Multipath TCP subflow establishing on single IP connection

{
  "publication_number": "US10075987B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Multipath TCP subflow establishing on single IP connection",
  "abstract": "The present disclosure relates to a method, performed in a single IP-address source node in a wireless communication network, of establishing a multipath TCP, MPTCP, connection for transfer of TCP data in MPTCP subflows to a destination node. The single IP-address source node receives an MPTCP trigger to activate a multipath TCP connection. One or more source TCP ports are selected, wherein each source TCP port is selected to constitute a starting point of an MPTCP subflow. One or more MPTCP notifications are sent to the destination node. Each MPTCP notification includes information on a selected source TCP port. The single IP-address source node receives an acknowledgment of each MPTCP notification from the destination node. The present disclosure also relates to corresponding method performed in a destination node and a wireless device configured for establishing an MPTCP connection.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method, performed in a single internet protocol, IP, address source node in a wireless communication network, of establishing a multipath transmission control protocol, MPTCP, connection for transfer of transmission control protocol, TCP, data in MPTCP subflows to a destination node, the method comprising: receiving an MPTCP trigger to activate a multipath TCP connection; selecting, at the single IP address node, at least one source TCP port, each source TCP port selected to constitute a starting point of an MPTCP subflow; sending at least one MPTCP notification to the destination node, each MPTCP notification including information on a selected source TCP port; and receiving an acknowledgment of each MPTCP notification from the destination node.",
    "2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: associating each MPTCP subflow to a respective wireless link.",
    "3. The method according to claim 1, wherein activation of the multipath TCP connection comprises initiating at least one further subflow for an established TCP connection.",
    "4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the MPTCP trigger is received in a three way TCP handshake establishing a first connection between the single IP-address source node and the destination node.",
    "5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising communicating information on each association by means of a respective Traffic Flow Template, TFT.",
    "6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the MPTCP trigger is received in a message on a radio access protocol layer from a network entity.",
    "7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the MPTCP trigger is received in one of a Radio Resource Control, RRC, Packet Data Convergence Protocol, PDCP, Radio Link Control, RLC, and Medium Access Control, MAC, protocol layer message.",
    "8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing an indication on the received MPTCP trigger to an MPTCP entity in the single IP-address source node configured to at least one of add and remove MPTCP subflows.",
    "9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the indication to the MPTCP entity is provided in MPTCP signaling.",
    "10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the indication to the MPTCP entity is provided in a protocol extension of MPTCP signaling.",
    "11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a MPTCP subflow is established over a 3 rd Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, Radio Access Technology, RAT, wireless link.",
    "12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a MPTCP subflow is established over one of a LTE and WCDMA/HSPA wireless link.",
    "13. The method according to claim 1, wherein a MPTCP subflow is established over a Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN, wireless link.",
    "14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the destination node is a MPTCP enabled server.",
    "15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the destination node is a MPTCP proxy.",
    "16. A method in a destination node of a wireless communication system of establishing a multipath transmission control protocol, MPTCP, connection for receipt of transmission control protocol, TCP, data in MPTCP subflows from a single internet protocol, IP, address source node, the method comprising: receiving at least one multipath TCP, MPTCP, notification from the single IP-address source node, each MPTCP notification including information on a selected source TCP port; sending an acknowledgement of each received MPTCP notification to the single IP-address source node, the acknowledgement including information on a selected destination port; receiving information on association between a source TCP port and a respective wireless link; storing the association between source TCP port and a respective wireless link; and retrieving at least one stored association to identify and separate each MPTCP subflow of the MPTCP connection.",
    "17. A single internet protocol, IP, address wireless device in a wireless communication network, the wireless device configured for establishing a multipath transmission control protocol, MPTCP, connection for transfer of transmission control protocol, TCP, data in MPTCP subflows, the single IP-address wireless device comprising: a communication interface configured to receive, at the single IP-address wireless device, an MPTCP trigger to activate a multipath TCP connection and to send at least one MPTCP notification; and a processor including a multipath TCP, MPTCP, port selector configured to select, at the single IP-address wireless device, at least one source TCP port, each source TCP port selected to constitute a starting point of an MPTCP subflow; and an MPTCP notifier configured to include information on a selected source TCP port in a respective MPTCP notification.",
    "18. The method according to claim 2, wherein activation of the multipath TCP connection comprises initiating at least one further subflow for an established TCP connection.",
    "19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising: providing an indication on the received MPTCP trigger to an MPTCP entity in the single IP-address source node configured to at least one of add and remove MPTCP subflows.",
    "20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the establishing of the MPTCP connection occurs at a protocol layer below an IP protocol layer."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The disclosure relates to multipath TCP, MPTCP over a single IP connection. More specifically, the disclosure relates to methods for setting up MPTCP over a single Internet Protocol, IP, connection and network nodes contributing to setting up MPTCP over a single IP connection.\n\nTransmission Control Protocol, TCP, is the most dominant protocol used in computer networking and on the Internet. TCP is a connection-oriented protocol, where devices at the end points, nodes, establish a connection before any data is sent.\n\nIn a connection establishment phase, or call set up phase, control data is passed between the nodes to establish a connection. The TCP protocol uses a three way handshake protocol to synchronize and to establish a TCP connection between two nodes. The TCP connection is initiated by a source node sending a synchronization, SYN, packet toward a destination node. The destination node acknowledges receipt of the SYN packet with a SYN-ACK packet sent toward the source node. Upon receipt of the SYN-ACK packet from the destination node, the source node responds with an acknowledgement, ACK, packet thereby concluding the establishment phase. During this 3-way handshake the hosts negotiate the connection settings.\n\nOnce the connection is set up, the speed of the data transmission is controlled by three factors: the rate at which the source is willing to send data, controlled by the congestion control algorithm; the TCP window space advertised by the destination; and the rate at which data appears to be getting delivered to the destination as determined by the ACK packets received at the source from the destination.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04W 76/15",
    "H04L 2101/622",
    "H04L 2101/663",
    "H04L 5/0055",
    "H04L 61/2007",
    "H04L 61/5007",
    "H04L 61/6022",
    "H04L 61/6063",
    "H04L 69/14",
    "H04L 69/16",
    "H04L 69/163",
    "H04W 76/025",
    "H04W 76/12",
    "H04W 76/16",
    "H04W 80/06",
    "H04W 88/02"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04W 76/02",
    "H04L 5/00",
    "H04L 69/14",
    "H04L 69/16",
    "H04L 69/163",
    "H04W 4/00",
    "H04W 76/15"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Oumer Teyeb",
    "Gunnar Mildh",
    "Jari VIKBERG"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-12-18",
  "publication_date": "2018-09-11",
  "grant_date": "2018-09-11",
  "priority_date": "2013-12-18",
  "application_number": "US-201315100872-A",
  "family_id": "53403214",
  "cited_by_count": 80,
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    "WO2012099762A1",
    "EP2538637A2",
    "US20130195004A1",
    "US20130311614A1",
    "US20140362765A1"
  ]
}