IP Flow Priority Indicator Mapping for 5G QoS

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current IP flow-based Quality of Service (QoS) approaches in 5G networks face challenges in accurately determining Flow Priority Indicators (FPI) due to the reliance on deep packet inspection (DPI), which can be inaccurate, especially for encrypted applications and those with multiple destination IP addresses and ports, leading to incorrect QoS treatment.

Innovation Solution

A method that detects and stores IP flow priority indicators associated with applications, allowing correct QoS treatment by identifying applications generating data and selecting the appropriate priority indicator for transmission, even if DPI inaccurately identifies IP flows, ensuring accurate QoS application across all IP flows.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If deep packet inspection (DPI) is used to determine Flow Priority Indicators, then IP flow detection capability is provided, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inaccuracies especially for encrypted applications and those with multiple destination IP addresses and ports

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveIP flow detection capabilityVSAvoidFlow Priority Indicator determination accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (application identification and mapping table) between DPI and QoS treatment. Instead of relying solely on DPI to directly determine FPI, the system uses application identification as an intermediary layer that maps applications to their corresponding FPIs, thereby improving accuracy when DPI fails for encrypted or multi-destination traffic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by using successfully determined FPIs from DPI to update and refine the mapping table for future use. When DPI correctly identifies an IP flow and its corresponding application, this information is fed back into the system to enhance future detection accuracy, creating a self-improving mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If operators maintain frequent QoS policies in user equipment to ensure accurate QoS treatment, then QoS application accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoS application accuracyVSAvoidQoS policy management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service by allowing user equipment to automatically build and update its own mapping table through application identification and observation of DPI results, without requiring operators to manually maintain and push QoS policies. The device serves itself by learning and adapting QoS parameters autonomously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The mapping table is built in advance through preliminary action where the system proactively identifies applications and their corresponding FPIs before actual data transmission occurs. This preliminary mapping eliminates the need for complex real-time policy management during data flow

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3331270B1Method for transmitting data and communication device
Publication Date: 2019.11.27 NTT DOCOMO INC
  • EP3331270B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3331270B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3331270B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In various embodiments, a method for transmitting data is described comprising detecting a plurality of different first Internet Protocol (IP) flow connections for a first application, wherein each first IP flow connection of the plurality of first IP flow connections has assigned a respective IP flow priority indicator, determining at least one first IP flow priority indicator of the detected plurality of first IP flow connections, storing the determined at least one first IP flow priority indicator with a corresponding reference to the first application, detecting a plurality of different second IP flow connections for a second application, wherein each second IP flow connection of the plurality of second IP flow connections has assigned a respective IP flow priority indicator, determining at least one second IP flow priority indicator of the detected plurality of second IP flow connections, storing the determined at least one second IP flow priority indicator with a corresponding reference to the second application, the first application and/or the second application generating data to be transmitted, identifying the application which generates the data to be transmitted, selecting the stored at least one first IP flow priority indicator and/or second IP flow priority indicator referring to the first application and/or second application and transmitting the generated data based on the selected IP flow priority indicator.