Techniques for handling network traffic

• US 9,979,661 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ludwig, Reiner, Ekstrm, Hannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALL, TEISHA DANEA
• Application Number:
  US13/262,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20120134264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,337 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/04 formed from more than one section in a side-by-side arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/18 characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/34 destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/431 using padding or de-padding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0263 involving mapping traffic to individual bearers or channels, e.g. traffic flow template [TFT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

In a mobile communication environment, the data traffic is mapped to a number of bearers (52, 54). In a downlink direction, this is accomplished by filtering data packets on the basis of an identifier which is included into the data packets in response to packet inspection. In the uplink direction, a mirroring function is applied which detects incoming data packets, which are received on one of a plurality of bearers (52, 54) and have a first identifier, and outgoing data packets having a second identifier which is complementary to the first identifier. The outgoing data packets having the complementary second identifier are routed to the same bearer (52, 54) from which the incoming data packets are received.

Claims

1. A method of handling network traffic, comprising:

receiving incoming data packets of a specific service from one of a plurality of bearers, the data packets including a first identifier indicating a source and a destination;

detecting outgoing data packets of said specific service that each include a complementary second identifier indicating the source of the first identifier as a destination of the outgoing data packet;

responsive to detecting a new packet flow in said received incoming data packets, automatically generating a packet filter configured to route the detected outgoing data packets having said complementary second identifier to the same bearer from which the incoming data packets having said first identifier are received; and

routing the detected outgoing data packets having said complementary second identifier in accordance with the automatically generated packet filter;

wherein at least one of said detecting and said routing of the outgoing data packets is selectively activated on the basis of a control signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bearers are each associated with a corresponding Quality of Service class.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising indicating to a network component that a communication device receiving said incoming data packets supports said detecting and said routing of the outgoing data packets.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first identifier is a first Internet Protocol 5-tuple including a source address and a destination address, and wherein said complementary second identifier is a complementary Internet Protocol 5-tuple including a source address equal to the destination address of the first Internet Protocol 5-tuple and a destination address equal to the source address of the first Internet Protocol 5-tuple.

5. A communication device, comprising a receiver configured to receive incoming data packets from a plurality of bearers, a transmitter configured to send outgoing data packets on said plurality of bearers, and a mirroring function configured to:

detect incoming data packets of a specific service that each include a first identifier indicating a source and a destination,

detect outgoing data packets of said specific service that each include a complementary second identifier indicating the source of the first identifier as a destination of the outgoing data packet,

responsive to detecting a new packet flow in said detected incoming data packets, automatically generate a packet filter configured to route the detected outgoing data packets having said complementary second identifier to the same bearer from which the incoming data packets having said first identifier are received; and

route the detected outgoing data packets having said complementary second identifier in accordance with the automatically generated packet filter;

selectively activate at least one of said detection and said routing of the outgoing data packets on the basis of a control signal.

6. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein the communication device is a user equipment.

7. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein the bearers are each associated with a corresponding Quality of Service class.

8. The communication device according to claim 5, further configured to indicate to a network component that the communication device supports said detection and said routing of the outgoing data packets.

9. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein said first identifier is a first Internet Protocol 5-tuple including a source address and a destination address, and wherein said complementary second identifier is a complementary Internet Protocol 5-tuple including a source address equal to the destination address of the first Internet Protocol 5-tuple and a destination address equal to the source address of the first Internet Protocol 5-tuple.