Support for linking of packet detection rules (PDR) for optimizing throughput of combined serving gateway (SGW)/packet gateway (PGW) architecture

1. A method for linking Packet Detection Rules (PDRs) for optimizing throughput of combined Serving Gateway (SGW)/Packet Gateway (PGW) architecture, the method comprising:

determining a SGW and a PGW are co-located on a system and when the SGW and PGW are co-located on a same system then performing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session lookup for an uplink packet at the SGW, wherein performing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session lookup includes performing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session lookup based on a Tunnel End Point Identifier (TEID);

determining which PDR to use for sending the uplink traffic;

using the PDR to remove any tunneling protocol header;

checking the PDR to determine if the next hop is local;

when the next hop is local, then finding the PGW PDRs for a Tunnel End Point Identifier (TEID);

identifying a PGW PDR matching with the current packet;

performing any packet encapsulation; and

after performing any optional header checksum calculations, sending the packet.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining which PDR to use for sending the uplink traffic includes determining which PDR to use for sending the uplink traffic from a PDR list for the PFCP session.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein using the PDR to remove any tunneling protocol header includes using the PDR to remove any S1-U GPRS tunneling Protocol User (GTPU) header.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein finding the PGW PDRs for this TEID includes using the PGW S5-U TEID from the corresponding SGW FAR to find the PGW PDRs.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a PGW PDR matching with the current packet is done based on PDR precedence.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein performing any packet encapsulation includes using the PGW FAR pointed out by selected PGW PDR for performing any specific packet encapsulation.

7. A method for linking Packet Detection Rules (PDRs) for optimizing throughput of combined Serving Gateway (SGW)/Packet Gateway (PGW) architecture, the method comprising:

determining a SGW and a PGW are co-located on a system and when the SGW and PGW are co-located on a same system then performing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session lookup for a downlink packet at the PGW, wherein performing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session lookup includes performing a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session lookup based on a Tunnel End Point Identifier (TEID);

identifying a PGW PDR;

using the PDR to remove any specific packet headers;

checking the PDR to determine if the next hop is local;

when the next hop is local, then using the TEID to find the SGW PDRs;

performing header encapsulation; and

after performing outer checksum calculations, sending the packet.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein identifying a PGW PDR includes identifying a PGW PDR based on PDR precedence.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein using the PDR to remove any packet headers includes using the PDR to remove any SGi specific packet headers.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein using the TED from the corresponding SGW FAR to find the SGW PDRs for this TED includes using the SGW FAR pointed out by selected SGW PDR.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein performing SGi GTPU header encapsulation includes using the SGW FAR pointed out by selected SGW PDR.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein performing outer checksum calculations includes performing outer IP/UDP checksum calculations.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein sending the packet includes sending the packet out of SGW over S1-U.