Gateway Policy Segmentation for Mobile Session Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices experience network session interruptions when switching between different radio access technologies, such as from 3G to 4G networks, due to differing policies that may not require certain services like TCP optimizer services, leading to potential service disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A gateway device is configured to continue forwarding packets from existing network sessions using existing steering information even after a policy change, ensuring continuity of service by maintaining existing forwarding chains for pre-existing sessions while applying new policies to new sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the gateway device applies new access network policies after RAT handover, then the device complexity and policy adaptability are improved, but network session continuity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device segments policy application by creating separate policy contexts for existing sessions versus new sessions. Existing sessions continue to be governed by the first access network's policies, while new sessions are governed by the second access network's policies. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to new access networks without disrupting ongoing network sessions, resolving the contradiction between policy adaptability and session continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device performs preliminary action by establishing and storing steering information for existing network sessions before the RAT handover occurs. This pre-established steering information is then preserved and applied during the handover, ensuring that existing sessions maintain their original policy treatment even after the device connects to a new access network with different policies.
2Loss of information
If the gateway device terminates existing network sessions after policy change, then the loss of information from applying outdated policies is reduced, but the loss of time for session reestablishment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device implements dynamic policy application by continuously monitoring session states and selectively applying policies based on session timing. Existing sessions are dynamically maintained with their original policies, while new sessions are dynamically assigned the current access network policies. This dynamic approach eliminates the need to terminate sessions for policy updates, preventing both information loss and time loss simultaneously.
3Reliability
If the gateway device maintains existing forwarding chains for all sessions, then network session continuity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device applies local quality by treating different sessions with different policy qualities based on their establishment timing. Existing sessions receive the quality of maintaining original forwarding chains and policies, while new sessions receive the quality of applying current access network policies. This localized differentiation allows the system to maintain session continuity for existing connections without unnecessarily complicating the management of new connections.
Data Source
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AI summary
An example gateway device determines that a first policy, applicable to a subscriber device when the subscriber device is coupled to a first access network, indicates that packets from the subscriber device are to be sent to a service device, and forwards a first set of packets from the subscriber device to the service device while the subscriber device is coupled to the first access network. After determining that the subscriber device has become coupled to a second access network of the plurality of access networks, the gateway device determines that a second policy, for the subscriber device when the subscriber device is coupled to the second access network, does not indicate that packets should be sent to the service device, but nevertheless forwards a second set of packets from the subscriber device to the service device while the subscriber device is coupled to the second access network.