Method and Device for Handling Multi Path Connections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016373339-A1
Application number	US-201514428417-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2015
Priority date	Feb 9, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided method and devices for handling multi path routing of data packets. The method comprises the step S 1 of establishing a multi path connection with a target network node, the multi path connection comprising a plurality of paths over which data packets can be transmitted to the target network node. The method also comprises the step S 2 of obtaining information relating to the quality of the plurality of paths and the step S 3 of determining, based on the obtained information, whether a path in the plurality of paths has been disconnected or is about to be disconnected. The method also comprises the step S 4 of activating at least one substitution path if it is determined that a path in the plurality of paths have been disconnected or is about to be disconnected, to enable transmission of data packets intended to be transmitted on the disconnected path, or the path about to be disconnected, over the activated substitution path. Corresponding devices and computer programs enabling handling of multi path connections are also provided.

First claim

1 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . A method performed by a network node for handling multi path routing of data packets, the method comprises:
establishing a multi path connection with a target network node, the multi path connection comprising a plurality of paths over which data packets can be transmitted to the target network node; obtaining information relating to the quality of the plurality of paths; determining, based on the obtained information, whether a path in the plurality of paths has been disconnected or is about to be disconnected; and activating at least one substitution path if it is determined that a path in the plurality of paths has been disconnected or is about to be disconnected, to enable transmission of data packets intended to be transmitted on the disconnected path, or the path about to be disconnected, over the activated at least one substitution path.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein said multi path routing is performed by means of a Multiple Path Transmission Control Protocol, MPTCP.

37 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein the step of establishing the multi path connection comprises establishing an MPTCP connection comprising a plurality of paths where the plurality of paths comprises two paths.

38 . The method according to claim 37 , wherein the first path is over a first Radio Access Technology and the second path is over a second Radio Access Technology.

39 . The method according to claim 38 , wherein the first Radio Access Technology is a 3 GPP network and the second Radio Access Technology is a non-3GPP network.

40 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the second Radio Access Technology comprises a Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN.

41 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the at least one substitution path is set up during the step of establishing the multi path connection with the target network node.

42 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the at least one substitution path is set up when it has been determined that a path in the plurality of paths has been disconnected or is about to be disconnected.

43 . The method according to claim 41 , further comprising setting up substitution paths over all Radio Access Technologies utilized in the established multi path connection.

44 . The method according to claim 43 , wherein the step of activating the at least one substitution path comprises activating a substitution path over a Radio Access Technology that is different from the Radio Access Technology of the path determined to be disconnected or about to be disconnected.

45 . The method according to claim 44 , wherein the step of activating the at least one substitution path comprises activating a substitution path over a Radio Access Technology that is the same as the Radio Access Technology of the path determined to be disconnected or about to be disconnected but on a different frequency.

46 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the step of obtaining information comprises obtaining information about any of the following features, or any combination of the following features:
a measured signal level of a signal received over paths in the plurality of paths; a measure of data packet losses over the paths in the plurality of paths; and a measure of the packet delays for packets received over the paths in the plurality of paths.

47 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the step of determining whether a particular path is disconnected or about to be disconnected comprises comparing the obtained information about the particular path with a specified criterion providing indications that the path is disconnected or about to be disconnected.

48 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the at least one substitution path is set up based on a first comparison with the obtained information and wherein the at least one substitution path is activated based on a second comparison with the obtained information.

49 . The method according to claim 48 , wherein the at least one substitution path is set up based on a comparison of the obtained information with a first threshold providing indication that the at least one substitution path should be set up and wherein the at least one substitution path is activated based on a comparison of the obtained information with a second threshold providing indication that the at least one substitution path should be activated.

50 . A network node configured to handle multi path routing of data, wherein:
the network node is configured to establish a multi path connection with a target network node, the multi path connection comprising a plurality of paths over which data packets are transmitted to the target network node; the network node is configured to obtain information relating to the quality of the plurality of paths; the network node is configured to determine, based on the obtained information, whether a path in the plurality of paths has been disconnected or is about to be disconnected; and the network node is configured to activate at least one substitution path if it is determined that a path in the plurality of paths has been disconnected or is about to be disconnected to enable data packets intended to be transmitted on the disconnected path to be transmitted on the at least one substitution path.

51 . The network node according to claim 50 , wherein the network node is configured to perform the multi path routing by means of a Multiple Path Transmission Control Protocol, MPTCP.

52 . The network node according to claim 51 , wherein the network node is configured to establish an MPTCP connection where the plurality of paths comprises two paths.

53 . The network node according to claim 52 , wherein the network node is configured to establish the first path over a first Radio Access Technology and the second path over a second Radio Access Technology.

54 . The network node according to claim 53 , wherein the first Radio Access Technology is a 3 GPP network and the second Radio Access Technology is a non-3GPP network.

55 . The network node according to claim 54 , wherein the second Radio Access Technology comprises a Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN.

56 . The network node according to claim 50 , wherein the network node is configured to set up the at least one substitution path together with the establishing of the multi path connection with the target network node.

57 . The network node according to claim 50 , wherein the network node is configured to set up the at least one substitution path when it has been determined that a path in the plurality of paths has been disconnected or is about to be disconnected.

58 . The network node according to claims 56 , wherein the network node is further configured to set up substitution paths over all Radio Access Technologies utilized in the established multi path connection.

59 . The network node according to claim 58 , wherein the network node is configured to activate the at least one substitution path over a Radio Access Technology that is different from the Radio Access Technology of the path determined to be disconnected or about to be disconnected.

60 . The network node according to claim 58 , wherein the network node is configured to activate the at least one substitution path over a Radio Access Technology that is the same as the Radio Access Technology of the path determined to be disc

Assignees

• ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M (publ)

Inventors

• Teyeb Oumer
• Johansson Niklas
• Lindheimer Christofer
• Rugeland Patrik
• Stattin Magnus
• Vikberg Jari

Classifications

• H04L45/22 Primary

  Alternate routing · CPC title

• H04L45/24 Primary

  Multipath · CPC title

• H04W84/042

  Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems · CPC title

• H04W40/12

  based on transmission quality or channel quality · CPC title

• H04W40/34

  Modification of an existing route · CPC title