SDN Packet Tunneling in Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless networks face inefficiencies and high costs due to the need for specialized gateway support nodes for routing data packets between mobile devices and external networks, which are physically large and expensive.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a software-defined networking (SDN) system that programmably configures network hardware to establish communication pathways between packet service support nodes and external networks, reducing the need for gateway support nodes and enabling flexible, cost-effective data packet translation between different formats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If gateway support nodes are used to route data packets between mobile devices and external networks, then data packet routing functionality is provided, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gateway support node functionality from the physical network infrastructure and implements it as virtual network functions running on standard servers. The gateway support node's packet routing capabilities are virtualized and can be deployed as software instances, eliminating the need for dedicated physical gateway hardware and reducing device size while maintaining routing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of gateway support node functionality through software implementations. Multiple virtual gateway instances can be created on standard hardware platforms, providing the same packet routing capabilities as physical gateway nodes but with reduced physical footprint and lower cost. These virtual instances can be replicated and distributed across different physical hosts.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gateway support nodes are used to route data packets between mobile devices and external networks, then data packet routing functionality is provided, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes standard server hardware universal by deploying multiple different virtual network functions on the same physical platform. A single standardized server can host gateway support nodes, packet service support nodes, or other network functions depending on software configuration, eliminating the need for specialized expensive hardware and reducing overall system cost while maintaining full routing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, specialized gateway hardware with inexpensive standard server components. The virtualized gateway functions can be rapidly deployed, migrated, and decommissioned as software instances rather than requiring costly physical hardware changes, significantly reducing the cost of providing packet routing functionality.
3Productivity
If specialized hardware and software are configured in gateway support nodes, then specific packet processing functions are performed, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes specialized hardware configurations with software-based virtual network functions. Instead of configuring physical gateway nodes with specific hardware components and embedded software, the system uses virtualized network functions running on standard servers, managed through software orchestration. This replaces complex hardware-software integration with more manageable software-defined networking approaches, reducing device complexity while maintaining packet processing capabilities.
4Adaptability or versatility
If physical gateway support nodes are deployed, then data packet routing is enabled, but network flexibility and scalability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic configurability to the network infrastructure through virtualized gateway functions. Gateway support nodes can be dynamically instantiated, migrated, scaled, and reconfigured as software instances without physical hardware changes. This allows the network to adapt flexibly to changing requirements, enabling rapid deployment of new routing policies, load balancing configurations, and service variations while eliminating the rigidity of fixed physical gateway installations.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication pathway or tunnel can be established between a service node (or other similar node) of a wireless network and an external network using software-defined networking. Packet-based communications can be routed through the wireless network using the communication pathway without requiring a specific node, such as a gateway node, for interfacing with the external network. The software-defined networking system can include program code executed by a computing device to monitor communications in the wireless network and identify a communication that includes a request to establish a communication pathway to the external network. In response, the program code can reprogram network hardware-devices to establish the communication pathway and allow packet communications to be exchanged between the wireless network and the external network via the communication pathway.