Patent ID: 7242678

Claim:
A method of controlling routing of packets in a communications network including an infrastructure of packet switching nodes interconnected by packet transport links, and a plurality of access nodes to which a routing path, defined by data held in packet switching nodes located along said routing path, may be directed in said infrastructure for a given network address, said method comprising: routing packets along a first routing path for a first network address, wherein the first routing path is directed to a first access node serving a mobile node using said first network address via a communications link, said packets being destined for said mobile node such that said packets are progressively forwarded from upstream neighbor nodes to downstream neighbor nodes; performing a route redirection process to redirect at least part of said first routing path, said redirection being performed by passing a routing update message from a downstream neighbor to a first upstream neighbor, said first upstream neighbor altering its routing directionality in response to said routing update message and passing a further routing update message to a second upstream neighbor; wherein said route redirection process comprises said first upstream neighbor placing a temporary blockage on the forwarding of packets destined for said mobile node during said route redirection process.