Network Element Service Offloading via Deep Packet Inspection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users are required to manually set specific Access Point Names (APNs) for different telecommunication operators, posing a high requirement for user capability and limiting the usage of 3G networking services, as existing offloading methods do not facilitate automatic traffic offloading without user intervention.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) to identify service types and determine corresponding transmission channel interfaces, allowing network elements to automatically offload network traffic without user intervention by establishing and managing correspondence relationships between service types and transmission channel interfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If users manually set specific APNs for different telecommunication operators, then networking services can be transmitted via Gi interface, but user capability requirement increases and ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetworking service transmission efficiencyVSAvoiduser operation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The network system automatically performs service type identification and APN selection without requiring user intervention. The user equipment sends packets with destination information, and the network element autonomously identifies the service type and selects the appropriate APN, making the system self-serve rather than requiring user capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A service type identification module is introduced as an intermediary between the user equipment and the APN selection mechanism. This module automatically analyzes packet content, identifies service types, and determines the appropriate APN, eliminating the need for users to manually configure APN settings

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If manual APN setting is required for service type identification, then transmission channel selection can be optimized, but device complexity increases due to user intervention requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission channel accuracyVSAvoidsystem configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The identification module autonomously performs service type identification and APN selection without requiring user configuration. The system self-determines the appropriate transmission channel by analyzing packet content and matching service types with pre-configured APN rules

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple APNs are pre-configured in the network element with corresponding service type rules established beforehand. When packets arrive, the system quickly matches the service type against pre-established rules to determine the appropriate APN, eliminating the need for real-time user configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If automatic service type identification is implemented, then user intervention is eliminated, but processing time increases due to deep packet inspection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic offloading capabilityVSAvoidpacket processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The identification module performs partial deep packet inspection by examining only the necessary packet fields (destination IP, port numbers, protocol type) required for service type determination, rather than analyzing the entire packet content, thus reducing processing time while maintaining automatic identification capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

Service type identification rules and APN mappings are pre-configured in the network element. The identification module quickly matches incoming packets against these pre-established rules using efficient lookup mechanisms, significantly reducing processing time compared to real-time analysis

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2485527B1Service splitting processing method, communication equipment and network system
Publication Date: 2016.04.13 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP2485527B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2485527B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2485527B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for offloading processing service, comprising: acquiring a first packet carrying payload data and transmitted from a user equipment; identifying a service type of the first packet by using Deep Packet Inspection DPI technique; determining a transmission channel interface that corresponds to the identified service type according to a first correspondence relationship between service types and transmission channel interfaces; and transmitting, via the determined transmission channel interface, the first packet to a destination end to which the user equipment requests for access. A method for offloading processing service, comprising: acquiring a second packet transmitted from a user equipment, the second packet carries therein information of a destination end; determining a transmission channel interface that corresponds to the information of the destination end carried in the second packet according to a second correspondence relationship between the information of the destination end and the transmission channel interface; and transmitting, via the determined transmission channel interface, the second packet to the destination end that corresponds to the information of the destination end carried in the second packet.