# US 2019/0357113 A1 · System and Methods for Managing a User Data Path > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0357113 A1 - Document ID: US20190357113A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/527,440 - Filed: 2019-07-31 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-13 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Inventors: Jiansong Wang; Joseph Dahan; Ryan Redfern - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190357113A1 ## CPC - H04W 40/04: based on wireless node resources - H04W 28/12: using signalling between network elements - H04W 76/12: Setup of transport tunnels - H04W 76/22: Manipulation of transport tunnels - H04W 76/32: Release of transport tunnels - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device that determines each of a default downlink forwarding address of a first interface of a user plane and a currently used downlink forwarding address of the first interface of the user plane. One of an uplink user data packet comprising an origination address of a second interface of the user plane, a downlink user data packet comprising a destination address of the second interface of the user plane or both are received, by way of the user plane. One of the default downlink forwarding address, the currently used downlink forwarding address or both can be modified based on the uplink origination address, the destination address or both. Modification of the default downlink forwarding address, the currently used downlink forwarding address or both results in a redirection of an associated packet flow within the user plane. Other embodiments are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device, comprising: a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: modifying a first forwarding address of a first interface of a user plane based on an origination address of a second interface of the user plane, a destination address of the second interface of the user plane or both, wherein the modifying of the first forwarding address redirects an associated packet flow within the user plane over a direct tunnel established between an e-node B and a packet data network serving gateway of a core network; and terminating, in response to receiving an end-marker message, the direct tunnel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first forwarding address comprises a default downlink forwarding address and a currently used downlink forwarding address. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise forwarding a downlink packet using the default downlink forwarding address, subsequent to the terminating the direct tunnel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the modifying the first forwarding address comprises modifying one of the default downlink forwarding address, the currently used downlink forwarding address or both, and wherein the modifying is accomplished without a corresponding exchange of messages in a control plane usable to configure packet data forwarding within the user plane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the end-marker message indicates an end of a payload stream on the direct tunnel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, by way of the user plane, one of an uplink user data packet comprising the origination address, a downlink user data packet comprising the destination address or both. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a request to establish the direct tunnel; and determining eligibility for establishing the direct tunnel in accordance with predetermined eligibility criteria. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the direct tunnel has been established between the e-node B and the packet data network serving gateway of the core network. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the determining whether the direct tunnel has been established further comprises detecting a direct tunnel indictor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the core network comprises a long-term evolution core network, and wherein the end-marker message comprises a serving gateway S5 user plane address. ### Claim 11 A machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: receiving a request for a network connection including a tunnel solution; modifying a first forwarding address of a first interface of a user plane based on an origination address of a second interface of the user plane, a destination address of the second interface of the user plane or both, wherein the modifying of the first forwarding address redirects an associated packet flow within the user plane over a direct tunnel established, in response to the request, between an e-node B and a packet data network serving gateway of a core network; and terminating, in response to receiving an end-marker message, the direct tunnel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the first forwarding address comprises a default downlink forwarding address and a currently used downlink forwarding address. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise forwarding a downlink packet using the default downlink forwarding address, subsequent to the terminating the direct tunnel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the modifying the first forwarding address comprises modifying one of the default downlink forwarding address, the currently used downlink forwarding address or both. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, by way of the user plane, one of an uplink user data packet comprising the origination address, a downlink user data packet comprising the destination address or both. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: determining, by a processing system including a processor, whether a direct tunnel has been established between an e-node B and a packet data network serving gateway of a core network; modifying, by the processing system, a first forwarding address of a first interface of a user plane based on an origination address of a second interface of the user plane, a destination address of the second interface of the user plane or both, wherein the modifying of the first forwarding address redirects an associated packet flow within the user plane over the direct tunnel; and terminating, by the processing system in response to receiving an end-marker message, the direct tunnel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the first forwarding address comprises a default downlink forwarding address and a currently used downlink forwarding address. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising forwarding, by the processing system, a downlink packet using the default downlink forwarding address, subsequent to the terminating the direct tunnel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the modifying the first forwarding address comprises modifying one of the default downlink forwarding address, the currently used downlink forwarding address or both. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving, by the processing system via the user plane, one of an uplink user data packet comprising the origination address, a downlink user data packet comprising the destination address or both.