JP5970961B2 - Communication apparatus and communication method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device and a communication method.

  In 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership), there is a communication technology using a plurality of bearers that are virtual connections (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as “multi-bearer communication”).

  In a conventional multi-bearer communication device, when transmitting a packet, the packet filter unit is referred to as bearer identification information (hereinafter referred to as “tag ID” or “bearer ID”) in order to identify the bearer used for packet transmission. May be added to the beginning of the packet. Then, the communication processing unit distributes the packet to which the tag ID is added by the packet filter unit to the corresponding bearer. A memory exists between the packet filter unit and the communication processing unit. The transmission packet to which the tag ID is added by the packet filter unit is input to the memory and input to the transmission queue in the memory. Then, the transmission packets in the transmission queue are output to the communication processing unit when the order comes.

  On the other hand, when receiving a packet, the conventional multi-bearer communication apparatus may not add the above-described tag ID to the packet. The received packet is input from the communication processing unit to the above-described memory and input to the reception queue. The received packets in the reception queue are transferred to the TCP / IP processing unit (that is, the TPC / IP protocol stack) without being transferred to the packet filter unit when the order comes. Since there is only one entrance to the TCP / IP processing unit, it is not necessary to add a tag to the received packet.

  Also, in a multi-bearer communication device equipped with a plurality of communication methods such as 3GPP LTE (3rd Generation Partnership Long Term Evolution) or WiFi (Wireless Fidelity), there are bearers that require tag ID addition and unnecessary bearers. May be mixed. In the 3GPP LTE described above, it is necessary to add a tag ID when transmitting a packet, but there is a case where it is not necessary to add a tag ID when receiving a packet.

JP 2009-004851 A

  By the way, when recording the packet communication, that is, when collecting the log, the packet held in the memory between the TCP / IP processing unit and the communication processing unit is duplicated and the duplicate packet is analyzed. However, as described above, since a packet with a tag ID and a packet without a tag are mixed in the memory, it is not possible to determine which type of packet is the analysis target packet. . As a result, log analysis accuracy decreases.

  The disclosed technology has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a communication device and a communication method capable of improving log analysis accuracy.

  According to an aspect of the disclosure, one of a plurality of virtual connections is specified based on a header of a packet, and the packet and the identification information of the specified one virtual connection are associated with each other, and The data is stored in different memory spaces of the memory, and the stored packet is output to the RF circuit in association with a virtual connection indicated by the identification information associated with the packet.

  According to the disclosed aspect, it is possible to reduce the processing burden on the reception side even when a plurality of transmission methods are applied.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a packet communication apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a filter table according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a memory space in the memory according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the packet filter unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the transmission processing unit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the device driver according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the packet communication device.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a communication device and a communication method disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the communication device and the communication method disclosed in the present application are not limited by this embodiment. Moreover, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure which has the same function in embodiment, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

[Example 1]
[Configuration of packet communication device]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a packet communication apparatus according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, the packet communication device 10 includes a TCP / IP processing unit 11, a packet filter unit 12, a filter table 13, a memory 14, and a transmission processing unit 15. The packet communication device 10 is, for example, a communication terminal.

  The TCP / IP processing unit 11 receives data from the application layer and generates an IP packet by adding an IP header and a TCP header to the data. This IP packet is output to the packet filter unit 12. Note that the processing in the TCP / IP processing unit 11 is processing of the network layer, that is, layer 3 or higher.

  The packet filter unit 12 uses an IP packet as an input signal, and identifies bearer identification information, that is, a tag ID, based on the IP header and TCP header of the IP packet and the filter table 13. Specifically, in the filter table 13, a plurality of pairs for the IP header and the TCP header and a tag ID corresponding to each pair are associated. Then, the packet filter unit 12 specifies a tag ID associated with the IP header and TCP header of the input IP packet in the filter table 13.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the filter table 13 according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 2, in the filter table 13, a plurality of pairs for the IP address included in the IP header and the port number included in the TCP header are associated with the tag ID corresponding to each pair.

