PACKET ROUTING METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR USE IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20100097995A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SpiderCloud Wireless, Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: MURPHY, JAMES MICHAEL, GALLAGHER, MARK, BAW, ALLAN, DANDEKAR, YASHODHAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/082 for traffic bypassing of mobility servers, e.g. location registers, home PLMNs or home agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/045 between access point and backbone network device

Abstract

An access controller is coupled to an access point and receives data packets from connected user equipment. The access controller is configured to perform packet inspection techniques on the received packets to determine if they should be locally switched. In some embodiments, packets destined for a local intranet services may be locally switched to avoid congesting a core network link. In further embodiments, a local connection to the Internet may be used so that locally switched packets can also be directed to the Internet without the use of a core network link. In still further embodiment, in addition to packet inspection techniques, the access controller maintains a state table for the states of connected user equipment. The access controller may use the information in this table to further decide whether to perform local switching techniques.

Claims

1. In a cellular communication network having a plurality of access points serving wireless terminals, a method for communicating packet traffic from an access point to a destination node, the method comprising:

receiving a packet from a wireless terminal at a control node in the network, the packet including data from the wireless terminal in the network;

examining packet characteristics and determining based on the examined packet characteristics whether the packet is to be routed to a mobile communication service provider network or to a local intranet; and

if the packet is to be routed to the local intranet, routing the packet directly to the local intranet, bypassing the mobile communication service provider network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the first wireless terminal is in a handoff mode and if so, routing the packet to the mobile communication service provider network without examining the packet characteristics.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet characteristics comprise packet state and packet signature.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining comprises evaluating examined packet characteristics based on prior received and examined packets from the wireless terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising aggregating the received packet with a plurality of other received packets, and wherein determining comprises making a routing decision based on the aggregation of packets.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising when the packet is routed to the local intranet, determining whether the packet is destined for the Internet;

and if so reconfiguring the packet such that the packet is routed from the local intranet to the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control node comprises a femtocell access controller.

8. In a cellular communication network having a plurality of access points serving wireless terminals, a control node having a computer readable medium having computer program code embodied therein for enabling the control node to communicate packet traffic from an access point to a destination node, the communication comprising:

receiving a packet from a wireless terminal at a control node in the network, the packet including data from the wireless terminal in the network;

examining packet characteristics and determining based on the examined packet characteristics whether the packet is to be routed to a mobile communication service provider network or to a local intranet; and

if the packet is to be routed to the local intranet, routing the packet directly to the local intranet, bypassing the mobile communication service provider network.

9. The control node of claim 8, wherein the communication further comprises determining whether the first wireless terminal is in a handoff mode and if so, routing the packet to the mobile communication service provider network without examining the packet characteristics.

10. The control node of claim 8, wherein the packet characteristics comprise packet state and packet signature.

11. The control node of claim 8, wherein determining comprises evaluating examined packet characteristics based on prior received and examined packets from the wireless terminal.

12. The control node of claim 8, wherein the communication further comprises aggregating the received packet with a plurality of other received packets, and wherein determining comprises making a routing decision based on the aggregation of packets.

13. The control node of claim 8, wherein the communication further comprises when the packet is routed to the local intranet, determining whether the packet is destined for the Internet;

and if so reconfiguring the packet such that the packet is routed from the local intranet to the Internet.

14. The control node of claim 8, wherein the control node is further configured to control access to the operations of a femtocell, and wherein the wireless terminal connects to the femtocell.

15. In a cellular communication network having a plurality of access points serving wireless terminals, a system of femtocells coupled to a control node having a computer readable medium having computer program code embodied therein for enabling the control node to communicate packet traffic from an access point to a destination node, the communication comprising:

receiving a packet from a wireless terminal at a control node in the network, the packet including data from the wireless terminal in the network;

examining packet characteristics and determining based on the examined packet characteristics whether the packet is to be routed to a mobile communication service provider network or to a local intranet; and

if the packet is to be routed to the local intranet, routing the packet directly to the local intranet, bypassing the mobile communication service provider network.

16. The system of femtocells of claim 15, wherein the communication further comprises determining whether the first wireless terminal is in a handoff mode and if so, routing the packet to the mobile communication service provider network without examining the packet characteristics.

17. The system of femtocells of claim 15, wherein the packet characteristics comprise packet state and packet signature.

18. The system of femtocells of claim 15, wherein determining comprises evaluating examined packet characteristics based on prior received and examined packets from the wireless terminal.

19. The system of femtocells of claim 15, wherein the communication further comprises aggregating the received packet with a plurality of other received packets, and wherein determining comprises making a routing decision based on the aggregation of packets.

20. The system of femtocells of claim 15, wherein the communication further comprises when the packet is routed to the local intranet, determining whether the packet is destined for the Internet;

and if so reconfiguring the packet such that the packet is routed from the local intranet to the Internet.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the control node comprises a femtocell access controller.