EPC Proxy Unit for Standard IP Traffic Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard Internet Protocol (IP) traffic from User Equipment (UE) devices cannot be processed by Evolved Packet Core (EPC) systems for advanced features like real-time quota management and quality of service guarantees, as it lacks the LTE control data integral to LTE traffic protocols.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that routes standard IP traffic to an EPC proxy unit, which identifies the UE device's International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and initiates a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) tunnel connection to a serving gateway for advanced processing, enabling usage management and policy enforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If standard IP traffic is routed directly to public data network, then network simplicity is maintained, but advanced processing capabilities (quota management, QoS, throttling) cannot be applied
Solution Approach 1:
An EPC proxy unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the network and public data network. This proxy unit receives standard IP traffic, identifies UE devices, establishes GTP tunnel connections to EPC systems, and enables advanced processing capabilities without requiring complete network architecture redesign. The intermediary handles the complexity of EPC integration while presenting a simple interface to both UE devices and public data network.
2Reliability
If EPC proxy unit is introduced to enable advanced processing, then quota management and QoS are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The EPC proxy unit is designed as a multi-functional component that performs multiple operations: receiving standard IP traffic, identifying UE devices by IP address, retrieving IMSI information, establishing GTP tunnel connections, and coordinating with EPC systems. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single proxy unit, the system achieves reliable usage management and QoS enforcement without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If GTP tunnel connection is established for standard IP traffic, then real-time processing is enabled, but processing time and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing GTP tunnel connections and pre-configuring EPC system sessions before actual data traffic flows. When standard IP traffic arrives at the EPC proxy unit, the tunnel connection and session are already in place, allowing immediate routing of traffic through the EPC system for real-time processing without delays associated with connection establishment during data transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for managing a user equipment (UE) device coupled to a network serviced by a service provider in which standard Internet Protocol (IP) traffic, that is not LTE traffic, is received from a network serviced by a service provider that was generated by the UE device having an IP address that causes the standard IP traffic to be routed to an evolved packet core (EPC) proxy unit. The EPC proxy unit identifies the IMSI for the UE device, requests a standard session from an EPC system based on the IMSI, and initiates a tunnel connection to a serving gateway for advanced processing by the EPC system. After advance processing has been performed, usage management and policy enforcement may be performed on the standard IP traffic prior to allowing the UE device to access a public data network.