	US 7,599,323 B2
	Multi-interface mobility client
Girish P. Chandranmenon, Edison, N.J. (US); Yui-Wah Lee, Matawan, N.J. (US); Scott C. Miller, Monmouth, N.J. (US); Luca Salgarelli, Hoboken, N.J. (US); and Salim Virani, Middlesex, N.J. (US)
Assigned to Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc., Murray Hill, N.J. (US)
Filed on Jul. 02, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/613,702.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/419333, filed on Oct. 17, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2004/0077341 A1, Apr. 22, 2004
Int. Cl. H04W 4/00 (2006.01); G06F 15/16 (2006.01); H04B 15/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 370—328 [709/245; 709/250; 455/62]

17 Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile node having a network layer and a plurality of network interfaces, each with a respective device driver, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting communications from the network layer to any of the network interfaces by way of a multi-interface driver capable of communication with the respective device driver corresponding to each respective network interface; and

switching from a first one of the network interfaces to a second one of the network interfaces by changing the one of the plurality of device drivers with which the multi-interface driver communicates, while hiding the switching from the network layer, wherein the switching is hidden from the network layer using a virtual interface, the virtual interface presenting the appearance of always being an active interface to the network layer regardless of which of the network interfaces is being used at a given time.