Patent ID: 6862446

Claim:
A communications method for use in a communications system including a first access node, a second access node and a mobile node, the method comprising: operating the mobile node to transmit a signal to the first access node to transfer state information; communicating state information between the first access node and the second access node in response to said signal transmitted to the first access node, wherein said step of communicating state information between the first access node and the second access node includes: operating the first access node to communicate said state information to a first network node coupled to said first access node and said second access node; operating the first network node to store said state information; and operating the first network node to communicate said state information to said second access node, wherein the step of operating the first network node to communicate said state information to said second access node includes: operating the first network node to communicate said state information to said second access node in response to a signal received by said first network node from said second access node.