Method of Facilitating Handoff

Abstract

A method of configuring routers facilitates handoff of user equipment from a router to another router. The method includes configuring a virtual interface in a current router used by user equipment. The method also includes assigning a global address to the virtual interface. The global address is assigned to the virtual interface that is used to facilitate handoff of the user equipment from a current router to a new router. A system, router and user equipment are configured to implement the method.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 configuring, at a first router having a point to point protocol link to user equipment, a virtual interface comprising a logical interface not associated with a physical interface;   assigning a global address to the virtual interface, the global address identifying the virtual interface at the first router rather than the point to point protocol link; and   receiving, after the point to point protocol link between the user equipment and the first router has been terminated and after a care-of-address for the user equipment has been configured, a message sent by the user equipment to the first router using the global address to facilitate the handoff to a second router.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the message sent by the user equipment to the first router using the global address is configured to instruct the first router to redirect traffic to the second router. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the message sent by the user equipment to the first router using the global address comprises a fast binding update message. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the message sent by the user equipment to the first router using the global address is configured to instruct the first router to route packets to the second router. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the global address comprises an internet protocol version six (IPv6) address. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising sending the global address from the first router to the user equipment over the point to point protocol link between the current router and the user equipment. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the global address is sent from the first router to the user equipment in a router advertisement. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first router comprises a packet data support node. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 determining when a subscriber profile of the user equipment is eligible for a predetermined handoff service; and   sending the global address to the user equipment when the subscriber profile of the user equipment is eligible for the predetermined handoff service.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the predetermined handoff service comprises a fast handoff service. 
     
     
         30 . A routing device, comprising:
 a physical interface facilitating a point to point protocol link to user equipment; and   a virtual interface including a logical interface not associated with the physical interface, the virtual interface having a global address that identifies the routing device rather than the point to point protocol link to the user equipment;   wherein, in order to facilitate handoff of the user equipment from the routing device to a new routing device, the routing device is configured to receive a message sent by the user equipment using the global address after the point to point protocol link between the routing device and the user equipment has been terminated and after a care-of-address for the user equipment has been configured.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the global address is provided to the user equipment in a router advertisement sent over the point to point protocol link between the routing device and the user equipment. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the message sent by the user equipment using the global address is sent via the new routing device using the global address. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the message sent by the user equipment using the global address is configured to instruct the routing device to redirect traffic to the new routing device. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the message sent by the user equipment using the global address comprises a fast binding update message. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the message sent by the user equipment using the global address comprises a fast binding update message configured to instruct the routing device to route packets to the user equipment via the new routing device. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the global address comprises an internet protocol version six (IPv6) address. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising one or more processors operable to send the global address to the user equipment in a router advertisement. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising one or more processors operable to:
 determine when a subscriber profile of the user equipment is eligible for a predetermined handoff service; and   cause the routing device to send a global address to the user equipment when the subscriber profile of the user equipment is eligible for the predetermined handoff service.   
     
     
         39 . A method, comprising:
 configuring, at a first router having a point to point protocol link to user equipment, a virtual interface comprising a logical interface not associated with a physical interface;   assigning a global address to the virtual interface, the global address comprising an internet protocol version six (IPv6) address that identifies the virtual interface at the first router rather than the point to point protocol link; and   receiving, after the point to point protocol link between the user equipment and the first router has been terminated and after a care-of-address for the user equipment has been configured, a fast binding update message sent by the user equipment to the first router using the global address to facilitate the handoff to a second router by instructing the first router to route packets to the second router.