Mobility detection for edge applications in wireless communication networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10694366-B2
Application number	US-201916281576-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2019
Priority date	Aug 31, 2012
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

Various embodiments detecting wireless communication device mobility in a wireless communication network. In one embodiment, one or more Internet Protocol (IP) data packets associated with a wireless communication device are analyzed. The wireless communication device is coupled with the edge entity. A determination is made, based on the analyzing, that the wireless communication device is a newly coupled device at the edge entity. A central entity disposed within the wireless communication network is notified that the wireless communication device is currently coupled to the edge entity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, with an edge entity disposed at an edge of a wireless communication network, for detecting mobility of wireless communication devices, the method comprising:
monitoring for data packets associated with a given wireless communication device;
determining that one or more data packets associated with the given wireless communication device have failed to be received within a given time threshold; and
updating, based on determining that one or more data packets associated with the given wireless communication device have failed to be received within a given time threshold, a local set of wireless communication device location information associated with the given wireless communication device to indicate that the given wireless communication device has been decoupled from the edge entity, the local set of wireless communication device location information being stored at the edge entity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that one or more data packets associated with the given wireless communication device have failed to be received within a given time threshold comprises:
analyzing a timestamp to determine a time at which a most recent data packet was received for the given wireless communication device; and
determining, based on the timestamp, that a threshold period of time has passed without receiving a new data packet from given wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
notifying a central entity disposed within the wireless communication network that the wireless communication device has been decoupled from the edge entity.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein notifying the central entity triggers the central entity to update a global set of wireless communication device location information associated with the given wireless communication device to indicate that the given wireless communication device has been decoupled from the edge entity, the global set of wireless communication device location information being stored at the central entity.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the central entity is an information processing system that monitors data traffic in the wireless communication network.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the central entity is situated between a packet gateway node and the least one information processing system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a base station within the wireless communication network comprises the edge entity.

8. A computer program product for detecting mobility of wireless communication devices, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit of an edge entity disposed at an edge of a wireless communication network for detecting mobility of wireless communication devices, the non-transitory storage medium storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
monitoring for data packets associated with a given wireless communication device;
determining that one or more data packets associated with the given wireless communication device have failed to be received within a given time threshold; and
updating, based on determining that one or more data packets associated with the given wireless communication device have failed to be received within a given time threshold, a local set of wireless communication device location information associated with the given wireless communication device to indicate that the given wireless communication device has been decoupled from the edge entity, the local set of wireless communication device location information being stored at the edge entity.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein determining that one or more data packets associated with the given wireless communication device have failed to be received within a given time threshold comprises:
analyzing a timestamp to determine a time at which a most recent data packet was received for the given wireless communication device; and
determining, based on the timestamp, that a threshold period of time has passed without receiving a new data packet from given wireless communication device.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
notifying a central entity disposed within the wireless communication network that the wireless communication device has been decoupled from the edge entity.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein notifying the central entity triggers the central entity to update a global set of wireless communication device location information associated with the given wireless communication device to indicate that the given wireless communication device has been decoupled from the edge entity, the global set of wireless communication device location information being stored at the central entity.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the central entity is an information processing system that monitors data traffic in the wireless communication network.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the central entity is situated between a packet gateway node and the least one information processing system.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein a base station within the wireless communication network comprises the edge entity.

15. A method, with a central entity disposed within a wireless communication network, for detecting mobility of wireless communication devices, the method comprising:
intercepting one or more data packets associated with a wireless communication device, wherein the central entity is situated within the wireless communication network between the edge entity and the information processing system;
determining that the one or more data packets have been changed by the edge entity;
identifying, based on the determining and data within the one or more data packets, at least one identifier associated with the edge entity within the one or more data packets; and
updating, based on the at least one identifier, a set of wireless communication device location information, wherein the updating indicates that the wireless communication device is currently coupled to the edge entity.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining comprises:
analyzing the one or more data packets; and
determining, based on the analyzing, that one or more flags in at least one header of the one or more data packets has been marked.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining that one or more flags in at least one header of the one or more data packets has been marked; and
unmarking the one or more flags.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:
removing the at least one identifier from the one or more data packets.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
sending, after the unmarking and the removing, the one or more data packets to a destination associated therewith.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more data packets are Internet Protocol (IP) data packets.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Agrawal Dakshi
• Ko Bongjun
• Le Franck
• Nicholson Robert B
• Pappas Vasileios
• Verma Dinesh

Classifications

• H04W72/20

  Control channels or signalling for resource management · CPC title

• H04W64/00 Primary

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title

• H04L69/22

  Parsing or analysis of headers · CPC title

• H04W8/02

  Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks · CPC title

• H04W76/11

  Allocation or use of connection identifiers · CPC title