Communication apparatus and communication method

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

In 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership), there is a communication technology (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "multi-bearer communication") that uses multiple bearers that are virtual connections.

In a conventional multi-bearer communication device, when transmitting a packet, a 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 transmitting the packet. (May be) is 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, when the turn comes, the transmission packet of the transmission queue is output to the communication processing unit.

On the other hand, when receiving a packet, the above-mentioned tag ID may not be added to the packet in the conventional multi-bearer communication device. The received packet is input to the above-mentioned memory from the communication processing unit and input to the reception queue. When the order comes, the received packets in the receive queue are passed to the TCP / IP processing unit (that is, the TPC / IP protocol stack) without being passed to the packet filter unit. Since there is only one entrance to the TCP / IP processing unit, there is no need to add a tag to the received packet.

In addition, in a multi-bearer communication device equipped with multiple communication methods such as 3GPP LTE (3rd Generation Partnership Long Term Evolution) or WiFi (Wireless Fidelity), there are bearers that need to add a tag ID to packets and bearers that do not. May be mixed. In the above-mentioned 3GPP LTE, it is necessary to add a tag ID when transmitting a packet, but it may not be necessary to add a tag ID when receiving a packet.

<p><patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-004851</text></patcit></p>

<p> By the way, when recording the communication of a packet, that is, logging, the packet held in the memory between the TCP / IP processing unit and the communication processing unit is duplicated, and the duplicated packet is analyzed. However, as described above, since the packet with the tag ID added and the packet without the tag ID are mixed in the memory, it is not possible to determine which type of packet the packet to be analyzed is. .. As a result, the log analysis accuracy is reduced.</p><p> The disclosed technique has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication device and a communication method capable of improving log analysis accuracy.</p>

<p> In the disclosure aspect, one of a plurality of virtual connections is specified based on the header of the packet, and the packet and the identification information of the specified one virtual connection are associated with each other and described above. It is stored in a separate memory space of the memory, and the stored packet is output to the RF circuit in association with the virtual connection indicated by the identification information associated with the packet.</p>

<p> According to the aspect of disclosure, even when a plurality of transmission methods are applied, the processing load on the receiving side can be reduced.</p>

<figref num="1">FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the packet communication device of the first embodiment.</figref><figref num="2">FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the filter table of the first embodiment.</figref><figref num="3">FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a memory space in the memory of the first embodiment.</figref><figref num="4">FIG. 4 is a flowchart provided for explaining the processing operation of the packet filter unit of the first embodiment.</figref><figref num="5">FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transmission processing unit according to the second embodiment.</figref><figref num="6">FIG. 6 is a flowchart provided for explaining the processing operation of the device driver of the second embodiment.</figref><figref num="7">FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the packet communication device.</figref>

Hereinafter, embodiments of the communication device and communication method disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that this embodiment does not limit the communication device and communication method disclosed in the present application. Further, the configurations having the same function in the embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description is omitted.

[Example 1] [Packet communication device configuration] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the packet communication device of 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, adds an IP header and a TCP header to the data, and generates an IP packet. This IP packet is output to the packet filter unit 12. The processing in the TCP / IP processing unit 11 is the processing of the network layer, that is, the 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 of IP headers and TCP headers are associated with tag IDs corresponding to each pair. Then, the packet filter unit 12 specifies the IP header and TCP header of the input IP packet and the tag ID associated with the filter table 13.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the filter table 13 of the first embodiment. In FIG. 2, in the filter table 13, a plurality of pairs of IP addresses included in the IP header and port numbers included in the TCP header are associated with tag IDs corresponding to each pair.

