GRE Encapsulation for Content-Based Billing in Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data treatment servers in wireless communication networks, which optimize or compress data packets, render payload inspection unreadable, preventing wireless gateway nodes from providing content-based billing and services.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Content Flow Label (CFL) and a compression protocol header, allowing wireless gateway nodes to exchange content and byte count information with data treatment servers, enabling content-based billing and services by identifying and classifying data packets, and routing them appropriately to ensure billing can occur.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data treatment servers optimize or compress data packets, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but payload inspection becomes unreadable, preventing content-based billing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data packet into distinct components: the payload (which may be compressed) and the header (which contains inspection information). By separating these functions, the system can compress the payload for efficiency while preserving header information for billing and inspection purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting inspection information into the packet header before compression occurs. This ensures that billing and inspection data are captured in advance while the payload can still be compressed without losing the ability to inspect or bill for the content.
2Loss of substance
If data treatment servers compress data packets, then bandwidth usage is reduced, but wireless gateway nodes cannot inspect content for billing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the packet header serves as a mediator between the compression function and the inspection function. The header contains inspection information that acts as a bridge, allowing the wireless gateway node to access content information even when the payload has been compressed by the data treatment server.
3Productivity
If packet-based services are implemented over circuit switched networks, then system resource efficiency is improved, but infrastructure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the packet header structure to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides routing information, contains inspection data for billing, and maintains compatibility with existing circuit switched network infrastructure. This multi-functional approach enables packet-based services without proportionally increasing infrastructure complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The methods of the present invention enable wireless gateway nodes to support mobile node services, such as content based billing, when a data treatment server is present in the system. Using one of a defined Content Flow Label (CFL), an Application Program Interface (API), and a compression protocol header, the present invention provides content based billing by exchanging content and byte count information with the data treatment server. In one embodiment, a new compression protocol header type is defined. In a second embodiment, a content flow label with a byte count field is inserted in a Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) header. In an alternate embodiment, the wireless gateway node implements an API to transfer the content flow label and byte count information over a signaling link. In yet another embodiment, the data treatment server performs the content based billing and similar mobile node services.