# US 10,455,038 B2 · Indirect integration of network connected devices into service function chains > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,455,038 B2 - Document ID: US10455038B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/447,346 - Filed: 2017-03-02 - Published: 2018-09-06 - Granted: 2019-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-02 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Sebastian Jeuk; Gonzalo Salgueiro - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455038B2 ## CPC - H04L 67/56: Provisioning of proxy services (store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54) - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04L 67/63: Routing a service request depending on the request content or context - H04L 45/306: {Route determination based on the nature of the carried application} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A gateway device is configured to operate as a network function in a service function chain and is connected to a plurality of network connected devices. The gateway device receives a service function chain packet that includes a request to obtain data from one or more of the plurality of network connected devices. The gateway device obtains the data from the one or more network connected devices and modifies the service function chain packet to include the data obtained from the one or more network connected devices. The gateway device sends the service function chain packet that has been modified to include that data obtained from the one or more network connected devices along the service function chain. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: at a gateway device that is configured to operate as a network function in a service function chain and is connected to a plurality of network connected devices: receiving a service function chain packet that is encapsulated into a service header, wherein the service header includes a request to obtain data from one or more of the plurality of network connected devices, wherein the gateway device is configured to operate as a proxy device to indirectly integrate the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into the service function chain; obtaining the data from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices; modifying the service function chain packet to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices; and sending the service function chain packet that has been modified to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices along the service function chain. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the service function chain packet to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices comprises: incorporating the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into the service header of the service function chain packet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein incorporating the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into the service header of the service function chain packet comprises: incorporating, into the service header, an identification of the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices from which the data was obtained. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the identification indicates that the data is aggregated from a subset of the plurality of network connected devices. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the service header includes: an identification of the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices from which the data is to be obtained; and at least one instruction set for obtaining the data from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one instruction set includes instructions for aggregating data from a subset of the plurality of network connected devices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the service header is a type-1 service header. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the service header is a type-2 service header. ### Claim 9 An apparatus comprising: a network interface unit configured to communicate with a plurality of network connected devices; a memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to: receive a service function chain packet that is encapsulated into a service header, wherein the service header includes a request to obtain data from one or more of the plurality of network connected devices, wherein the apparatus is configured to operate as a proxy device to indirectly integrate the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into a service function chain; obtain the data from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices; modify the service function chain packet to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices; and send the service function chain packet that has been modified to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices along a service function chain. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein to modify the service function chain packet to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices, the one or more processors are configured to: incorporate the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into the service header of the service function chain packet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein to incorporate the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into the service header of the service function chain packet, the one or more processors are configured to: incorporate into the service header an identification of the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices from which the data was obtained. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the identification indicates that the data is aggregated from a subset of the plurality of network connected devices. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the service header includes: an identification of the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices from which the data is to be obtained; and at least one instruction set for obtaining the data from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one instruction set includes instructions for aggregating data from a subset of the plurality of network connected devices. ### Claim 15 One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media at a gateway device that is configured to operate as a network function in a service function chain and is connected to a plurality of network connected devices, wherein the computer readable storage media is encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: receive a service function chain packet that is encapsulated into a service header, wherein the service header includes a request to obtain data from one or more of the plurality of network connected devices, wherein the gateway device is configured to operate as a proxy device to indirectly integrate the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into the service function chain; obtain the data from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices; modify the service function chain packet to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices; and send the service function chain packet that has been modified to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices along the service function chain. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 15, wherein the instructions operable to modify the service function chain packet to include the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices comprise instructions operable to: incorporate the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into the service header of the service function chain packet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 16, wherein the instructions operable to incorporate the data obtained from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices into the service header of the service function chain packet comprise instructions operable to: incorporate, into the service header, an identification of the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices from which the data was obtained. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 17, wherein the identification indicates that the data is aggregated from a subset of the plurality of network connected devices. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the service header includes: an identification of the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices from which the data is to be obtained; and at least one instruction set for obtaining the data from the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer readable storage of claim 19, wherein the at least one instruction set includes instructions for aggregating data from a subset of the plurality of network connected devices.