Patent ID: 7586876

Claim:
A method for performing a handoff between a wireless local area network (LAN) comprising an access router (AR) supporting an Internet protocol (IP) routing function and a mobile communication network comprising a packet data service node (PDSN) connected to a base station system (BSS) for supporting the IP routing function, the method comprising the steps of: detecting, by an access terminal (AT), its movement from the wireless LAN to the mobile communication network; exchanging, between the AT and the PDSN, information for tunneling between the AR and the PDSN; establishing by the PDSN, a tunnel for packet delivery between the PDSN and the AR; and delivering packets to the AT through the tunnel, wherein the information for tunneling between the AR and the PDSN includes the tunneling information delivered from the PDSN to the AT comprising a serving PDSN IP address, and a PDSN IP address used for a tunnel between the PDSN and the AR.