IoT Gateway Proxy for Service Function Chain Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

The integration of IoT devices with limited processing capabilities into service function chains is impractical due to their inability to handle service headers, making it difficult to incorporate their functionality into these chains, especially as the number of IoT devices increases.

Innovation Solution

An IoT gateway operates as a proxy device to indirectly integrate IoT devices into service function chains by processing service headers to request and gather data from IoT devices, modifying the service chain packets to include this data, and forwarding it along the chain, thereby bypassing the need for IoT devices to process service headers directly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If IoT devices are directly integrated into service function chains, then their functionality can be incorporated, but their limited processing capabilities make it impractical due to inability to handle service headers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration of IoT devices into service function chainsVSAvoidprocessing capability requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between IoT devices and the service function chain. The gateway handles service header processing and data retrieval from IoT devices, allowing IoT devices with limited capabilities to be integrated into the service function chain without directly processing service headers themselves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If IoT devices are fully integrated into service function chains, then their data can be accessed, but the complexity of the service function chain increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access efficiencyVSAvoidservice function chain complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the service header processing functionality from IoT devices and concentrates it in the gateway device. This separation allows IoT devices to remain simple while the gateway handles the complex service header operations, reducing the overall complexity of the service function chain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If more IoT devices are incorporated into service function chains, then more data sources are available, but latency increases due to direct integration requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of IoT devicesVSAvoiddata retrieval latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The gateway device pre- Retrieves data from IoT devices and caches it locally, so when service function chain packets arrive, the data is already available or can be retrieved quickly. This preliminary data gathering reduces latency even as the number of IoT devices increases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10455038B2Indirect integration of network connected devices into service function chains

Publication Date: 2019.10.22 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

A gateway device is configured to operate as a network function in a service function chain and is connected to a plurality of network connected devices. The gateway device receives a service function chain packet that includes a request to obtain data from one or more of the plurality of network connected devices. The gateway device obtains the data from the one or more network connected devices and modifies the service function chain packet to include the data obtained from the one or more network connected devices. The gateway device sends the service function chain packet that has been modified to include that data obtained from the one or more network connected devices along the service function chain.