Techniques for handling network traffic
A user equipment receives incoming data packets from one of a plurality of bearers. The incoming data packets comprise a first identifier indicating a source. The user equipment also detect outgoing data packets which include a second identifier indicating the source of the first identifier as destination of the outgoing data packet. The user equipment routes detected outgoing data packets which include the second identifier to the same bearer from which the incoming data packets having said first identifier are received. The detecting and routing is selectively activated on the basis of a control signal.
1. A method of handling network traffic, implemented by a user equipment, the method comprising:
receiving incoming data packets from one of a plurality of bearers, the incoming data packets comprising a first identifier indicating a source;
detecting outgoing data packets which include a second identifier indicating the source of the first identifier as destination of the outgoing data packet;
routing detected outgoing data packets which include the second identifier to the same bearer from which the incoming data packets having said first identifier are received;
wherein the detecting and routing is selectively activated on the basis of a control signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the outgoing data packets which include the second identifier is in response to detecting a new flow in the received incoming data packets.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising generating a packet filter which operates on the basis of the second identifier in response to detecting the new flow.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein detecting the outgoing data packets which include the second identifier comprises detecting the outgoing data packets using the packet filter.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bearers are each associated with a corresponding Quality of Service class.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising indicating to a network component that the user equipment supports detecting and routing of the outgoing data packets.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first identifier is a first Internet Protocol (IP) 5-tuple comprising a source address and a destination address; and
the second identifier is a IP 5-tuple including a source address equal to the destination address of the first IP 5-tuple and a destination address equal to the source address of the first IP 5-tuple.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the incoming data packets include an identifier mapped to a specific service, the identifier having been included in the incoming data packets in response to packet inspection.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the identifier is a Differentiated Services Code Point field in a header section of the incoming data packets.
10. A user equipment comprising:
processing circuitry and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry, whereby the user equipment is configured to:
receive incoming data packets from one of a plurality of bearers, the incoming data packets comprising a first identifier indicating a source;
detect outgoing data packets which include a second identifier indicating the source of the first identifier as destination of the outgoing data packet;
route detected outgoing data packets which include the second identifier to the same bearer from which the incoming data packets having said first identifier are received;
wherein the detecting and routing is selectively activated on the basis of a control signal.
11. The user equipment of claim 10 , whereby the user equipment is further configured to detect the outgoing data packets which include the second identifier responsive to detecting a new flow in the received incoming data packets.
12. The user equipment of claim 11 , whereby the user equipment is further configured to generate a packet filter which operates on the basis of the second identifier in response to detecting the new flow.
13. The user equipment of claim 12 , wherein to detect the outgoing data packets which include the second identifier the user equipment is configured to detect the outgoing data packets using the packet filter.
14. The user equipment of claim 10 , wherein the bearers are each associated with a corresponding Quality of Service class.
15. The user equipment of claim 10 , whereby the user equipment is further configured to indicate to a network component that the user equipment supports detecting and routing of the outgoing data packets.
16. The user equipment of claim 10 , wherein:
the first identifier is a first Internet Protocol (IP) 5-tuple comprising a source address and a destination address; and
the second identifier is a IP 5-tuple including a source address equal to the destination address of the first IP 5-tuple and a destination address equal to the source address of the first IP 5-tuple.
17. The user equipment of claim 10 , wherein the incoming data packets include an identifier mapped to a specific service, the identifier having been included in the incoming data packets in response to packet inspection.
18. The user equipment of claim 17 , wherein the identifier is a Differentiated Services Code Point field in a header section of the incoming data packets.
19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program product for controlling a programmable user equipment, the computer program product comprising software instructions that, when run on the programmable user equipment, cause the programmable user equipment to:
receive incoming data packets from one of a plurality of bearers, the incoming data packets comprising a first identifier indicating a source;
detect outgoing data packets which include a second identifier indicating the source of the first identifier as destination of the outgoing data packet;
route detected outgoing data packets which include the second identifier to the same bearer from which the incoming data packets having said first identifier are received;
wherein the detecting and routing is selectively activated on the basis of a control signal.