Control of mobile packet streams
US8155116B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 27, 2004 |
| Grant date | Apr 10, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 26, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W80/10
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method, device, and system control mobile packet flows forwarded between IP based networks. Individual packet flows on an IP user plane traverse middlebox functions that are controlled from a midcom agent. Each user flow registers its presence in each middlebox it encounters on its way from its source to its destination at the user plane. In response, each middlebox registers itself and the mobile flows it handles at the midcom agent with which they communicate using a midcom signalling protocol. The midcom agent comprises functionalities that its controlled middleboxes have and can provide control messages for how a middlebox shall handle a registered flow. The registration provides the midcom agent with knowledge of registered flows and middleboxes which allows the midcom agent to send control orders to the middleboxes that registered themselves, the orders pertaining to the handling of the flows at the respective middleboxes. A mechanism for control signalling at the IP control plane is described.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.