Communications Device Forwarding Module Template Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data transmission processes in communication networks, particularly involving packet data network gateways, result in significant resource wastage due to repeated encapsulation and decapsulation, leading to high processing overheads and increased transmission overheads, especially for small packet services.

Innovation Solution

A communications device and method that determines the appropriate interface for data packet forwarding based on radio access technology, using data filtering template information and bearer information, thereby avoiding unnecessary encapsulation and decapsulation processes above the IP layer, and supports multiple radio access technologies for improved transmission efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If PGW continuously performs encapsulation and decapsulation in data transmission process, then data routing and forwarding can be achieved, but processing overheads become huge

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata routing efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-establishes mapping relationships between data filtering templates (containing IP 5-tuple, MPLS label, or VLAN label information) and interface/bearer information in forwarding information tables before data transmission. When data packets arrive, the network element performs direct template matching instead of repeated encapsulation/decapsulation, significantly reducing processing overhead while maintaining routing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential forwarding decision elements (data filtering template information) from complete data packets and uses only these extracted elements for matching and forwarding decisions. This avoids processing the entire packet through multiple encapsulation/decapsulation layers, reducing time loss while achieving the same routing function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If UDP/GTP-U encapsulation is added at outer layer of data packet, then data can be transmitted through network layers, but transmission overheads increase by at least 40 bytes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes unnecessary outer layer encapsulations (UDP/GTP-U headers) from data packets before forwarding. By using pre-configured forwarding information that maps data filtering templates directly to interface and bearer information, the system achieves reliable transmission without adding the 40+ bytes of overhead that would result from repeated encapsulation at outer layers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the forwarding approach from protocol-based encapsulation/decapsulation to template-based direct forwarding. By modifying the forwarding mechanism parameters (using data filtering template matching instead of layer-by-layer processing), the system maintains transmission reliability while significantly reducing the substance lost to overhead

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If layer-by-layer decapsulation from link layer to application layer is performed, then destination address and port information can be determined, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation extraction capabilityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-configures forwarding information tables with mapping relationships between data filtering templates and interface/bearer information for different radio access technologies. This preliminary setup allows the network element to perform simple template matching instead of complex layer-by-layer decapsulation, reducing processing complexity while maintaining the ability to extract necessary destination information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing decapsulation from lower layers to upper layers to extract forwarding information, the patent inverts the approach by using pre-extracted data filtering template information (IP 5-tuple, MPLS label, or VLAN label) to directly determine forwarding parameters. This reversal simplifies the processing while achieving the same information extraction goal

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP3131245B1Data transmission method, forwarding information updating method, communications device, and controller
Publication Date: 2020.07.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3131245B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3131245B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3131245B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a data transmission method, a forwarding information update method, a communications device, and a controller. The communications device includes: a forwarding module and one or more interfaces, where the forwarding module receives a data packet sent to a receive end; determines, according to a correspondence between data filtering template information of the data packet and interface information in forwarding information maintained by the forwarding module, an interface for forwarding the data packet to the receive end, where if data packet transmission is performed by using a specific radio access technology between the communications device and a next hop to which the communications device forwards the data packet, the interface is an interface corresponding to the radio access technology; and forwards the data packet to the interface; and the interface receives the data packet sent by the forwarding module, and forwards the data packet. This method is applicable to the field of communications technologies.