Multipath Control Entity for Remote Home Server Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current multipath TCP-based hybrid access solutions cannot support remote access to home servers effectively due to limitations in initiating wireless IP connections over mobile networks and the lack of knowledge about the network proxy's address by remote clients, leading to uplink bottlenecks and inefficient data transmission.

Innovation Solution

A method for controlling remote access using a multipath control entity to establish a session identifier for a multipath connection between a client device and a residential multipath entity, involving both wired and cellular transmission networks, and informing the network multipath proxy to facilitate a binding between sessions, allowing the use of a network multipath proxy for data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If normal TCP routing is used for remote access, then the connection can be established from the remote client, but the TCP session is terminated at the CPE device and the MP-TCP proxy cannot be involved, resulting in uplink bandwidth limitations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission speedVSAvoidconnection establishment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a multipath control entity as an intermediary that coordinates between the remote client, CPE device, and MP-TCP proxy. This mediator establishes binding between TCP sessions and multipath connections, enabling the MP-TCP proxy to be involved in remote access without requiring changes to the remote client's simple TCP connection initiation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the remote client connects directly to the home server using FQDN, then the connection can be established, but the connection cannot utilize multipath TCP proxying and suffers from uplink bottlenecks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuplink bandwidth utilizationVSAvoidproxy address information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing binding between TCP sessions and multipath connections at the multipath control entity before data transmission begins. The controller proactively sets up the session binding and informs the MP-TCP proxy in advance, so that when the remote client connects using FQDN, the multipath infrastructure is already prepared to intercept and utilize the connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If wireless IP connection is initiated over mobile network, then cellular data connection can be established, but security restrictions prevent network-side initiation since only end devices with SIM cards can trigger IP connections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork initiation capabilityVSAvoidconnection establishment reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional connection initiation approach by having the CPE device initiate the multipath connection to the MP-TCP proxy over the cellular network, rather than having the network initiate the connection. This workaround bypasses the security restriction while achieving the same goal of establishing a cellular data connection through the proxy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Ease of operation

If the CPE device uses dynamic public IP addresses, then the device can be accessed remotely, but the remote client cannot know the proxy address and must rely on FQDN which routes to CPE instead of proxy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote access simplicityVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The multipath control entity acts as an intermediary that resolves the addressing conflict. It receives the FQDN-based connection request, translates it to the appropriate MP-TCP proxy address, and establishes the binding between the remote client's TCP session and the multipath connection through the proxy, maintaining simplicity for the remote client while enabling efficient multipath transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3338423B1Remote access to a residential multipath entity
Publication Date: 2019.05.08 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3338423B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3338423B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3338423B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for controlling, by a multipath control entity (100), a remote access from a client device (300) to a server (235) connected to a residential multipath entity, via a multipath connection. The multipath connection includes at least two transmission networks (11, 12) between the client device (300) and the server (235). The method comprises the following steps: First, a session request for an establishment of a data session is received from the residential multipath entity (200), the session request indicating that the session request is for the remote access to the server (235). Then, a session identifier is determined for the remote access including the multipath connection. Then, in a response to the received session request the determined session identifier is transmitted back to the residential multipath entity.