SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PREFIXES INDICATIVE OF MOBILITY PROPERTIES IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20130195037A1
• Filed: 01/03/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gundavelli, Srinath, Weis, Brian E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,282,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/72 Routing based on the source address
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

An example method includes receiving an Internet protocol (IP) address request in a network and selecting an IP address associated with a prefix that represents an IP subnet. The prefix includes a color attribute to be provided as part of a communication session that includes a plurality of packets. The prefix defines one or more properties associated with an application for the session. The prefix is communicated to a network element in a signaling plane, the prefix is configured to be used to make a routing decision for at least some of the plurality of packets. In more specific embodiments, the method can include applying one or more network policies based on the prefix associated with the IP address. The method could also include decrypting an encryption protocol in order to identify the prefix of a subsequent communication flow, and executing a routing decision based on the prefix.

Claims

1. A mobile node, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory element coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the mobile node is configured to;

generate an Internet protocol (IP) address request in a network; and

receive an IP address associated with a prefix that is to define one or more properties associated with a communication session associated with a vehicle, and wherein the prefix is configured to be used to make a routing decision for at least some of a plurality of packets of a communication session.

2. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein a one-to-one mapping exists between the prefix and a class of IP devices.

3. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein the mobile node is further configured to:

assign a plurality of specific prefixes to particular applications within the vehicle.

4. The mobile node of claim 3, wherein the applications are part of a group of applications, the group consisting of:

a) a vehicle diagnostics application;

b) an Internet access application; and

c) an in-vehicle application.

5. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein the mobile node is further configured to:

download a plurality of prefixes from a prefix pool, wherein the prefixes define particular properties associated with a plurality of IP addresses.

6. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein the prefix indicates at least one routing restriction for certain packets being routed within a home network.

7. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein the prefix is indicative of mobility properties associated with communications involving the vehicle.

8. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein a plurality of interfaces are provided for particular communication flows associated with the vehicle, the plurality of interfaces being a selected one of a group of interfaces, the group of consisting of:

a) a WiFi interface;

b) a satellite interface; and

c) a cellular interface.

9. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein the prefix is associated with an IP subnet.

10. The mobile node of claim 1, further comprising:

a bus that is to be provided between a vehicle diagnostics application and the mobile node.

11. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein exchanges involving the prefix occur in a signaling plane.

12. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein a particular assigned prefix is maintained on an associated virtual local area network (VLAN).

13. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein the mobile node is coupled to an Intranet that is linked to a virtual private network (VPN) server.

14. The mobile node of claim 13, wherein the VPN server maintains one or more traffic policies associated with communication flows involving the mobile node.

15. The mobile node of claim 13, wherein the VPN server is coupled to a prefix pools element, which can be accessed for allocation based, at least in part, on incoming requests generated by the mobile node.

16. The mobile node of claim 15, wherein the prefix pools element is to be segregated based on particular usage scopes associated with the mobile node.

17. The mobile node of claim 1, wherein a VPN concentrator assigns particular Internet protocol prefixes to the mobile node using one or more configuration payloads.

18. One or more non-transitory tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

generating an Internet protocol (IP) address request in a network; and

receiving an IP address associated with a prefix that is to define one or more properties associated with a communication session associated with a vehicle, and wherein the prefix is configured to be used to make a routing decision for at least some of a plurality of packets of a communication session.

19. The non-transitory tangible media of claim 18, wherein a one-to-one mapping exists between the prefix and a class of IP devices, and wherein a plurality of specific prefixes are assigned to particular applications within the vehicle.

20. A method to be performed by a mobile node that includes at least one processor, the method comprising:

generating an Internet protocol (IP) address request in a network; and

receiving an IP address associated with a prefix that is to define one or more properties associated with a communication session associated with a vehicle, and wherein the prefix is configured to be used to make a routing decision for at least some of a plurality of packets of a communication session.