Seamless handoff between wireless access gateways

Abstract

A method of data communication includes receiving, by a first wireless access gateway (WAG), at least a first data packet corresponding to a first data flow transmitted from user equipment (UE) and receiving, by a second WAG, at least a second data packet transmitted from the UE. In response to receiving the second data packet, the second WAG determines an identity of the first WAG, and in response to determining the identity of the first WAG, the method includes establishing a tunnel connection between the first WAG and the second WAG. After establishing the tunnel connection, the method includes receiving by the second WAG at least a third data packet corresponding to the first data flow transmitted from the UE, and the second WAG transmits to the first WAG, via the tunnel connection, the third data packet.

1 . A method of data communication, the method comprising:
 receiving by a first wireless access gateway (WAG) at least a first data packet corresponding to a first data flow transmitted from a user equipment (UE);   receiving by a second WAG at least a second data packet transmitted from the UE;   in response to receiving the second data packet, the second WAG determining an identity of the first WAG;   in response to determining the identity of the first WAG, establishing a tunnel connection between the first WAG and the second WAG;   after establishing the tunnel connection, receiving by the second WAG at least a third data packet corresponding to the first data flow transmitted from the UE; and   the second WAG transmitting to the first WAG via the tunnel connection the third data packet.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second data packet corresponds to the first data flow. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second data packet corresponds to a request by the UE for confirmation that an Internet Protocol (IP) address presently assigned to the UE may still be used to conduct the first data flow. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the second WAG transmitting a response to the UE request for confirmation, the response comprising confirmation that the UE may continue to use the IP address presently assigned to the UE. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tunnel connection comprises a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) tunnel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the first WAG, at least a fourth data packet corresponding to the first data flow intended for the UE;   the first WAG transmitting the received fourth data packet to the second WAG via the tunnel connection; and   the second WAG transmitting the fourth data packet to the UE.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the fourth data packet is transmitted by an origin server, and the method further comprising the first WAG performs a network address translation operation on the fourth data packet before transmitting the fourth data packet to the second WAG. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting user data associated with the UE via the tunnel connection. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the second WAG inspecting the second data packet to determine whether the second data packet is part of an existing data flow or part of a new data flow. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , the second WAG determining the identity of the first WAG comprising the second WAG receiving the identity of the first WAG from a Wireless Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting Proxy (WAP). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , the second WAG receiving the identity of the first WAG from the WAP being in response to the second WAG requesting the identity of the first WAG in response to the second WAG receiving the second data packet. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , the second WAG receiving the identity of the first WAG from the WAP being in response to the UE transmitting a re-authentication request to the WAP. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , the second WAG determining the identity of the first WAG comprising inspecting the IP address of the UE and determining the identity of the first WAG based on the IP address of the UE. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving by the second WAG at least a fourth data packet corresponding to a second data flow transmitted from the UE; and   the second WAG transmitting the fourth data packet to a computer system while bypassing the tunnel connection.   
     
     
         15 . A method of data communication, the method comprising:
 receiving by a first wireless access gateway (WAG) at least a first data packet corresponding to a first data flow transmitted by a computer system intended for a user equipment (UE);   the first WAG transmitting the first data packet to the UE;   the first WAG determining an identity of a second WAG;   in response to determining the identity of the second WAG, establishing a tunnel connection between the first WAG and the second WAG;   after establishing the tunnel connection, receiving by the first WAG at least a second data packet corresponding to the first data flow transmitted by the computer system intended for the UE;   the first WAG transmitting to the second WAG, via the tunnel connection, the second data packet; and   the second WAG transmitting the second data packet to the UE.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , the first WAG determining an identity of the second WAG being in response to determining that the UE is inaccessible via the first WAG. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , the first WAG determining the identity of the second WAG comprising the first WAG receiving the identity of the second WAG from a Wireless Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting Proxy (WAP). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , the first WAG receiving the identity of the second WAG from the WAP being in response to the first WAG requesting the identity of the second WAG. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , the first WAG receiving the identity of the second WAG from the WAP being in response to the UE transmitting a re-authentication request to the WAP. 
     
     
         20 . A method of selectively routing data communications, comprising:
 providing a wireless access gateway (WAG) with network connectivity to a wireless operator network and a packet data network, wherein the packet data network resides outside of the wireless operator network;   receiving by the WAG a first data packet intended for a first computer system included in the wireless operator network;   selectively routing the first data packet to the first computer system via the wireless operator network;   receiving by the WAG a second data packet intended for a second computer system included in the packet data network; and   selectively routing the second data packet to the second computer system via the packet data network while bypassing the wireless operator network.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the selectively routing the first data packet to the first computer system includes basing the selection on at least one of a source Internet Protocol (IP) address, a source User Datagram Protocol/Transmission Control Protocol (UDP/TCP) port, a destination IP address, a destination UDP/TCP port, and a traffic type of the first data packet. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the selectively routing the second data packet to the second computer system includes basing the selection on at least one of a source Internet Protocol (IP) address, a source User Datagram Protocol/Transmission Control Protocol (UDP/TCP) port, a destination IP address, a destination UDP/TCP port, and a traffic type of the second data packet. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the selectively routing the first data packet to the first computer system includes routing the first data packet via a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) tunnel to the wireless operator network. 
     