  Then, the packet filter unit 12 stores the input IP packet and the specified tag ID in separate memory spaces in the memory 14 without connecting them. Specifically, the memory 14 includes a “first type memory space” that stores a control information unit including a tag ID specified by the packet filter unit 12 and a “second type memory space” that stores IP packets. Have. The tag ID is stored in the first type memory space, and the IP packet is stored in the second type memory space. At this time, the tag ID and the IP packet are linked and stored. That is, the tag ID and the IP packet are input to separate queues (queues) in a linked state. Thereby, when the output order comes, the tag ID and the IP packet associated with each other can be output together.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the memory space in the memory 14 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the memory 14 includes a packet control block A21 and a packet buffer A22. The packet control block A21 corresponds to the above-described first type memory space, and the packet buffer A22 corresponds to the above-described second type memory space. In the packet control block A21, the tag ID and the specific information of the area where the IP packet corresponding to the tag ID is stored in the packet buffer A22 are stored in an associated state. The area specifying information includes head information, data information, end information, and tail information. The head information indicates the top memory address of the packet buffer A22 in the memory 14. The data information indicates the top memory address of the area where the IP packet is actually stored in the memory 14. The end information indicates the memory address at the end of the area where the IP packet is actually stored in the memory 14. The tail information indicates a memory address at the end of the packet buffer A22 in the memory 14. Here, when log analysis is performed, an IP packet that is stored in the packet buffer A22 and has no tag ID added thereto is output to a log analysis unit (not shown).

  The transmission processing unit 15 receives the tag ID and the IP packet associated with each other in the memory 14, and transmits the IP packet via the bearer corresponding to the tag ID. The transmission of the IP packet is performed via an RF unit (not shown). The processing in the transmission processing unit 15 is processing in the data link layer, that is, layer 2 (for example, the MAC layer). The packet filter unit 12 and the memory 14 described above correspond to, for example, an intermediate layer between layer 2 and layer 3, that is, layer 2.5.

[Operation of packet communication device]
The operation of the packet communication device 10 having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the packet filter unit 12 according to the first embodiment.

  When receiving the IP packet from the TCP / IP processing unit 11, the packet filter unit 12 analyzes the IP header and the TCP header of the IP packet (step S31). Specifically, the packet filter unit 12 analyzes the IP address included in the IP header and the port number included in the TCP header.

  The packet filter unit 12 searches the filter table 13 for the pair of the IP address and port number analyzed in step S31 (step S32), and determines whether a pair that matches the search target pair exists in the filter table 13. (Step S33).

  If it is determined in step S33 that there is a pair that matches the search target pair (Yes in step S33), the packet filter unit 12 assigns the tag ID associated with the matching pair in the filter table 13 to the first ID in the memory 14. The data is stored in the one type memory space (step S34). At this time, the tag ID is stored in the first type memory space of the memory 14 while being included in the control information unit. The IP packet corresponding to the tag ID is stored in the second type memory space. Information regarding the area in which the IP packet is stored is included in the control information unit and stored. As a result, the tag ID and the IP packet are stored in different memory spaces in a linked state.

  On the other hand, when it is determined in step S33 that there is no pair that matches the search target pair (No in step S33), the packet filter unit 12 discards the input packet (step S35).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the packet communication device 10, the packet filter unit 12 specifies the tag ID associated with the IP header and TCP header of the input IP packet in the filter table 13. Then, the memory 14 stores the IP packet and the identification information of one virtual connection specified by the packet filter unit 12 in a linked state and in different memory spaces.

  In this way, since the tag ID is not added to the IP packet temporarily stored in the memory 14, the log analysis accuracy can be improved by using the IP packet for log analysis.

[Example 2]
Example 2 relates to a variation of a specific configuration of the transmission processing unit.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the transmission processing unit according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 5, the transmission processing unit 15 includes a device driver 41 and a modem unit 42.

  The device driver 41 receives the tag ID and the IP packet associated with each other from the memory 14. Then, the device driver 41 concatenates the received tag ID to the head of the IP packet, and outputs the obtained concatenated data string to the modem unit 42.

