Importance

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Abstract

A method 900 of and apparatus for effecting a handoff from a first Internet Protocol (IP) connection 221 to a second IP connection 331 is disclosed. The method includes: communicating a packet data communication between a first station and a gateway (either acting as an application level gateway or as and endpoint for an SCTP tunnel) using the first IP connection and a first IP address for the first station, the gateway relaying the packet data communication with a second station; setting up the second IP connection with a second IP address for the first station, the first IP connection being a primary connection and the second IP connection being a secondary connection between the first station and the gateway, the first and the second IP connection existing concurrently; determining that the second IP connection should be the primary connection between the first station and the gateway; and changing the second IP connection to the primary connection by informing the gateway that the second IP address is the primary address using stream control transmission protocol (SCTP) messages, wherein the packet data communication is immediately switched over to the second IP connection.

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First Claim