Patent ID: 7290064

Claim:
A method for providing adaptive feedback in a mobile data network, the mobile data network including a plurality of mobile nodes, a mobile node having an application layer, a transport layer, and a network layer including a mobile IP sub-layer, which communicates with a data network via a plurality of network segments, each network segment including a communication link having associated link characteristics, the method comprising: detecting, at the mobile IP sub-layer of a first mobile node, a change in at least one link characteristic associated with a communication link used by the first mobile node to communicate with the data network; transmitting a request from the mobile-IP sub-layer to the transport layer requesting a transport layer API; providing the transport-layer API to the mobile IP sub-layer; executing the API in the mobile-IP sub-layer so that the sub-layer can make a call back to the transport layer wherein the call back contains instructions to the transport layer to notify at least one entity executing in the application layer of the change in the at least one link characteristic; and transmitting a signal from the transport layer to the at least one entity to adapt to the change in the at least one link characteristic, thereby communicating information relating to the change from the mobile IP sub-layer to the at least one entity executing in the application layer.