Arrangement and method for session control in wireless communication network
View Patent ↗An arrangement and method for session control in a wireless UMTS radio access network ( 100 ) by performing creation and deletion of application-specific packet sessions (PDP contexts) in the network, with application-specific QoS parameters, without requiring the explicit cooperation of the application software (either via software API or modem AT command). This allows session set-up and tear-down control of dedicated packet sessions for particular data services, in a UMTS 3G mobile wireless network, with application-specific QoS parameters, with umodified applications operating over the network.
1. A mobile terminal configured to connect a separate device running one or more software applications to a wireless communication network, the mobile terminal comprising an apparatus for session control in a wireless communication network, comprising:
a stateful inspector configured to detect requested application-specific packets relating to one of said software applications running on the separate device in a packet stream and configured to block application-specific packets in the packet stream that are not the requested application-specific packets; and
a session manager configured to activate, in response to the stateful inspector detecting the requested application-specific packets, a plurality of packet sessions with application-specific QoS parameters, without requiring explicit cooperation of the software applications running on the separate device.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the session manager is further configured to deactivate at least one of the plurality of packet sessions.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication network comprises a UMTS radio access network.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises Packet Data Protocol (PDP) contexts.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a packet filter responsive to the stateful inspector.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stateful inspector is configured to inspect uplink packet flows to detect application-specific packet flows, via application-specific control messages.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stateful inspector is configured to inspect downlink packet flows to detect application-specific packet flows, via application-specific control messages.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises conversational class PDP contexts.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the conversational class PDP contexts are arranged to carry Voice over IP (VOIP) traffic.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the conversational class PDP contexts are arranged to carry Video over IP traffic.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the traffic is based on originated calls controlled by Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the traffic is based on originated calls controlled by H.323 protocol.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises streaming class PDP contexts.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the streaming class PDP contexts are arranged to carry streaming media traffic controlled by Real Time Streaming Protocol.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises interactive class PDP contexts.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises background class PDP contexts.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the background class PDP contexts are arranged to carry Post Office Protocol-Version 3 (POP3) traffic.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the background class PDP contexts are arranged to carry Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) traffic.
19. User equipment (UE) for use in a UTRA system, the user equipment comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .
20. An integrated circuit comprising the apparatus of claim 1 .
21. A method for session control at a mobile terminal to connect a separate device running one or more software applications to a wireless communication network, comprising:
detecting requested application-specific packets relating to one of said software applications running on the separate device in a packet stream;
blocking application-specific packets in the packet stream that are not the requested application-specific packets; and
activating, in response to detecting the requested application-specific packets, a plurality of packet sessions with application-specific QoS parameters, without requiring explicit cooperation of the software applications running on the separate device.
22. The method of claim 21 further comprising deactivating at least one of the plurality of packet sessions.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein the wireless communication network comprises a UMTS radio access network.
24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises Packet Data Protocol (PDP) contexts.
25. The method of claim 21 , wherein detecting comprises detecting in a stateful inspector, and the method further comprises providing a session manager and a packet filter responsive to the stateful inspector.
26. The method of claim 21 , wherein detecting comprises inspecting uplink packet flows to detect application-specific packet flows, via application-specific control messages.
27. The method of claim 21 , wherein detecting comprises inspecting downlink packet flows to detect application-specific packet flows, via application-specific control messages.
28. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises conversational class PDP contexts.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the conversational class PDP contexts carry Voice over IP (VOIP) traffic.
30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the conversational class PDP contexts carry Video over IP traffic.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein the traffic is based on originated calls controlled by Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
32. The method of claim 29 wherein the traffic is based on originated calls controlled by H.323 protocol.
33. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises streaming class PDP contexts.
34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the streaming class PDP contexts carry streaming media traffic controlled by Real Time Streaming Protocol.
35. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises interactive class PDP contexts.
36. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of packet sessions comprises background class PDP contexts.
37. The method of claim 36 , wherein the background class PDP contexts carry Post Office Protocol-Version 3 (POP3) traffic.
38. The method of claim 36 , wherein the background class PDP contexts carry Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) traffic.
39. The method of claim 21 , wherein the method is performed in User equipment (UE).
40. A non-transitory computer program element having executable program code stored therein for session control to connect a device that is running one or more software applications and that is separate from a user equipment that executes the program code to a wireless communication network, the program code operable for when executed at the user equipment:
detecting requested application-specific packets relating to one of said software applications running on the separate device in a packet stream;
blocking application-specific packets in the packet stream that are not the requested application-specific packets; and
activating, in response to detecting the requested application-specific packets, a plurality of packet sessions with application-specific QoS parameters, without requiring explicit cooperation of the software applications running on the separate device.
41. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stateful inspector is configured to inspect packets, implying a state of an application-specific packet session via inspected control packets and allowing packets for a session to flow through a firewall if said session originated from inside the firewall or otherwise, blocking said session.
42. The method of claim 25 , wherein detecting in a stateful inspector comprises inspecting packets, implying a state of an application-specific packet session via inspected control packets and allowing packets for a session to flow through a firewall if said session originated from inside the firewall or otherwise, blocking said session.