# US 2019/0356575 A1 · Communication nodes and methods performed therein for handling packets in an information centric network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0356575 A1 - Document ID: US20190356575A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/480,397 - Filed: 2017-02-20 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-20 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Rafia INAM; Lian ARAUJO; Hongxin LIANG; Neiva LINDER; Leonid MOKRUSHIN; Aneta VULGARAKIS FELJAN; Keven WANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190356575A1 ## CPC - H04L 45/12: Shortest path evaluation - H04L 43/106: using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps - H04L 45/74: Address processing for routing - H04L 47/20: Traffic policing - H04L 47/28: in relation to timing considerations - H04L 47/31: by tagging of packets, e.g. using discard eligibility [DE] bits - H04L 67/63: Routing a service request depending on the request content or context - H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers - H04L 69/28: Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols - H04W 8/04: Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server] - H04L 43/0829: Packet loss - H04L 43/0864: Round trip delays - H04L 43/16: Threshold monitoring - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Embodiments herein relate to a method performed by a communication node for handling packets in a communication network, which communication network is an ICN network. The communication node adds a time stamp to a packet, which packet is requesting content of a service or comprises at least a part of the content of the service and is of a format associated with the ICN network, and which time stamp is added into an ICN header of the packet. Furthermore, the communication node transmits the packet with the added time stamp towards another communication node. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method performed by a communication node for handling packets in a communication network, which communication network is an information centric networking, ICN, network, the method comprising: adding a time stamp to a packet, which packet is requesting content of a service or comprises at least a part of the content of the service and is of a format associated with the ICN network, and which time stamp is added into an ICN header of the packet; and transmitting the packet with the added time stamp towards another communication node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the packet is an interest packet requesting content of the service and the added time stamp is a first time stamp, and the method further comprises: adding a second time stamp to a data packet associated with the interest packet, which data packet comprises at least a part of the content of the service and the first time stamp of the interest packet and is of the format associated with the ICN network; and forwarding the data packet with the first time stamp and the added second time stamp towards a source communication node. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the first time stamp is indicating a time of reception or transmission of the interest packet at the communication node and the second time stamp is indicating a time of reception of the data packet at the communication node. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the time stamp is an absolute time value or an interval value indicating a per hop time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the time stamp indicates when the packet is transmitted from the communication node and the method further comprises: adding also a time out indication to the packet indicating when the packet should be timed out. ### Claim 6 A method performed by a handling communication node for handling packets in a communication network, which communication network is an information centric networking, ICN, network, the method comprising: receiving a packet with a time stamp, which packet is related to a service and is of a format associated with the ICN network and the time stamp is comprised in an ICN header of the packet; and performing a network decision taking the time stamp in the packet into account, which network decision relates to handling the packet and/or other packets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, further comprising transmitting an interest packet with a first time stamp towards a content communication node, which interest packet is requesting content of the service and is of the format associated with the ICN network and the received packet is a data packet with a second time stamp, which data packet is associated with the transmitted interest packet; and performing the network decision comprises making a handling decision based on the first and second time stamp. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising: registering the first time stamp to the interest packet when transmitting the interest packet; and registering an ending time stamp when receiving the data packet; and performing the network decision further takes, in addition to the first and second time stamp, the ending time stamp into account. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the network decision relates to calculate a shortest path or relates to congestion control. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the packet further comprises a time out indication indicating when the packet should be timed out and the time stamp indicates when the packet is initially transmitted; and performing the network decision is based on the time stamp, the time out indication, and a time of reception of the packet at the handling communication node. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the time of reception is synchronized with a clock in the communication network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the time stamp, and the time of reception indicates a delivery time indicating a time to deliver content of the service to an originating client or communication node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein performing the network decision comprises delaying transmission of the packet or content related to the packet in case the delivery time indicates a time interval equal to or below a threshold indicated by the time out indication. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein performing the network decision comprises dropping the packet in case the delivery time indicates a time interval above a threshold indicated by the time out indication. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein performing the network decision comprises prioritizing transmission of the packet or content related to the packet in relation to other transmissions of other packets based on the delivery time and the time out indication. ### Claim at position 16 -17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A communication node for handling packets in a communication network, which communication network is an information centric networking, ICN, network, the communication node being configured to: add a time stamp into an ICN header of a packet, which packet is requesting content of a service or comprises at least a part of the content of the service and is of a format associated with the ICN network; and to transmit the packet with the added time stamp towards another communication node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The communication node according to claim 18, wherein the packet is an interest packet requesting content of the service and the added time stamp is a first time stamp, and the communication node being configured to: transmit a second time stamp to a data packet associated with the interest packet, which data packet comprises at least a part of the content of the service and the first time stamp of the interest packet and is of the format associated with the ICN network; and to forward the data packet with the first time stamp and the added second time stamp towards a source communication node. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The communication node according to claim 19, wherein the first time stamp is indicating a time of reception or transmission of the interest packet at the communication node and the second time stamp is indicating a time of reception of the data packet at the communication node. ### Claim 21 (canceled) ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 A handling communication node for handling packets in a communication network, which communication network is an information centric networking, ICN, network, the handling communication node being configured to: receive a packet with a time stamp, which packet is related to a service and is of a format associated with the ICN network and the time stamp is comprised in an ICN header of the packet; and to perform a network decision taking the time stamp in the packet into account, which network decision relates to handling the packet and/or other packets. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The handling communication node according to claim 23, further being configured to: transmit an interest packet with a first time stamp towards a content communication nodes, which interest packet is requesting content of the service and is of the format associated with the ICN network and the received packet is a data packet with a second time stamp, which data packet is associated with the transmitted interest packet; and the handling communication node is configured to perform the network decision by being configured to make a handling decision based on the first and second time stamp. ### Claim at position 24 -32. (canceled)