Method and apparatus for offloading packet traffic from LTE network to WLAN using DPI

摘要

A mobile network configuration is able to offload packet flows based on identification (“ID”) rules to a wireless network using a deep packet inspection (“DPI”) function. After activating DPI function located in a packet data network gateway (“PDN-GW”), every packet flow passing through the PDN-GW is monitored, detected, and analyzed based on a set of predefined ID rules. Upon identifying a packet flow for a predefined network application, the packet flow is offloaded from a long term evolution (“LTE”) network to a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) or Wi-Fi network. To reduce traffic loading on the LTE network, the PDN-GW sends binding updates containing offloading information associated with the packet flow to user equipment (“UE”) for offloading implementation.

主权项

1. A method for routing network traffic in a communication network comprising:
activating deep packet inspection (“DPI”) in a packet data network gateway (“PDN-GW”) to monitor packet flows traveling through the PDN-GW to detect off-loadable network application within the packet flows; identifying by DPI a first off-loadable network application associated with a first packet flow capable of being offloaded from a long term evolution (“LTE”) network to a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) in accordance with a plurality of predefined flow identification (“ID”) rules; and sending a plurality of binding updates containing offloading information associated with the first packet flow from the PDN-GW to a first user equipment (“UE”) for offloading at least a portion of the first packet flow from the LTE network to the WLAN.