Then, the packet filter unit 12 stores the input IP packet and the specified tag ID in different memory spaces in the memory 14 without concatenating them. Specifically, the memory 14 has a "type 1 memory space" for storing the control information unit including the tag ID specified by the packet filter unit 12 and a "type 2 memory space" for storing the IP packet. Have. Then, the tag ID is stored in the type 1 memory space, and the IP packet is stored in the type 2 memory space. At this time, the tag ID and the IP packet are associated and stored. That is, the tag ID and the IP packet are input to separate queues in a linked state. As a result, when it is the turn to output, the associated tag ID and IP packet can be output together.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the memory space in the memory 14 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the memory 14 has a packet control block A21 and a packet buffer A22. The packet control block A21 corresponds to the above-mentioned type 1 memory space, and the packet buffer A22 corresponds to the above-mentioned type 2 memory space. In the packet control block A21, the tag ID and the specific information of the area in which the IP packet corresponding to the tag ID is stored in the packet buffer A22 are stored in an associated state. The area specific information includes head information, data information, end information, and tail information. The head information indicates the first memory address of the packet buffer A22 in the memory 14. Further, the data information indicates the memory address at the beginning of the area in which the IP packet is actually stored in the memory 14. Further, the end information indicates the memory address at the end of the area in which the IP packet is actually stored in the memory 14. Further, the tail information indicates the memory address of the end of the packet buffer A22 in the memory 14. Here, when log analysis is performed, the IP packet stored in the packet buffer A22 and to which the tag ID is not added is output to the log analysis unit (not shown).

The transmission processing unit 15 receives the tag ID and the IP packet associated with the memory 14, and transmits the IP packet via the bearer corresponding to the tag ID. The transmission of IP packets is performed via the RF section (not shown). The process in the transmission processing unit 15 is a process in the data link layer, that is, the 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 provided for explaining the processing operation of the packet filter unit 12 of the first embodiment.

When the packet filter unit 12 receives 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 the port number analyzed in step S31 (step S32), and determines whether or not a pair matching the search target pair exists in the filter table 13. (Step S33).

When it is determined in step S33 that a pair matching the search target pair exists (step S33 affirmative), the packet filter unit 12 sets the matching pair and the tag ID associated with the filter table 13 in the memory 14th. Store in the type 1 memory space (step S34). At this time, the tag ID is stored in the first-class memory space of the memory 14 in a state of being included in the control information unit. The IP packet corresponding to the tag ID is stored in the type 2 memory space. Information about the area where this 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 matching the search target pair (step S33 negated), 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 IP header and TCP header of the input IP packet and the tag ID associated with 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 state of being linked and in separate memory spaces.

By doing so, 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 the log analysis.

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

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transmission processing unit according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 5, the transmission processing unit 15 includes a device driver 41 and a modulation / demodulation 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 at the beginning of the IP packet, and outputs the obtained concatenated data string to the modulation / demodulation unit 42.

The modulation / demodulation unit 42 receives the concatenated data string from the device driver 41. Then, the modulation / demodulation unit 42 identifies the bearer corresponding to the tag ID included in the head portion of the concatenated data string. Further, the modulation / demodulation unit 42 transmits an IP packet in which the tag ID is removed from the concatenated data string via the specified bearer. That is, the modulation / demodulation unit 42 distributes IP packets to a plurality of bearers based on the tag ID.

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

The device driver 41 receives the tag ID and the IP packet associated with each other from the memory 14 (step S51). The device driver 41 concatenates the received tag ID at the beginning of the IP packet (step S52). The device driver 41 outputs the IP packet with the tag ID added to the beginning to the modulation / demodulation unit 42 (step S53).

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

[Example 3] The third embodiment relates to a variation of a specific configuration of the transmission processing unit. In the second embodiment, the device driver 41 adds a tag ID to the beginning of the IP packet and outputs the tag ID to the modulation / demodulation unit 42, and the modulation / demodulation 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. Since 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, FIG. 5 will be referred to and described.

The device driver 41 and the modulation / demodulation unit 42 of the third embodiment are connected by a plurality of physical connection lines or logical connection lines corresponding to a plurality of bearers on a one-to-one basis.

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 modulation / demodulation 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, the connection line between the device driver 41 and the modulation / demodulation unit 42 has a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of bearers, so that the device driver 41 can distribute the IP packet to the plurality of bearers.

[Other Examples] [1] The packet communication devices of the first to third embodiments can be realized by the following hardware configurations.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the packet communication device. As shown in FIG. 7, in terms of hardware, 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). Has 10d and. The memory 10b is composed of, for example, RAM such as SDRAM, ROM, and 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 a CPU 10a.

Further, the various processes described in the first to third embodiments can be realized by executing a program prepared in advance on the 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. It may work.

[2] In the first to third embodiments, the description has been made on the premise 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.

10 Packet communication device 11 TCP / IP processing unit 12 Packet filter section 13 Filter table 14 memory 15 Transmission processing unit 41 Device driver 42 Modulation / demodulation section