Mobile IP Bearer Sub-sessions for Encrypted QoS Differentiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Host-based mobility management protocols like Mobile Internet Protocol (MIP) lack bearer capabilities, requiring excessive policy-related signaling and inability to classify encrypted tunnels, which hampers Quality-of-Service (QoS) differentiation and network efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Extending host-based mobility management to include bearer support within Mobile Internet Protocol, enabling the creation of sub-sessions with Quality-of-Service (QoS) differentiation by associating key values with bearers and using Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) for encrypted packet routing, allowing intermediate nodes to apply QoS without decrypting packets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If host-based mobility management (MIP) is used, then mobility flexibility is achieved, but QoS differentiation capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mobility session into multiple bearers, each capable of carrying different traffic types with distinct QoS characteristics. This allows the system to maintain mobility flexibility while enabling QoS differentiation through separate bearer management for different service requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces local quality parameters (QoS descriptors) associated with each bearer, allowing different parts of the traffic flow to have different quality characteristics. This enables localized QoS control within the mobility session without compromising overall mobility flexibility.
2Productivity
If bearer support is added to MIP, then QoS differentiation is enabled, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges bearer management functions with existing MIP signaling mechanisms, combining QoS configuration with mobility session establishment and modification. This integration reduces the number of separate signaling messages needed while maintaining QoS differentiation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the MIP signaling protocol universal by enabling it to handle both mobility management and QoS configuration tasks. The same signaling messages can carry both mobility parameters and QoS descriptors, reducing overall signaling overhead.
3Reliability
If encrypted tunnels are used for security, then data protection is improved, but packet classification capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces QoS descriptors as intermediary elements that are attached to packets alongside encryption. These descriptors act as mediators that carry QoS information without being encrypted, allowing intermediate nodes to classify and manage traffic based on QoS requirements while maintaining data encryption for security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the packet structure into encrypted data payload and unencrypted QoS descriptor fields. This segmentation allows the encryption mechanism to protect data integrity while the unencrypted descriptor fields remain accessible for packet classification and QoS management at intermediate nodes.
Data Source
AI summary
A telecommunications network adapted to process data packets according to the client mobile internet protocol domain is extended to provide bearer capability, such that subsessions can be used to distinguish one portion of traffic from another. A different Quality of Service (QoS) can be assigned to each bearer. The bearers can be setup by a mobile node or a home agent in the telecommunications network.