# US 9,521,679 B2 · Systems and methods for implementing reflective EPS bearers to ensure uplink quality of service > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,521,679 B2 - Document ID: US9521679B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/199,277 - Filed: 2014-03-06 - Published: 2015-09-10 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-06 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Sebastian Speicher; Nirav Salot - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521679B2 ## CPC - H04W 72/52: based on load - H04W 28/0252: {per individual bearer or channel (dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12)} - H04W 28/0268: {using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] (negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24)} - H04W 28/10: Flow control {between communication endpoints} - H04W 76/10: Connection setup - H04L 47/2441: relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ] - H04W 8/04: Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server] - H04W 72/54: based on quality criteria - H04W 72/543: based on requested quality, e.g. QoS - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract The present disclosure is directed at systems, methods and media for providing QoS differentiation between IP data flows by sorting data packets into bearers. If a first node in a communication network (e.g., a User Equipment or UE) determines that downlink packets received from a second node (e.g., a Packet Data Network Gateway or PDN-GW) via a specific bearer should be given reflective bearer treatment, the first node can be configured to send uplink packets back to the second node via the same bearer. By sending uplink traffic using the same bearer as downlink traffic, the first node can aid in ensuring that the correct QoS for the uplink traffic is used. Downlink packets or bearers can be configured to request reflective bearer treatment through reserved QoS Class Identifier (QCI) values, Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP) values, or through an indicator specifically defined for requesting such treatment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A network apparatus comprising: a computer processor in communication with an interface, the computer processor to: determine that a bearer should be configured as a reflective bearer; cause an indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer to be sent to a user equipment (UE); send at least one downlink packet received at the network apparatus to the UE via the bearer; and wherein the indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer causes the UE to store flow information comprising a source Internet Protocol (IP) address, source port, and protocol type from the at least one downlink packet and to send uplink packets matching the flow information via the bearer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further to determine that the bearer should be configured as a reflective bearer based on a rate at which an application associated with the bearer is expected to create new traffic flows. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further to determine that the bearer should be configured as a reflective bearer when an application for which packets will be sorted onto the bearer cannot be represented using Traffic Flow Templates (TFTs), the TFTs comprising rules that sort packets into bearers based on information in packets' headers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further to determine that the bearer should be configured as a reflective bearer when an application for which packets will be sorted onto the bearer is configured to use the same Internet Protocol (IP) address, port, and protocol type for downlink traffic and uplink traffic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer comprises at least one of a QoS Class Identifier (QCI) parameter or an Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP) parameter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer processor is further to: determine that a second downlink packet should not be sent via a bearer configured as a reflective bearer; and determine which bearer via which the second downlink packet should be sent based on a set of Traffic Flow Templates (TFTs), the TFTs comprising rules that sort packets into bearers based on information in packets' headers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network apparatus includes a Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN-GW). ### Claim 8 A method, comprising: determining, by a network apparatus, that a bearer should be configured as a reflective bearer; sending, by the network apparatus, an indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer to a user equipment (UE); sending, by the network apparatus, at least one downlink packet received at the network apparatus to the UE via the bearer; and wherein the indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer causes the UE to store flow information comprising a source Internet Protocol (IP) address, source port, and protocol type obtained from the at least one downlink packet and to send uplink packets matching the flow information via the bearer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the determination is based on a rate at which an application associated with the bearer is expected to create new traffic flows. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the determination is based on whether an application associated with the bearer can be represented using Traffic Flow Templates (TFTs), the TFTs comprising rules that sort packets into bearers based on information in packets' headers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the determination is based on whether an application associated with the bearer is configured to use the same Internet Protocol (IP) address, port, and protocol type for downlink traffic and uplink traffic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer includes at least one of a QoS Class Identifier (QCI) parameter or an Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP) parameter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining, at the network apparatus, that a second downlink packet should not be sent via a reflective bearer; and determining which bearer via which the second downlink packet should be sent based on a set of Traffic Flow Templates (TFTs), the TFTs comprising rules that sort packets into bearers based on information in packets' headers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the network apparatus includes a Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN-GW). ### Claim 15 At least one non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors are to: determine that a bearer should be configured as a reflective bearer; send an indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer to a user equipment (UE); send at least one downlink packet received at the network apparatus to the UE via the bearer; and wherein the indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer causes the UE to store flow information comprising a source Internet Protocol (IP) address, source port, and protocol type obtained from the at least one downlink packet and to send uplink packets matching the flow information via the bearer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The at least one media of claim 15, wherein the determination is based on a rate at which an application associated with the bearer is expected to create new traffic flows. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The at least one media of claim 15, wherein the determination is based on whether an application associated with the bearer can be represented using Traffic Flow Templates (TFTs), the TFTs comprising rules that sort packets into bearers based on information in packets' headers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The at least one media of claim 15, wherein the determination is based on whether an application associated with the bearer is configured to use the same Internet Protocol (IP) address, port, and protocol type for downlink traffic and uplink traffic. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The at least one media of claim 15, wherein the indication that the bearer is to be a reflective bearer includes at least one of a QoS Class Identifier (QCI) parameter or an Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP) parameter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The at least one media of claim 15, wherein the instructions when executed by one or more processors are further to: determine that a second downlink packet should not be sent via a reflective bearer; and determine which bearer via which the second downlink packet should be sent based on a set of Traffic Flow Templates (TFTs), the TFTs comprising rules that sort packets into bearers based on information in packets' headers.