Method and Apparatuses for Enabling Routing of Data Packets Between a Wireless Device and a Service Provider Based in the Local Service Cloud

Abstract

There is provided a method for constructing a traffic filter enabling routing of data between a wireless device and a Local Service Cloud, LSC, based service provider and a corresponding system, computer program and computer program carrier. There is also provided a method for enabling routing of data packets between a wireless device in a cellular communication network and a Local Service Cloud, LSC, based service provider, a method for routing data packets between a wireless device in a cellular communication network and a Local Service Cloud, LSC, based service provider and corresponding network nodes.

1 - 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . A method for constructing a traffic filter enabling routing of data between a wireless device and a Local Service Cloud (LSC) based service provider providing services or applications for the wireless device, the method comprising:
 obtaining information representing an identity of the wireless device requesting an application to be processed by a local cloud based service, and a representation of an application identity identifying the application;   selecting, based on the application identity, a Virtual Machine (VM) as the LSC based service provider suitable to process the application for the wireless device; and   constructing the traffic filter based on the information representing the identity of the wireless device, the representation of the application identity and a representation of an identity of the selected VM, the traffic filter providing routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM.   
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 58 , wherein the traffic filter comprises one or more of at least one uplink filter for routing of data from the wireless device to the selected VM and at least one downlink filter for routing of data from the selected VM to the wireless device. 
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 58 , wherein the identity of the wireless device comprises at least one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) signature of the wireless device, an internet protocol (IP) address of the wireless device and a medium access control (MAC) address of the wireless device. 
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 58 , wherein the selected VM is selected by determining conditional constraints that optionally restrict the wireless device's use of the application and using the determined conditional constraints to reduce the number of VMs suitable to process the application for the wireless device. 
     
     
         62 . The method according to  claim 61 , wherein the conditional constraints comprise constraints relating to whether the wireless device is authorized to use the application. 
     
     
         63 . The method according to  claim 61 , wherein the conditional constraints comprise any of the following, or any combination of the following:
 constraints on a maximal limit for delays or packet losses;   security constraints rendering particular VMs non-selectable;   geographical access constraints rendering particular VMs non-selectable;   constraints on a network load rendering certain VMs non-selectable;   constraints on a VM-load rendering certain VMs non-selectable; and   constraints on latency limits making certain VMs non-selectable.   
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 58 , wherein the step of selecting the selected VM is based on information identifying a selection of VMs within a local cloud that are deemed suitable to process the application for the wireless device. 
     
     
         65 . The method according to  claim 64 , wherein the information identifying the selection of VMs is obtained from a Topology Data Base (TDB) carrying information about existing VMs within the local cloud and information about deployment of applications. 
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 64 , wherein the step of selecting the selected VM comprises extracting at least one VM from the selection of VMs by means of at least one Traffic Engineering (TE) algorithm. 
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 66 , wherein the at least one TE algorithm is any of the following, or any combination of the following:
 a shortest path algorithm, counting a number of hops among the selection of VMs, wherein a suitable VM, comprised in the selection of VMs, and is selected responsive to a determination that the suitable VM adheres to a constraint on the number of hops;   a cost based optimization algorithm wherein a suitable VM, comprised in the selection of VMs, is selected based on a comparison with a cost threshold and an actual cost of processing; and   a priority based optimization algorithm wherein a suitable VM, comprised in the selection of VMs, is selected based on priority values assigned to each VM within the local cloud.   
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 58 , wherein the step of constructing the traffic filter enabling routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM is based on information representing an internet protocol (IP) address of the selected VM. 
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 58 , wherein the step of constructing the traffic filter enabling routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM is based on information representing an identity of a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) hosting the selected VM. 
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 69 , wherein the step of constructing the traffic filter enabling routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM, is also based on a medium access control (MAC) address of the selected VM hosted by the VLAN. 
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 58 , wherein the step of constructing the traffic filter enabling routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM is based on information representing an identity of at least one bearer used for routing data packets to the wireless device. 
     
     
         72 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the step of constructing the traffic filter also comprises the step of providing a mapping between the at least one bearer used for routing data packets to the wireless device and the selected VM, thereby enabling routing of data packets between the selected VM and the wireless device over a connection link defined by said the at least one bearer. 
     
     
         73 . A system configured to construct a traffic filter enabling routing of data between a wireless device and a Local Service Cloud (LSC) based service provider providing services or applications for the wireless device, wherein the system comprises:
 processing circuitry configured to:   obtain information representing an identity of the wireless device requesting an application to be processed by a local cloud based service, and a representation of an application identity identifying the application;   select, based on the application identity, a Virtual Machine (VM) as the LSC based service provider suitable to process the application for the wireless device; and   construct the traffic filter based on the information representing the identity of the wireless device, the representation of the application identity and a representation of an identity of the selected VM, the traffic filter providing routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM.   
     
