ILA IPv6 Address Segmentation for IoT Session Management

Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing number of IoT devices and mobile devices accessing network services poses a challenge in managing IP sessions, as supporting multiple instances of IP session states requires significant storage and processing resources, and existing methods struggle to efficiently manage these without storing session states.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of identifier-locator addressing (ILA) in IPv6 addresses, which splits the address into a locator component and an identifier component, allowing ILA nodes and routers to manage IP sessions without storing session states by using tunnel endpoint identifiers for smarter routing decisions and resource conservation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple instances of IP session states are stored to manage mobile devices and IoT devices, then network session management capability is improved, but storage resources and processing resources are significantly consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork session management capabilityVSAvoidstorage resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the IPv6 address into two distinct components: a locator component (routing prefix) that identifies the network location and an identifier component (interface identifier) that uniquely identifies the device. This segmentation allows the network to track devices through location changes without storing complete session states, as the identifier component remains constant while the locator component changes during mobility events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the device identification function from the traditional session state storage mechanism. By embedding a unique identifier component directly in the IPv6 address, the system can identify and track devices without extracting and storing entire session state instances. This extraction eliminates the need to maintain multiple copies of session states while preserving device identification and tracking capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple instances of IP session states are stored to manage mobile devices and IoT devices, then network session management capability is improved, but processing resources are significantly consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork session management capabilityVSAvoidprocessing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the IPv6 address into two distinct components: a locator component (routing prefix) that identifies the network location and an identifier component (interface identifier) that uniquely identifies the device. This segmentation allows the network to track devices through location changes without storing complete session states, as the identifier component remains constant while the locator component changes during mobility events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the device identification function from the traditional session state storage mechanism. By embedding a unique identifier component directly in the IPv6 address, the system can identify and track devices without extracting and storing entire session state instances. This extraction eliminates the need to maintain multiple copies of session states while preserving device identification and tracking capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If ILA nodes store tunnel endpoint identifiers in cache memory, then routing efficiency is improved, but cache memory resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting efficiencyVSAvoidcache memory resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by storing tunnel endpoint identifiers specifically in cache memory at ILA nodes where they are most frequently needed for routing decisions. Rather than uniformly distributing cache storage across all network devices, the solution places caching functionality locally at ILA nodes, which are strategically positioned to make routing decisions. This localized caching improves routing efficiency for the most critical operations while minimizing overall cache memory consumption in the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10397184B2Mobility management using identifier-locator addressing (ILA)

Publication Date: 2019.08.27 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

A device can receive, from a network device, a request to create an internet protocol (IP) session for a user device. The device can allocate an IP address for the user device and a first tunnel endpoint identifier associated with a tunnel. The IP address can include a first set of bits associated with a location identifier and a second set of bits associated with a device identifier. The device can provide a response to the network device, and can receive a request that includes a second tunnel endpoint identifier associated with the tunnel. The device can provide the IP address and the first and second tunnel endpoint identifiers to be stored using a data structure. The device can provide a response to the network device indicating to establish the downlink portion of the IP session, and can perform one or more actions associated with managing the IP session.