Distributed infrastructure for wireless data communications

Abstract

A mobile user terminal 402 accesses a packet data network 450 through one or more of several network access points 404 - 412 . One or more control points 432 - 440 determines which network access point or points the user terminal is to access. Control may be retained in the current control point, or transferred to another control point, whenever it is convenient. There are preferably several routers, each having an associated home agent 418 - 420 which determines which foreign agents need to be accessed on behalf of each user terminal. There are several foreign agents 422 - 430 , which forward packets received from a user terminal's home agent to the control point currently controlling communications with the user terminal.

1 . An article of manufacture, comprising in combination: 
 a) a user terminal configured to transmit and receive wireless data packets;    b) a plurality of network access points, each being configured to transmit wireless data packets to, and to receive them from, the user terminal;    c) a router connected to transmit data packets to, and to receive them from, the network access points; and    d) a plurality of control points, each control point being: 
 1) associated with a network access point; and  
 2) configured to: 
 (A) select a network access point to communicate with the user terminal;  
 (B) manage a wireless link between the user terminal and the selected network access point; and  
 (C) retain control, or transfer control to another control point, according to a pre-established determination.  
 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of    claim 1   , wherein the selected network access point is different from the control point's associated network access point.  
     
     
         3 . The article of    claim 1   , wherein each control point is configured to select a plurality of network access points to concurrently communicate with the user terminal.  
     
     
         4 . The article of    claim 3   , wherein all of the selected network access points are different from the control point's associated network access point.  
     
     
         5 . The article of    claim 1   , wherein each control point is further configured to cache data link protocol information for the user terminal during periods when the user terminal is not assigned a wireless forward link, or is not assigned a wireless reverse link, or is assigned neither a wireless forward link nor a wireless reverse link.  
     
     
         6 . The article of    claim 5   , wherein the caching control point is associated with the network access point first used by the user terminal.  
     
     
         7 . The article of    claim 5   , wherein the control point is associated with the network access point last used by the user terminal.  
     
     
         8 . An article of manufacture, comprising in combination: 
 a) a user terminal configured to transmit and receive wireless data packets;    b) a plurality of network access points, each configured to transmit wireless data packets to, and to receive them from, the user terminal;    c) one or more routers connected to transmit data packets to, and to receive them from, the network access points, each network access point being connected to only one router;    d) one or more home agents, each home agent being: 
 1) associated with a router; and  
 2) configured to select one or more of the below-recited foreign agents to forward packets to the user terminal  
   e) a plurality of foreign agents, each foreign agent: 
 1) also being associated with a network access point;  
 2) being configured to forward data packets from a user terminal's home agent to the control point that is currently controlling communications with the user terminal; and  
 3) supporting transfer of communications control for a particular user terminal between different control points;  
   f) a plurality of control points, each control point being: 
 1) associated with a network access point;  
 2) configured to: 
 (A) select one or more network access points to communicate with the user terminal;  
 (B) manage a wireless link between the user terminal and the selected network access point; and  
 (C) retain control, or transfer control to another control point, according to a pre-established determination.  
 
   
     
     
         9 . The article of    claim 8   , wherein the selected network access point is different from the control point's associated network access point.  
     
     
         10 . The article of    claim 8   , wherein each control point is configured to select a plurality of network access points to concurrently communicate with the user terminal.  
     
     
         11 . The article of    claim 10   , wherein all of the selected network access points are different from the control point's associated network access point.  
     
     
         12 . The article of    claim 8   , wherein each control point is further configured to cache data link protocol information for the user terminal during periods when the user terminal is not assigned a traffic channel.  
     
     
         13 . The article of    claim 12   , wherein the control points are configured to cache data link protocol information in the control point associated with the network access point first used by the user terminal.  
     
     
         14 . The article of    claim 12   , wherein the control points are configured to cache data link protocol information in the control point associated with the network access point last used by the user terminal.