  The modem unit 42 receives the concatenated data string from the device driver 41. Then, the modem unit 42 specifies a bearer corresponding to the tag ID included in the head part of the concatenated data string. Also, the modem unit 42 transmits an IP packet with the tag ID removed from the concatenated data string via the specified bearer. That is, the modem unit 42 distributes the IP packet to a plurality of bearers based on the tag ID.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation of the device driver according to the second embodiment.

  The device driver 41 receives the tag ID and the IP packet that are associated with each other from the memory 14 (step S51). The device driver 41 connects the received tag ID to the head of the IP packet (step S52). The device driver 41 outputs the IP packet with the tag ID added to the head to the modem unit 42 (step S53).

  Since the tag ID associated with the bearer is added in this way, the modem unit 42 can distribute the IP packet to a plurality of bearers.

[Example 3]
The third embodiment relates to a variation of the specific configuration of the transmission processing unit. In the second embodiment, the device driver 41 adds a tag ID to the head of the IP packet and outputs the tag ID to the modem unit 42. The modem unit 42 distributes the IP packet to a plurality of bearers. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, the device driver substantially distributes the IP packet to a plurality of bearers. The main configuration of the transmission processing unit of the third embodiment is the same as that of the transmission processing unit 15 of the second embodiment, and thus will be described with reference to FIG.

  The device driver 41 and the modem unit 42 according to the third embodiment are connected to each other by a plurality of physical connection lines or logical connection lines that correspond one-to-one with a plurality of bearers.

  The device driver 41 receives the tag ID and the IP packet associated with each other from the memory 14. Then, the device driver 41 outputs an IP packet to the connection line corresponding to the received tag ID.

  The modem unit 42 outputs the IP packet to the bearer corresponding to the connection line through which the received IP packet has passed.

  By doing so, since the connection line between the device driver 41 and the modem unit 42 corresponds to the plurality of bearers on a one-to-one basis, the device driver 41 can distribute the IP packet to the plurality of bearers.

[Other embodiments]
[1] The packet communication apparatuses according to the first to third embodiments can be realized by the following hardware configuration.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the packet communication device. As shown in FIG. 7, the packet communication device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10a, a memory 10b, an RF circuit 10c having an antenna, and a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). 10d. The memory 10b is composed of, for example, a RAM such as an SDRAM, a ROM, and a flash memory. The TCP / IP processing unit 11, the packet filter unit 12, the filter table 13, the memory 14, and the transmission processing unit 15 are realized by an integrated circuit such as the CPU 10a, for example.

  The various processes described in the first to third embodiments can be realized by executing a program prepared in advance on a computer. That is, a program corresponding to each process executed by the packet filter unit 12, the filter table 13, the memory 14, and the transmission processing unit 15 is recorded in the memory 10b, and each program is read out to the CPU 10a as a process. May function.

  [2] The first to third embodiments have been described on the assumption that the packet communication device 10 is a communication terminal. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the packet communication device 10 may be, for example, a base station device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Packet communication apparatus 11 TCP / IP processing part 12 Packet filter part 13 Filter table 14 Memory 15 Transmission processing part 41 Device driver 42 Modulation / demodulation part

Claims (2)

A communication device having a CPU, a memory, and an RF circuit,
The CPU
Based on the header of the packet, identify one of the virtual connections,
The packet is stored in the first transmission queue to be stored as a log , and the identification information of the specified one virtual connection is associated with the packet and is stored as a log. Not stored in the second send queue ,
The first packet stored in the transmission queue, the stored in the second transmission queue, the packet and linking identification information and said RF circuit packets containing connection data string obtained by concatenating Execute the process to output to
A communication device. A communication method executed by a communication device having a CPU, a memory, and an RF circuit,
The CPU
Based on the header of the packet, identify one of the virtual connections,
The packet is stored in the first transmission queue to be stored as a log , and the identification information of the specified one virtual connection is associated with the packet and is stored as a log. Not stored in the second send queue ,
The first packet stored in the transmission queue, the stored in the second transmission queue, the packet and linking identification information and said RF circuit packets containing connection data string obtained by concatenating Output to
A communication method characterized by the above.

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