by the gateway node during selection of the first channel for transferring data packets to the mobile node at the destination packet data protocol address; and detecting a trigger event indicating that the gateway node can receive a data packet tunnelled via a tunnelling node of a second packet-switched data network external to the first network, wherein the packet data protocol address is included in the first data packet filter in response to the detection wherein the trigger event is detected by the mobile node, and the mobile node arranges for the inclusion of the packet data protocol address in the first data packet filter, wherein the mobile node has a home packet data protocol address in the second network, and wherein the trigger event is the mobile node registering its destination packet data protocol address with the tunnelling node so that data packets addressed to the mobile node at its home packet data protocol address can be tunnelled by the tunnelling node to the mobile node at its destination packet data protocol address.