     
         74 . The system according to  claim 73 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to construct the traffic filter to comprise one or more of at least one uplink filter for routing of data from the wireless device to the selected VM and at least one downlink filter for routing of data from the selected VM to the wireless device. 
     
     
         75 . The system according to  claim 73 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to obtain the identity of the wireless device by obtaining at least one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) signature of the wireless device, an internet protocol (IP) address of the wireless device and a medium access control (MAC) address of the wireless device. 
     
     
         76 . The system according to  claim 73 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the selected VM by determining conditional constraints that optionally restrict the wireless device's use of the application and using the determined conditional constraints to reduce the number of VMs suitable to process the application for the wireless device. 
     
     
         77 . The system according to  claim 76 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the selected VM based on conditional constraints that comprise constraints relating to whether the wireless device is authorized to use the application. 
     
     
         78 . The system according to  claim 76 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the selected VM based on conditional constraints that comprise any of the following, or any combination of the following:
 constraints on a maximal limit for delays or packet losses;   security constraints rendering particular VMs non-selectable;   geographical access constraints rendering particular VMs non-selectable;   constraints on a network load rendering certain VMs non-selectable;   constraints on a VM-load rendering certain VMs non-selectable; and   constraints on latency limits making certain VMs non-selectable.   
     
     
         79 . The system according to  claim 73 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the selected VM based on information identifying a selection of VMs within a local cloud that are deemed suitable to process the application for the wireless device. 
     
     
         80 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to the obtain information identifying a selection of VMs from a Topology Data Base (TDB) carrying information about existing VMs within the local cloud and information about deployment of applications. 
     
     
         81 . The system according to  claim 79 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the selected VM by extracting at least one VM from the selection of VMs by means of at least one Traffic Engineering (TE) algorithm. 
     
     
         82 . The system according to  claim 81 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to extract at least one VM based on at least one TE algorithm comprising any of the following, or any combination of the following:
 a shortest path algorithm, counting a number of hops among the selection of VMs, wherein a suitable VM, comprised in the selection of VMs, and is selected responsive to a determination that the suitable VM adheres to a constraint on the number of hops;   a cost based optimization algorithm wherein a suitable VM, comprised in the selection of VMs, is selected based on a comparison with a cost threshold and an actual cost of processing; and   a priority based optimization algorithm wherein a suitable VM, comprised in the selection of VMs, is selected based on priority values assigned to each VM within the local cloud.   
     
     
         83 . The system according to  claim 73 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to construct the traffic filter enabling routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM based on information representing an internet protocol (IP) address of the VM. 
     
     
         84 . The system according to  claim 73 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to construct the traffic filter enabling routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM based on information representing an identity of a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) hosting the selected VM. 
     
     
         85 . The system according to  claim 84 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to construct the traffic filter enabling routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM, also based on a medium access control (MAC) address of the selected VM hosted by the VLAN. 
     
     
         86 . The system according to  claim 73 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to construct the traffic filter enabling routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM based on information representing an identity of at least one bearer used for routing data packets to the wireless device. 
     
     
         87 . The system according to  claim 86 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to construct the traffic filter by also providing a mapping between the at least one bearer used for routing data packets to the wireless device and the selected VM, thereby enabling routing of data packets between the selected VM and the wireless device over a connection link defined by the at least one bearer. 
     
     
         88 . The system according to  claim 87 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to construct the traffic filter by determining the at least one bearer to be used for routing data packets from the selected VM to the wireless device. 
     
     
         89 . The system according to  claim 86 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to construct the traffic filter by determining the at least one bearer used to route data packets to the wireless device, the at least one bearer being at least one of: a Radio Bearer (RB), an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer and a Radio Access Bearer (RAB). 
     
     
         90 . The system according to  claim 73 , wherein the system comprises a memory, the memory comprising instructions executable by the processing circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry is operative to construct the traffic filter. 
     
     
         91 . The system according to  claim 90 , wherein the communication circuitry is configured to obtain the information representing the identity of the wireless device requesting the application to be processed by the local cloud based service, and the representation of the application identity identifying the application. 
     
     
         92 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for constructing a traffic filter enabling routing of data between a wireless device and a Local Service Cloud (LSC) based service provider providing services or applications for the wireless device, the computer program comprising instructions, which when executed by at least one processor of a system configured to construct the traffic filter, cause the system to:
 read information representing an identity of the wireless device requesting an application to be processed by a local cloud based service, and a representation of an application identity identifying the application;   select based on the application identity, a Virtual Machine (VM) as the LSC based service provider suitable to process the application for the wireless device; and   construct the traffic filter based on the information representing the identity of the wireless device, the representation of the application identity and a representation of an identity of the selected VM, the traffic filter providing routing of data between the wireless device and the selected VM.