Per Flow Descriptor Exposure for Network Traffic Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication service providers face challenges in managing and routing data traffic flows across diverse devices and conditions due to limited access to data flow information by application servers located outside the core network.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where a gateway device sets up connections for user equipment devices and sends per flow descriptor messages to a network exposure function, which includes attributes like IP addresses, protocols, and additional parameters, to enable application servers to instruct data traffic flow actions such as prioritization and routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If application servers are located outside the core network, then device complexity and network architecture flexibility are improved, but access to data flow information is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an exposure function as an intermediary component within the core network that bridges the gap between application servers outside the core network and the data flow information they need. This exposure function receives data flow information from the gateway device and selectively exposes relevant attributes to application servers, thereby maintaining network architecture flexibility while enabling information access through a controlled interface.
2Productivity
If per flow descriptor messages include detailed attributes, then application servers can effectively manage data traffic flows, but message complexity and information exposure risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential and necessary attributes from the complete data flow information and includes them in the per flow descriptor messages sent to application servers. By selecting and exposing only relevant attributes (such as source/destination IP addresses, ports, and protocol information) rather than all available data, the system enables effective traffic flow management while keeping message complexity manageable and reducing information exposure risk.
3Reliability
If exposure function filters and selects attributes, then information security is improved, but processing time and function complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The exposure function performs preliminary filtering and selection of attributes before exposing them to application servers. By pre-processing the data flow information and preparing only the necessary attributes in advance, the system ensures information security through controlled exposure while minimizing processing time during actual operations. The exposure function maintains a ready state with pre-filtered attributes, reducing real-time processing delays.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may include a processor configured to establish a data traffic flow for a user equipment (UE) device and determine per flow descriptor attributes associated with the data traffic flow, wherein the per flow descriptor attributes identify at least a source, a destination, and a protocol associated with the data traffic flow. The processor may be further configured to determine at least one additional per flow descriptor attribute for the data traffic flow and send the per flow descriptor attributes and the at least one additional per flow descriptor attribute to a network exposure device of a core network, wherein the network exposure device is configured to communicate with servers outside the core network.