SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OFFLOADING DATA IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20120082094A1
• Filed: 07/10/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Andreasen, Flemming S., Leung, Kent K., Khouderchah, Michel, Iyer, Jayaraman R., Stammers, Timothy P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/243 using M+N parallel active paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0226 based on location or mobility handoff or reselection H04W36/00; mobile application services making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a downstream data packet transported on a backhaul link at a first network element, the downstream data packet is associated with a user equipment; identifying whether a downstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment has become dormant; and communicating an in-band message to a second network element that the downstream tunnel is dormant. In other examples, the method can include dropping the data packet when a network address port translation binding has expired or does not exist. In certain implementations, the method can include identifying the downstream tunnel as dormant when an activity timer has expired, or identifying the downstream tunnel as dormant based on a stale state setting.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a downstream data packet transported on a backhaul link at a first network element, wherein the downstream data packet is associated with a user equipment;

identifying whether a downstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment has become dormant; and

communicating an in-band message to a second network element that the downstream tunnel is dormant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dropping the data packet when a network address port translation binding has expired or does not exist.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the downstream tunnel as dormant when an activity timer has expired.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the downstream tunnel as dormant based on a stale state setting.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

buffering the data packet after identifying that the downstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment is dormant.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a tunnel identification binding that identifies a second tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying that an upstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet from the user equipment is dormant; and

communicating an in-band message to the first network element that the upstream tunnel is dormant.

8. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations comprising:

receiving a downstream data packet transported on a backhaul link at a first network element, wherein the downstream data packet is associated with a user equipment;

identifying whether a downstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment has become dormant; and

communicating an in-band message to a second network element that the downstream tunnel is dormant.

9. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

dropping the data packet when a network address port translation binding has expired or does not exist.

10. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

identifying the downstream tunnel as dormant when an activity timer has expired.

11. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

identifying the downstream tunnel as dormant based on a stale state setting.

12. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

buffering the data packet after identifying that the downstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment is dormant.

13. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving a tunnel identification binding that identifies a second tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment.

14. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

identifying that an upstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet from the user equipment is dormant; and

communicating an in-band message to the first network element that the upstream tunnel is dormant.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store data;

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data;

a traffic offload module configured to interface with the memory element and the processor, wherein the apparatus is configured for;

receiving a downstream data packet transported on a backhaul link at a first network element, wherein the downstream data packet is associated with a user equipment;

identifying whether a downstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment has become dormant; and

communicating an in-band message to a second network element that the downstream tunnel is dormant.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, the apparatus further configured for:

dropping the data packet when a network address port translation binding has expired or does not exist.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, the apparatus further configured for:

identifying the downstream tunnel as dormant when an activity timer has expired.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the apparatus further configured for:

identifying the downstream tunnel as dormant based on a stale state setting.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, the apparatus further configured for:

buffering the data packet after identifying that the downstream tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment is dormant.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, the apparatus further configured for:

receiving a tunnel identification binding that identifies a second tunnel used to communicate the data packet to the user equipment.