Packet routing methods and apparatus for use in a communication system
First Claim
1. 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 a network, the packet including data from the wireless terminal in the network;
aggregating the packet with a plurality of other received packets;
determining, based on packet characteristics, whether the packet is to be routed to a mobile communication service provider network or to a local intranet, wherein the determining comprises making a routing decision based on the aggregation of packets; and
when 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 and any IP gateways configured to provide connectivity to the local intranet via the mobile communication service provider network,wherein a direct link between the control node and the local intranet is utilized for routing the packet to the local intranet,wherein the method 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.
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Accused Products
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.
31 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for communicating packet traffic from an access point to a destination node, the method comprising:
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receiving a packet from a wireless terminal at a control node in a network, the packet including data from the wireless terminal in the network; aggregating the packet with a plurality of other received packets; determining, based on packet characteristics, whether the packet is to be routed to a mobile communication service provider network or to a local intranet, wherein the determining comprises making a routing decision based on the aggregation of packets; and when 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 and any IP gateways configured to provide connectivity to the local intranet via the mobile communication service provider network, wherein a direct link between the control node and the local intranet is utilized for routing the packet to the local intranet, wherein the method 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a cellular communication network having a plurality of access points serving wireless terminals, a control node having a non-transitory 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:
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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; aggregating the packet with a plurality of other received packets; determining, based on packet characteristics, whether the packet is to be routed to a mobile communication service provider network or to a local intranet, wherein the determining comprises making a routing decision based on the aggregation of packets; and when 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 and any IP gateways configured to provide connectivity to the local intranet via the mobile communication service provider network, wherein a direct link between the control node and the local intranet is utilized for routing the packet to the local intranet, wherein the determining comprises evaluating examined packet characteristics based on prior received and examined packets from the wireless terminal, wherein, in a case where a most recently received packet is to be routed directly to the local intranet, a currently received packet is also routed directly to the intranet. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. 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:
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receiving a packet from a wireless terminal at a control node in a network, the packet including data from the wireless terminal in the network; aggregating the packet with a plurality of other received packets; determining, based on packet characteristics, whether the packet is to be routed to a mobile communication service provider network or to a local intranet, wherein the determining comprises making a routing decision based on the aggregation of packets; and when 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 and any IP gateways configured to provide connectivity to the local intranet via the mobile communication service provider network, wherein a direct link between the control node and the local intranet is utilized for routing the packet to the local intranet, wherein the communication further comprises; based on the aggregating, applying a weighting value to the packet and the plurality of other received packets with respect to whether or not the packet and the plurality of other received packets are to be locally switched. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification