Patent ID: 8185117

Claim:
A method for routing of data among a mobile node and first and second communications nodes in a hierarchical mobility management system having tiered mobile anchor points, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving, at the first communications node a handover initiation signal to initiate handover of the mobile node from the first communications node to the second communications node; b) determining an expiry period based on a remaining time of attachment of the mobile node to the first communications node including: b1) sending, by the second communications node, a desired expiry period; and b2) responsive to the desired expiry period, sending, by the first communications node, a final expiry period, dt, that the first communications node is willing to continue direct connection to the mobile node; and c) switching a data routing operation from the first communications node to a second communications node, wherein step (c) is regulated, by a controlling mobile anchor point having the first and second communications nodes in its domain, to occur synchronously with a passing of the final expiry period dt.