Policy control enforcement at a packet gateway

摘要

A packet gateway (PGW) receives a plurality of IP packet fragments from a network. The IP packet fragments comprise a head fragment and one or more trailing fragments, and are associated with a first IP packet. As the fragments are received, a controller at the PGW classifies the fragments. The controller applies a same selected service treatment to the head fragment and to each of the trailing fragments based on the classification of the head fragment. The PGW then sends each treated packet fragment to an end user device.

主权项

1. A method of processing a plurality of fragments of an IP packet in a communications network, the method comprising:
receiving packet fragments at a packet gateway (PGW) associated with a first IP packet, wherein the received packet fragments are classified as a head fragment and one or more trailing fragments; if the received fragment is classified as a head fragment, filtering the head packet through a primary filter table at the PGW to determine the selected service treatment to apply to the head fragment; updating a supplementary filter table at the PGW to associate the selected service treatment with each of the trailing fragments; while receiving the packet fragments at the PGW, storing trailing fragments that are received at the PGW before the head fragment in a buffer; responsive to classifying a packet fragment as a head fragment: applying a same selected service treatment to the head fragment and to each of the trailing fragments stored in the buffer; applying the selected service treatment to the subsequently received trailing fragments based on the classification of the head fragment and without storing the subsequently received trailing fragment in the buffer; and sending the head fragment, the trailing fragments stored in the buffer, and each of the subsequently received trailing fragments to an end user device upon applying the selected service treatment.