Hybrid Access Gateway Server CPE Access Type Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current hybrid access gateway systems rely on manual configuration and IP address pools for identifying access types, leading to inaccuracies and complexity, especially when different operators share IP addressing information, and are prone to errors in determining access types.

Innovation Solution

The method involves the customer-premises equipment embedding the access type in a connect message sent to the hybrid access gateway server, allowing it to accurately identify the access type without relying on source IP addresses, thereby reducing errors and simplifying the detection process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual configuration of IP address pools is used to identify access type, then the hybrid access gateway can determine access type, but it introduces disadvantages when deployed massively and becomes complicated when different operators share IP addressing information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess type identification accuracyVSAvoidconfiguration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The CPE automatically determines and embeds its own access type in the connect message without requiring manual configuration of IP address pools at the gateway. The CPE uses its internal knowledge of which interface it uses (DSL or LTE) to self-identify the access type, eliminating the need for the gateway to manually maintain IP address pool configurations for different operators and access types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The access type identification function is extracted from the gateway's IP address pool matching logic and relocated to the CPE. Instead of the gateway analyzing source IP addresses against configured pools, the CPE extracts and includes the access type directly in the connect message, simplifying the gateway's role to merely reading the embedded information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the hybrid access gateway uses source IP address to identify access type, then it can determine whether traffic is from DSL or LTE, but overlapping IP address pools between different operators result in inaccurate determination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess type determination reliabilityVSAvoidaccess type identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

An intermediary mechanism is introduced where the CPE acts as a mediator that explicitly states its access type in the connect message. This intermediary step eliminates the need for the gateway to perform complex IP address pool matching that becomes unreliable with overlapping pools from different operators. The CPE's explicit declaration serves as a trusted intermediary that resolves the ambiguity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of the gateway trying to infer access type from the source IP address (indirect method), the solution inverts the approach by having the CPE directly declare its access type in the connect message (direct method). This inversion from indirect inference to direct declaration eliminates the reliability issues caused by overlapping IP pools.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Measurement precision

If manual configuration of IP address pools is mandatory, then the gateway can identify access type, but it becomes difficult to scale when deploying massively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess type identification capabilityVSAvoiddeployment scalability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The CPE performs self-service by automatically determining and embedding its access type without requiring manual configuration at the gateway. This eliminates the scaling bottleneck where each new operator or access type required manual IP pool configuration updates at the gateway. The system now scales automatically as new CPEs self-identify their access type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The connect message format is enhanced to universally support access type identification for all operators and access types without requiring operator-specific configuration. The embedded access type field provides a universal mechanism that works for DSL, LTE, and future access types, eliminating the need for operator-specific IP pool management and enabling mass deployment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10999879B2Method, arrangement and devices for enabling a hybrid access gateway server to identify an access type of traffic originating from a customer-premises equipment

Publication Date: 2021.05.04 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A method of, a customer-premises equipment for, and a hybrid access gateway server for, enabling a hybrid access gateway server to identity an access type of traffic originating from a customer-premises equipment, CPE, wherein said hybrid access gateway server is arranged to control access to a service network, and wherein said CPE comprises at least two Wide Area Network, WAN, interfaces.