Access network type identification in mobile internet protocol (mip) registration (rrq)

Abstract

A wireless communication device exchanges wireless data with a first wireless node in a first wireless network and switches to a second wireless node in a second wireless network in response to a loss of wireless signal strength. The wireless device generates and transfers a Mobile Internet Protocol (MIP) Request (RQ) identifying the first wireless node, the first wireless network, the second wireless node, and the second wireless network in response to the wireless network switch. The wireless device receives a MIP Response (RP), and in response, exchanges IP data with the IP network over the second wireless node and the second wireless network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
 exchanging wireless data with a first wireless node in a first wireless network, and in response to a loss of wireless signal strength, switching from the first wireless node in the first wireless network to a second wireless node in a second wireless network;   in response to the wireless network switch, generating a Mobile Internet Protocol (MIP) Request (RQ) identifying the first wireless node, the first wireless network, the second wireless node, and the second wireless network, transferring the MIP RRQ over the second wireless node and the second wireless network for delivery to a MIP node in an IP network, and wirelessly receiving a MIP Response (RP) transferred by the MIP node in the IP network over the second wireless network and the second wireless node; and   in response to the MIP RP, exchanging IP data with the IP network over the second wireless node and the second wireless network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, in response to the wireless network switch, generating the MIP RQ identifying a geographic location of the wireless communication device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, in response to the wireless network switch, generating the MIP RQ identifying geographic locations of the first wireless node and the second wireless node. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, in response to the wireless network switch, generating the MIP RQ identifying network types of the first wireless network and the second wireless network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first wireless node comprises a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) node. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second wireless node comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) eNodeB. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first wireless node comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) eNodeB. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second wireless node comprises a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) node. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the MIP node comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the MIP node comprises a Wireless Access Gateway (WAG). 
     
     
         11 . A wireless communication device comprising:
 a wireless communication interface configured to exchange wireless data with a first wireless node in a first wireless network;   a data processing system configured to switch from the first wireless node in the first wireless network to a second wireless node in a second wireless network in response to a loss of wireless signal strength;   a data processing system configured to generate a Mobile Internet Protocol (MIP) Request (RQ) identifying the first wireless node, the first wireless network, the second wireless node, and the second wireless network in response to the wireless network switch;   the wireless communication interface configured to transfer the MIP RRQ over the second wireless node and the second wireless network for delivery to a MIP node in an IP network and wirelessly receive a MIP Response (RP) transferred by the MIP node in the IP network over the second wireless network and the second wireless node; and   in response to the MIP RP, the data processing system configured to direct the wireless communication interface to exchange IP data with the IP network over the second wireless node and the second wireless network.   
     
     
         12 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the data processing system is further configured to generate the MIP RQ to identify a geographic location of the wireless communication device in response to the wireless network switch. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the data processing system is further configured to generate the MIP RQ to identify geographic locations of the first wireless node and the second wireless node in response to the wireless network switch. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the data processing system is further configured to generate the MIP RQ to identify network types of the first wireless network and the second wireless network in response to the wireless network switch. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the first wireless node comprises a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) node. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the second wireless node comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) eNodeB. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the first wireless node comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) eNodeB. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the second wireless node comprises a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) node. 
     
     
         19 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the MIP node comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW). 
     
     
         20 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11  wherein the MIP node comprises a Wireless Access Gateway (WAG).