US-12621881-B2 - Gateway device, system and method for providing a forwarding policy

US12621881B2US 12621881 B2US12621881 B2US 12621881B2US-12621881-B2

Abstract

One aspect of this disclosure pertains to a gateway device for use in a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a policy control system configured to provide at least one forwarding policy to the gateway device. The gateway device may be configured to forward traffic of at least one user device connected to the gateway device to the telecommunications network. The gateway device is further configured to receive the forwarding policy from the policy control system over the telecommunications network. The gateway device may receive the forwarding policy using a PDU session establishment procedure, a PDU session modification procedure and/or a registration procedure. The gateway device is configured to enforce the received forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network.

Inventors

Toni Dimitrovski
José Luis Almodóvar Chico
Nicolaas Wijnand Keesmaat
Antonius Hendrikus Johannes Norp
Pascal Mathieu Agnes Marie Heijnen
Jarmo Theodore Wilkens

Assignees

KONINKLIJKE KPN N.V.
NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST-NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20221104
Priority Date: 20211102

Claims (20)

1 . A gateway device for use in a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a policy control system configured to provide a forwarding policy to the gateway device, wherein the gateway device is configured to forward traffic of at least one user device connected to the gateway device to the telecommunications network, and wherein the gateway device is further configured to: receive the forwarding policy from the policy control system over the telecommunications network in at least one of: a protocol data unit, PDU, session establishment procedure; a PDU session modification procedure; and a registration procedure to register the gateway device in the telecommunications network; and enforce the received forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network; wherein the gateway device is configured to at least one of: register a source address of at least one user device connected to the gateway device and transmit a notification to the telecommunications network or a user device connected to the gateway device dependent on forwarding statistics associated with the registered source address; register a source address of at least one user device connected to the gateway device and transmit an update request for updating the forwarding policy if the registered source address is unknown to the gateway device; determine a device type identifier of a connected user device and determine a forwarding policy or rule thereof stored in the gateway device in association with the device type identifier; and transmit a device type identifier of the gateway device to the telecommunications network to facilitate obtaining the forwarding policy.
2 . The gateway device according to claim 1 , wherein the update request comprises a source address and/or device type identifier of the user device.
3 . The gateway device according to claim 1 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: transmit a PDU session establishment request to the telecommunications network for establishing a PDU session with the telecommunications network; receive the forwarding policy with a PDU session establishment accept message from the telecommunications network; and enforce the forwarding policy received with the PDU session establishment accept message when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network.
4 . The gateway device according to claim 1 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: receive a PDU session modification command message from the telecommunications network providing the forwarding policy or comprising information for updating the forwarding policy in the gateway device, and enforce the updated forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network.
5 . The gateway device according to claim 4 , wherein the gateway device is configured to transmit a PDU session modification request to the telecommunications network triggering receiving the PDU session modification command message from the telecommunications network comprising the information for updating the forwarding policy in the gateway device.
6 . The gateway device according to claim 1 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: transmit a registration request for initial registration of the gateway device in the telecommunications network; and receive the forwarding policy in a UE configuration update procedure in response to transmitting the registration request.
7 . The gateway device according to claim 6 , wherein the gateway device is configured to enforce the forwarding policy received in the UE configuration update procedure prior to any UE route selection policy, URSP.
8 . A gateway device for use in a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a policy control system configured to provide a forwarding policy to the gateway device, wherein the gateway device is configured to forward traffic of at least one user device connected to the gateway device to the telecommunications network, and wherein the gateway device is further configured to: receive the forwarding policy from the policy control system over the telecommunications network in at least one of: a protocol data unit, PDU, session establishment procedure; a PDU session modification procedure; and a registration procedure to register the gateway device in the telecommunications network; and enforce the received forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network; wherein the gateway device is configured to be connected to a user plane system in the telecommunications network by means of a protocol stack with a first communication layer for a first communication protocol, wherein the forwarding policy for the gateway device includes at least one forwarding rule that analyzes the header of a data packet according to the first communication protocol.
9 . The gateway device according to claim 8 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: transmit a PDU session establishment request to the telecommunications network for establishing a PDU session with the telecommunications network; receive the forwarding policy with a PDU session establishment accept message from the telecommunications network; and enforce the forwarding policy received with the PDU session establishment accept message when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network.
10 . The gateway device according to claim 8 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: receive a PDU session modification command message from the telecommunications network providing the forwarding policy or comprising information for updating the forwarding policy in the gateway device, and enforce the updated forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network.
11 . The gateway device according to claim 10 , wherein the gateway device is configured to transmit a PDU session modification request to the telecommunications network triggering receiving the PDU session modification command message from the telecommunications network comprising the information for updating the forwarding policy in the gateway device.
12 . The gateway device according to claim 8 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: transmit a registration request for initial registration of the gateway device in the telecommunications network; and receive the forwarding policy in a UE configuration update procedure in response to transmitting the registration request.
13 . The gateway device according to claim 12 , wherein the gateway device is configured to enforce the forwarding policy received in the UE configuration update procedure prior to any UE route selection policy, URSP.
14 . A gateway device for use in a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a policy control system configured to provide a forwarding policy to the gateway device, wherein the gateway device is configured to forward traffic of at least one user device connected to the gateway device to the telecommunications network, and wherein the gateway device is further configured to: receive the forwarding policy from the policy control system over the telecommunications network in at least one of: a protocol data unit, PDU, session establishment procedure; a PDU session modification procedure; and a registration procedure to register the gateway device in the telecommunications network; and enforce the received forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network; wherein the gateway device is configured to modify a PDU based on the forwarding rules obtained from the telecommunications network, wherein modifying the PDU comprises adding a VLAN header to the PDU.
