Patent ID: 7623477

Claim:
A communications method by an end node, comprising: maintaining a plurality of communications links, a first communications link being between said end node and a first access node, and a second communications link being between said end node and a second access node; initiating selective packet replication from a mobility agent node to the second access node; monitoring which one of said plurality of communications links is preferred for transmitting packets to said end node at any given time; requesting transmission of packets from said first access node by sending a first signal to said first access node when the first communications link is preferred, the first signal indicating that a flow of packets should be forwarded to the end node by the first access node; and requesting termination of transmission of packets from said first access node by sending a second signal to said first access node when the second communications link is preferred, the second signal indicating that the flow of packets should be discarded by the first access node for at least a portion of time during which time packets are being received by said end node from said second access node.