     
         24 . A system for data communication, the system comprising:
 a first wireless access gateway (WAG) configured to receive at least a first data packet corresponding to a first data flow transmitted from a user equipment (UE); and   a second WAG configured to receive at least a second data packet transmitted from the UE, the second WAG comprising a second WAG processor and second WAG instructions stored in a second WAG machine readable medium that when executed cause the second WAG processor to:
 in response to receiving the second data packet, determine an identity of the first WAG, 
 in response to determining the identity of the first WAG, cause the system to establish a tunnel connection between the first WAG and the second WAG, and 
 after establishing the tunnel connection and in response to receiving at least a third data packet corresponding to the first data flow transmitted from the UE, transmit to the first WAG via the tunnel connection the third data packet. 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the second data packet corresponds to the first data flow. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the second data packet corresponds to a request by the UE for confirmation that an Internet Protocol (IP) address presently assigned to the UE may still be used to conduct the first data flow. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , the second WAG instructions stored in the second WAG machine readable medium further comprising instructions that when executed cause the second WAG processor to transmit a response to the UE request for confirmation, the response comprising confirmation that the UE may continue to use the IP address presently assigned to the UE. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the tunnel connection comprises a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) tunnel. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the first WAG comprises a first WAG processor and first WAG instructions stored in a first WAG machine readable medium that when executed cause the first WAG processor to:
 receive at least a fourth data packet corresponding to the first data flow intended for the UE, and 
 transmit the received fourth data packet to the second WAG via the tunnel connection; and 
   the second WAG instructions stored in the second WAG machine readable medium further comprising instructions that when executed cause the second WAG processor to transmit the fourth data packet to the UE.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the fourth data packet is transmitted by an origin server, and the first WAG instructions stored in the first WAG machine readable medium further comprising instructions that when executed cause the first WAG processor to perform a network address translation operation on the fourth data packet before transmitting the fourth data packet to the second WAG. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 24 , the second WAG instructions stored in the second WAG machine readable medium further comprising instructions that when executed cause the second WAG processor to inspect the second data packet to determine whether the second data packet is part of an existing data flow or part of a new data flow. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 24 , the second WAG instructions stored in the second WAG machine readable medium further comprising instructions that when executed cause the second WAG processor to determine the identity of the first WAG by receiving the identity of the first WAG from a Wireless Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting Proxy (WAP). 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , the second WAG instructions stored in the second WAG machine readable medium further comprising instructions that when executed cause the second WAG processor to request the identity of the first WAG in response to receiving the second data packet. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 24 , the second WAG instructions for causing the second WAG processor to determine the identity of the first WAG including instructions for causing the second WAG processor to inspect the IP address of the UE and determine the identity of the first WAG based on the IP address of the UE. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 24 , the second WAG instructions stored in the second WAG machine readable medium further comprising instructions that when executed cause the second WAG processor to:
 receive at least a fourth data packet corresponding to a second data flow transmitted from the UE; and   transmit the fourth data packet to a computer system while bypassing the tunnel connection.   
     
     
         36 . A system for data communication, comprising:
 a first wireless access gateway (WAG), the first WAG comprising a first WAG processor and first WAG instructions stored in a first WAG machine readable medium that when executed cause the first WAG processor to transmit data packets to a user equipment (UE); and   a second WAG configured to receive at least a first data packet corresponding to a first data flow transmitted by a computer system intended for the UE, the second WAG comprising a second WAG processor and second WAG instructions stored in a second WAG machine readable medium that when executed cause the second WAG processor to:
 transmit the first data packet to the UE, 
 determine an identity of the first WAG, 
 in response to determining the identity of the first WAG, cause the system to establish a tunnel connection between the first WAG and the second WAG, and 
 after establishing the tunnel connection and in response to receiving at least a second data packet corresponding to the first data flow transmitted by the computer system intended for the UE, transmit to the first WAG, via the tunnel connection, the second data packet. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , the second WAG instructions that cause the second WAG processor to determine the identity of the first WAG including instructions that cause the second WAG processor to determine the identity of the first WAG in response to determining that the UE is inaccessible via the second WAG. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , the second WAG instructions that cause the second WAG processor to determine the identity of the first WAG including instructions that cause the second WAG processor to receive the identity of the first WAG from a Wireless Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting Proxy (WAP). 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , the second WAG instructions stored in the second WAG machine readable medium further comprising instructions that when executed cause the second WAG processor to request the identity of the second WAG from the WAP. 
     
     
         40 . A wireless access gateway (WAG) for selectively routing data communications, comprising:
 a first network interface to a wireless operator network;   a second network interface to a packet data network, wherein the packet data network resides outside of the wireless operator network;   a processor; and   machine readable instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 receive a first data packet intended for a first computer system included in the wireless operator network, 
 selectively route the first data packet to the first computer system via the wireless operator network, 
 receive a second data packet intended for a second computer system included in the packet data network, and 
 selectively route the second data packet to the second computer system via the packet data network while bypassing the wireless operator network. 
   
     
     
         41 . The WAG of  claim 40 , the instructions that when executed cause the processor to selectively route the first data packet to the first computer system including instructions to cause the processor to base the selection on at least one of a source Internet Protocol (IP) address, a source User Datagram Protocol/Transmission Control Protocol (UDP/TCP) port, a destination IP address, a destination UDP/TCP port, and a traffic type of the first data packet. 
     
     
         42 . The WAG of  claim 40 , the instructions that when executed cause the processor to selectively route the first data packet to the first computer system including instructions to cause the processor to base the selection on at least one of a source Internet Protocol (IP) address, a source User Datagram Protocol/Transmission Control Protocol (UDP/TCP) port, a destination IP address, a destination UDP/TCP port, and a traffic type of the second data packet. 
     
     
         43 . The WAG of  claim 40 , the instructions that when executed cause the processor to selectively route the first data packet to the first computer system including instructions to cause the processor to route the first data packet via a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) tunnel to the wireless operator network.