Method and apparatus for supporting dynamic and distributed mobility management

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for supporting dynamic and distributed mobility management (DMM). A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may attach to a first distributed gateway (D-GW), and configure a first Internet protocol (IP) address based on a prefix locally provided by the first D-GW. The WTRU may move and attach to a second D-GW while carrying out an on-going communication session with a correspondent node (CN). The WTRU may configure a second IP address based on a prefix provided by the second D-GW. The WTRU may use the first IP address for carrying out the on-going session and use the second IP address for a new communication session.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A dynamic and distributed mobility management (DMM) method implemented by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:
 the WTRU attaching to a first distributed gateway (D-GW);   the WTRU communicating with a corresponding node via the first D-GW using a first internet protocol (IP) address and a first logical interface;   the WTRU attaching to a second D-GW;   the WTRU configuring a second IP address based on a prefix provided by the second D-GW;   the WTRU communicating with the second D-GW via the second IP address and a second logical interface that is used for communications instituted between the WTRU and the second D-GW after the WTRU has attached to the second D-GW; and   the WTRU communicating with the corresponding node via the second D-GW using the first IP address and the first logical interface established with the first D-GW for communications instituted between the WTRU and the first D-GW prior to the WTRU attaching to the second D-GW.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the WTRU deprecating the first logical interface with the second D-GW. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first and second D-GWs include a wireless physical interface. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first and second logical interfaces have a logical medium access control (LMAC) address. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein each of the wireless physical interfaces has a hardware medium access control (HMAC) address. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising: the WTRU performing a handover from the first D-GW to the second D-GW. 
     
     
         28 . A distributed gateway (D-GW), comprising:
 a processor configured to communicate with the WTRU with a plurality of logical interfaces associated with the WTRU, comprising executable instructions for:
 detecting, via layer 2 (L2) attachment signal, that a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) is attached to the D-GW, 
 contacting a home subscriber server (HSS) to perform a location update procedure, and obtaining information about an active IP address used by the WTRU to communicate with an active D-GW via an active logical interface; 
 communicating with the WTRU via the a first IP address and a first active logical interface for communications instituted between the WTRU and the active D-GW prior to the WTRU attaching to the D-GW; and 
 communicating with the WTRU via a second IP address and a second logical interface that is used for communications instituted between the WTRU and the D-GW after the WTRU has attached to the D-GW. 
   
     
     
         29 . The D-GW of  claim 28 , further comprising executable instructions for deprecating the first active IP address. 
     
     
         30 . The D-GW of  claim 28 , wherein the D-GW includes a wireless physical interface. 
     
     
         31 . The D-GW of  claim 28 , wherein each of the logical interfaces has a logical medium access control (LMAC) address. 
     
     
         32 . The D-GW of  claim 30 , wherein the wireless physical interface has a hardware medium access control (HMAC) address. 
     
     
         33 . The D-GW of  claim 28 , wherein the processor is further configured to establish a tunnel communication with the active D-GW.