Methods and devices for preserving relative timing and ordering of data packets in a network
AssigneeABB Power Grids Switzerland AG
InventorsWolfgang Spahn, Walter Binz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A packet network includes packet engines that perform packet handling. Cipher engines are provided separately from the packet engines for encryption and/or authentication operations. To preserve relative timing and ordering of data packets, a packet engine performs pre-shaping of data traffic, wherein the packet engine inserts dummy packets into a data flow. The packet engine provides the pre-shaped data traffic to a cipher engine.
Claims43
A method, comprising:
- pre-shaping data traffic to produce a pre-shaped data traffic, wherein the pre-shaping the data traffic includes inserting dummy packets into a data flow;
- performing encryption or authentication operations on the pre-shaped data traffic, wherein the pre-shaping the data traffic contributes to preserving of relative timing and ordering of data packets transmitted in a packet network;
- and
- using at least part of the dummy packets for management channel transmissions or for Encryption Key Exchange (EKE).
A packet engine for handling data packets in a packet network, the packet engine comprising:
- a first circuitry couplable to a second circuitry, the first circuitry configured to:
- control pre-shaping of data traffic to produce a pre-shaped data traffic, wherein the pre-shaping the data traffic includes inserting dummy packets into a data flow and wherein the pre-shaped data traffic can be outputted to the second circuitry so that the second circuitry can perform encryption or authentication operations on the pre-shaped data traffic;
- and
- contribute to preserving of relative timing and ordering of data packets transmitted in the packet network by the pre-shaping of the data traffic;
- and
- an interface, wherein the first circuitry is couplable to the second circuitry via the interface, and wherein the first circuitry is configured to enlarge an inter-packet gap at the interface.
A system, comprising:
- a first circuitry configured to:
- pre-shape data traffic by inserting dummy packets into a data flow at a repetition interval to produce a pre-shaped data traffic, and
- contribute to, by pre-shaping the data traffic, preserving of relative timing and ordering of data packets transmitted in a packet;
- and
- a second circuitry configured to:
- perform encryption or authentication operations on the pre-shaped data traffic, and contribute to preserving an unchanged time difference between a start of consecutive data packets and preserving an unchanged order of data packets.
A method, comprising:
- generating a pre-shaped set of data packets comprising one or more dummy packets and an original set of data packets, wherein the generating the pre-shaped set of data packets comprises inserting the dummy packets into the original set of data packets;
- and
- generating a secured set of data packets from the pre-shaped set of data packets, a number of packets associated with the secured set of data packets is equal in size to a number of packets associated with the pre-shaped set of data packets, and the secured set of data packets comprises one or more of an encrypted, decrypted or authenticated replacement of the original set of data packets, wherein the generating the pre-shaped set of data packets and the generating the secured set of data packets contributes to preserving of relative timing and ordering of data packets transmitted in a packet network.
A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable storage having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method, the method comprising:
- generate a pre-shaped set of data packets comprising one or more dummy packets and an original set of data packets, wherein the generating the pre-shaped set of data packets comprises inserting the dummy packets into the original set of data packets;
- and
- generate a secured set of data packets from the pre-shaped set of data packets, a number of packets associated with the secured set of data packets is equal in size to a number of packets associated with the pre-shaped set of data packets, and the secured set of data packets comprises one or more of an encrypted, decrypted or authenticated replacement of the original set of data packets, wherein the generating the pre-shaped set of data packets and the generating the secured set of data packets contributes to preserving of relative timing and ordering of data packets transmitted in a packet network.
A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable storage having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method, the method comprising:
- pre-shape data traffic to produce a pre-shaped data traffic, wherein the pre-shaping the data traffic includes inserting dummy packets into a data flow;
- perform encryption or authentication operations on the pre-shaped data traffic, wherein the pre-shaping the data traffic contributes to preserving of relative timing and ordering of data packets transmitted in a packet network;
- and
- use at least part of the dummy packets for management channel transmissions or for Encryption Key Exchange (EKE).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.