Patent ID: 7839825

Claim:
A system for forwarding data packets towards a mobile node roaming in a foreign packet-switched data network, the data packets having been addressed to a home address of the mobile node, the mobile node being provided with a care of address for use in the foreign network, the system comprising: a home packet-switched network comprising a plurality of mobile agent traffic bearer entities and a mobile agent control entity, wherein of the traffic bearer entities and the control entity, only the traffic bearer entities are configured to perform tunneling of data packets to the mobile node roaming in the foreign network, and the control entity is configured to control tunneling management of the plurality of traffic bearer entities, wherein the control entity is further configured to: receive a plurality of binding messages, each binding message indicating a binding between the home address and the care of address of the mobile node; select one or more traffic bearer entities from the plurality of traffic bearer entities; and in response to the received binding message, send a control message to control the operation of at least one of the one or more selected mobile agent traffic bearer entities, wherein the at least one selected mobile agent traffic bearer entity is further configured to: receive the control message from the mobile agent control entity; and in response to the control message, provide a resource for forwarding the data packets towards the mobile node at the care of address, wherein all resources in the system for forwarding the data packets towards the mobile node at the care of address are provided by the mobile agent traffic bearer entities, and wherein the mobile agent control entity is configured to select the mobile agent traffic bearer entity based on one or more of the following parameters: the geographical and/or topological proximity of the mobile node to the plurality of mobile agent traffic bearer entities; the quality of service capable of being provided by the plurality of mobile agent traffic bearer entities; and the security functions capable of being provided by the plurality of mobile agent traffic bearer entities.