VoIP Traffic Detection and Disruption via Packet Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in managing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications on aircraft, as passengers can bypass voice communication prohibitions by using data connections for VoIP calls, especially with encrypted traffic, which existing networks struggle to detect and block.
Innovation Solution
The VoIP Management System identifies voice-based wireless devices and denies service by monitoring packet data traffic characteristics, such as timing and size, to disrupt VoIP calls without modifying content, ensuring compliance with regulations by preventing unauthorized voice calls both on aircraft and ground systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the aircraft network prohibits voice communications, then voice calls are blocked, but passengers can bypass this prohibition by using data connections for VoIP calls
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of VoIP traffic patterns before voice communication prohibition is bypassed. By monitoring packet data traffic characteristics (timing, size, frequency) in advance, the network can detect VoIP calls attempting to use data connections and block them proactively, preventing the bypass from succeeding.
Solution Approach 2:
The network acts as an intermediary between the passenger's wireless device and the VoIP service provider. By inserting itself into the data communication path, the network can inspect packet characteristics, identify VoIP traffic patterns, and selectively block VoIP calls while allowing legitimate data communications to pass through.
2Measurement precision
If the network monitors packet data traffic to detect VoIP calls, then VoIP detection accuracy improves, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system monitors changes in packet data traffic parameters (timing intervals, packet sizes, transmission frequency) to identify VoIP calls. By analyzing these parameter patterns rather than implementing complex deep packet inspection, the network achieves accurate VoIP detection with moderate complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The network applies partial monitoring by focusing only on specific packet characteristics (timing, size, frequency) rather than analyzing all packet contents. This partial action approach provides sufficient VoIP detection accuracy without requiring full-depth packet inspection, thereby limiting the increase in network complexity.
3Reliability
If the network blocks all data connections, then VoIP bypass is prevented, but legitimate data communications are also disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The network applies different quality treatment to different data traffic types. By analyzing packet characteristics locally at the network level, it identifies VoIP traffic patterns and applies blocking only to those specific flows, while allowing legitimate data communications to continue uninterrupted. This localized differentiation maintains data communication productivity while ensuring voice prohibition reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The network takes partial action by blocking only the portion of data traffic that exhibits VoIP characteristics rather than blocking all data connections. This selective blocking approach prevents VoIP bypass while preserving legitimate data communication productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The VoIP Management System is capable of identifying voice-based wireless devices and denying wireless communication services to these devices. The VoIP Management System also identifies VoIP packet data traffic, and this communication connection can be denied. The VoIP Management System can also identify encrypted VoIP packet data traffic (for a unique Source-Destination IP pair) based upon VoIP packet data traffic characteristics: packet timing, packet rate, and packet size, since VoIP services have a distinct packet data traffic pattern. When a VoIP call is detected, the VoIP Management System disrupts the identified VoIP packet data traffic, without modifying the packet data content, such as by adding sufficient latency to the Packet Data Unit of the packet data traffic to make the VoIP services unusable.