Lattice Router Indexing for Private IP Packet Forwarding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing networking methods struggle to provide both improved data security and privacy while maintaining the ability to route packets effectively, as source IP prefixes are often visible and can be used to track sessions, compromising user privacy and security.

Innovation Solution

Lattice routing organizes routers in a lattice layout, altering source IP prefixes at each hop to mask the original IP, and uses encryption and decryption methods tailored for Layer 3 and Layer 4 communication layers to ensure secure and private packet transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If source IP prefixes are made visible for routing purposes, then packet routing is enabled, but user privacy and security are compromised due to tracking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket routing capabilityVSAvoiduser tracking and privacy loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the routing process into multiple hops through a lattice of routers. Each router segment handles only a portion of the journey, forwarding packets to the next router in the lattice based on index numbers rather than visible source IP prefixes. This segmentation prevents any single router from having full visibility of the complete routing path while maintaining delivery capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces index numbers as intermediaries that replace visible source IP prefixes for routing decisions. These index numbers act as mediators that enable routers to forward packets through the lattice without exposing the actual source IP addresses, thus protecting user privacy while maintaining routing functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If source IP prefixes are shuffled to mask original IPs, then privacy is improved, but routing capability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprivacy protection from trackingVSAvoidpacket delivery reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing the lattice structure and assigning index numbers to each router before packet transmission begins. The source IP prefix is shuffled and replaced with an index number in advance, allowing routers to use this pre-prepared index for reliable forwarding decisions without needing to see the original IP address.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter used for routing from visible source IP prefixes to shuffled index numbers. This parameter transformation maintains the routing capability while protecting privacy, as the index numbers contain sufficient information for reliable packet delivery through the lattice without exposing identifying information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If a lattice structure with multiple routers is used for privacy protection, then security is improved, but network complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidnetwork structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal lattice structure where each router can serve multiple functions: receiving packets from multiple sources, determining the next hop based on index numbers, and forwarding to multiple possible destinations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized components while maintaining security through the distributed lattice architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4661363A1Apparatus and methods to perform lattice routing
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP4661363A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4661363A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4661363A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for lattice routing across a plurality of routers. An example method can include receiving, by a first router of a lattice including a plurality of routers, an Internet Protocol packet including a source Internet Protocol prefix and an index number, where the plurality of routers of the lattice is indexed in a lattice index, and where the plurality of routers is configured to forward the Internet Protocol packet to routers of the plurality of routers based on the index number, shuffling, by the first router, the source Internet Protocol prefix, determining, by the first router and based on the index number, whether the first router is the egress router, and sending, by the first router, the Internet Protocol packet with a shuffled source Internet Protocol prefix to a next node.