Gateway Node Proxying IP Requests via Transient Tunnel
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular base station networks face challenges in efficiently allocating unique IP addresses, particularly when gateway nodes require dummy IP addresses for proxying and virtualization, as without these, requests from neighbor mesh nodes are ignored, leading to communication disruptions.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a method where a gateway node saves and proxies IP requests from mesh nodes to a HetNet Gateway using a transient IP-Sec tunnel, receives a response with a dummy IP address, and forwards it to the mesh node, enabling the establishment of a Self Optimizing Network (SON) tunnel, ensuring secure and flexible IP address allocation across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gateway nodes use dummy IP addresses for proxying and virtualization, then network communication and request forwarding are enabled, but IP address management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a HetNet Gateway as an intermediary entity that mediates IP address allocation between mesh nodes and the core network. The HetNet Gateway receives IP address requests from mesh nodes, allocates dummy IP addresses through a structured process, and manages the address pool centrally. This intermediary role simplifies the overall system by centralizing IP management functionality, allowing individual gateway nodes to focus on their primary proxying and virtualization functions without bearing the complexity of IP address management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mesh nodes send IP requests to neighbor nodes, then IP address allocation can be distributed, but request handling becomes unreliable without proper gateway coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by requiring gateway nodes to pre-establish coordination mechanisms with the HetNet Gateway before handling mesh node requests. The gateway node saves incoming IP requests from mesh nodes in a structured format, preparing them for centralized processing. This preliminary preparation ensures that when requests are forwarded to the HetNet Gateway, they are properly formatted and tracked, enhancing reliability while maintaining the flexibility of distributed request initiation.
3Reliability
If a transient IP-Sec tunnel is used to proxy requests to HetNet Gateway, then secure communication is achieved, but network configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The HetNet Gateway acts as a trusted intermediary that simplifies secure tunnel configuration. Instead of requiring each gateway node to independently configure complex IP-Sec tunnels to multiple potential destinations, the mesh node establishes a single secure tunnel to its local gateway node. The gateway node then handles the secure communication with the HetNet Gateway using pre-configured credentials and protocols. This intermediary approach maintains security while significantly reducing configuration complexity at the edge devices.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and computer software are disclosed for providing Internet Protocol (IP) address allocation in a wireless network. In one embodiment, the method includes sending, by a mesh node in the wireless network, an IP request to neighbor nodes; saving, by a gateway node (GW) in the wireless network, the request from the mesh node; proxying, by the GW, the mesh request to a HetNet Gateway (HNG) by providing a transient IP-Sec tunnel; replying, by the HNG, to the GW with a response; forwarding, by the GW, the response to the mesh node, the response including a dummy IP address; and starting, by the mesh node, a Self Optimizing Network (SON) tunnel with the GW using the dummy IP address.