15 . The gateway device according to claim 14 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: transmit a PDU session establishment request to the telecommunications network for establishing a PDU session with the telecommunications network; receive the forwarding policy with a PDU session establishment accept message from the telecommunications network; and enforce the forwarding policy received with the PDU session establishment accept message when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network.
16 . The gateway device according to claim 14 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: receive a PDU session modification command message from the telecommunications network providing the forwarding policy or comprising information for updating the forwarding policy in the gateway device, and enforce the updated forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network.
17 . The gateway device according to claim 16 , wherein the gateway device is configured to transmit a PDU session modification request to the telecommunications network triggering receiving the PDU session modification command message from the telecommunications network comprising the information for updating the forwarding policy in the gateway device.
18 . The gateway device according to claim 14 , wherein the gateway device is configured to: transmit a registration request for initial registration of the gateway device in the telecommunications network; and receive the forwarding policy in a UE configuration update procedure in response to transmitting the registration request.
19 . The gateway device according to claim 18 , wherein the gateway device is configured to enforce the forwarding policy received in the UE configuration update procedure prior to any UE route selection policy, URSP.
20 . A method in a gateway device for use in a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a policy control system configured to provide a forwarding policy to the gateway device, wherein the gateway device is configured to forward traffic of at least one user device connected to the gateway device to the telecommunications network, the method comprising: receiving the forwarding policy from the policy control system over the telecommunications network in at least one of: a protocol data unit, PDU, session establishment procedure; a PDU session modification procedure; and a registration procedure to register the gateway device in the telecommunications network; and enforcing the received forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network; wherein the method further comprises at least one of: registering a source address of at least one user device connected to the gateway device and transmit a notification to the telecommunications network or a user device connected to the gateway device dependent on forwarding statistics associated with the registered source address; registering a source address of at least one user device connected to the gateway device and transmit an update request for updating the forwarding policy if the registered source address is unknown to the gateway device; determining a device type identifier of a connected user device and determine a forwarding policy or rule thereof stored in the gateway device in association with the device type identifier; and transmitting a device type identifier of the gateway device to the telecommunications network to facilitate obtaining the forwarding policy.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 or 365 to European Application No. 21206056.0, filed Nov. 2, 2021. The entire teachings of the above application are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a gateway device, session management system, access and mobility system, policy control system and method for providing a forwarding policy to a gateway device over a telecommunications network, such as a 5G telecommunications network. BACKGROUND Home devices are usually connected to the internet via a device referred to as gateway device or residential gateway device, such as the 5G residential gateway (5G-RG). The gateway device provides a local network and assigns IP addresses to devices connected to the local network. The gateway device also routes data traffic in and out of the local network. The gateway device may contain a wireless access part, using e.g. WiFi access technology. Such gateway devices may register as a user device with the 5G core (5GC) network and act as a gateway for protocol data units, PDUs, by requesting establishment of a PDU session to a session management system in the 5GC. The UEs behind the gateway device can have a connection to a data network via the gateway device without needing to register to the 5GC. In this manner, the devices behind the gateway can have a connection to a Data Network (DN) via the 5G-RG without being registered in the 5GC. 3GPP TS 23.316 v16.5.0 specifies such a network arrangement. The Network Enhanced Residential Gateway (NERG) is an upgrade to the existing residential gateway, where a part of the functionality of the gateway is virtualized and placed in the telecommunications network. With NERG, the on-premises user device consists of a Bridged Residential Gateway (BRG) connected over a logical subscriber link (LSL) to a virtual gateway deployed in the telecommunications network at a point-of-presence (PoP) operator site. By deploying gateway functionality in the network, management, maintenance and troubleshooting operations are facilitated for the operator. The NERG upgrade is only feasible for a 5G-RG if, as a UE, the 5G-RG uses an Ethernet PDU Session facilitating the connection to the virtual gateway. However, when the virtual gateway is arranged more centrally in the telecommunications network, very large broadcast/multicast domains are created because the Ethernet connection allows transmitting frames across a whole Ethernet segment. SUMMARY The inventors have realized that it is desirable to manage forwarding behavior of the gateway device to protect the telecommunications network and avoid unnecessary use of resources within the telecommunications network. To that end, one aspect of the disclosure pertains to a gateway device for use in a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a policy control system configured to provide at least one forwarding policy to the gateway device. The gateway device may be configured to forward traffic of at least one user device connected to the gateway device to the telecommunications network. The gateway device is further configured to receive the forwarding policy from the policy control system over the telecommunications network. Since the policy control system is operated by the operator of the telecommunications network, the operator can manage forwarding behavior of the gateway device for traffic from the user device connected to the gateway device toward the telecommunications network. The gateway device enforces the received forwarding policy when forwarding traffic of the at least one user device towards the telecommunications network. In one example, the gateway device is configured to receive the forwarding policy in a protocol data unit, PDU, session establishment procedure. With the PDU session establishment procedure, the gateway device obtains a data connection to the telecommunications network so that the forwarding policy can be delivered to the gateway device efficiently within the existing procedure and in time. In another example, the gateway device is configured to receive the forwarding policy in a PDU session modification procedure. With the PDU session modification procedure, an existing PDU session may be modified and can now be used to receive a forwarding policy or update an existing forwarding policy in the gateway device. In yet another example, the gateway device is configured to receive the forwarding policy in a registration procedure for registering the gateway device as a user equipment in the telecommunications network. In the registration procedure, the forwarding policy may be obtained prior to establishing a PDU session which is advantageous in some instances. For example, the gateway device may then enforce the obtained forwarding policy for one or more PDU sessions established by the gateway device. Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a system in a telecom