Systems and methods for distributed data routing in a wireless network

Abstract

In various embodiments, the data plane may be abstracted from a control plane in a wireless network such as WiMax, WiFi, LTE or the like. In some embodiments, a routing device comprises a control module, a service module, and a router module. The control module may be configured to receive communication instructions from a control server. The service module may be configured to process the communication instructions and provide data path instructions based on the communication instructions. The router module may be configured to receive data from a source device and route the processed data to a target device based on the data path instructions. The control server may comprise a WiMax server such as an ASN server or a CSN server.

1 . A system comprising:
 a control module configured to receive communication instructions for carrying out data path functions, from a control server that performs control plane functions, the communication instructions, the control server being separate from the system, the control server being configured to receive control data from a base station and to generate the communication instructions based on the control data, and the base station being configured to receive source data from a mobile device and to generate, in a control plane protocol, control data based on the source data;   a service module configured to generate, in a protocol that can be read by a router module, data path instructions for the source data based on the communication instructions; and   the router module configured to receive the source data from the base station and route the source data to a target device based on the data path instructions.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control server is a WiMAX server. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control server is an LTE server. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control server is an access server network (ASN) server and the system communicates with the ASN server over an R7 interface. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication instructions comprise instructions to tunnel the received data using one of a plurality of generic routing encapsulation (GRE) tunnels. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication instructions comprise instructions to tunnel the received data using one of a plurality of IP tunnels. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication instructions comprise instructions to tunnel the received data using one of a plurality of IP tunnels and wherein the target device comprises a connectivity service network (CSN) server. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the communication instructions comprise instructions to process the received data using a virtual local area network (VLAN) protocol. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a connectivity service network (CSN) server comprises the system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the source data includes a routing device address to send the source data to, the control data includes a control server address to send the control data to, and the system is the routing device. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a routing device configured to perform data plane functions, communication instructions, for carrying out data path functions, from a control server that performs control plane functions, the routing device being separate from the control server, the control server being configured to receive control data from a base station and to generate the communication instructions based on the control data, and the base station being configured to receive source data from a mobile device and to generate, in a control plane protocol, control data based on the source data;   generating, by the routing device in a protocol that can be read by a router module, data path instructions for the source data based on the communication instructions;   receiving, by the router device, the source data from the base station; and   routing, by the router device, the source data to a target device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control server is a WiMAX server. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control server is an LTE server. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control server is an access server network (ASN) server and wherein receiving communication instructions comprises receiving communication instructions from the ASN server over an R7 interface. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communication instructions comprise instructions to tunnel the received data using one of a plurality of generic routing encapsulation (GRE) tunnels. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communication instructions comprise instructions to tunnel the received data using one of a plurality of IP tunnels. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communication instructions comprise instructions to tunnel the received data using one of a plurality of IP tunnels and wherein the target device comprises a connectivity service network (CSN) server. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communication instructions comprise instructions to route the source data using a virtual local area network (VLAN) protocol. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the source data includes a routing device address to send the source data to, and the control data includes a control server address to send the control data to. 
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 means for causing a routing device to receive communication instructions, for carrying out data path functions, from a control server that performs control plane functions, the routing device being separate from the control server, the control server being configured to receive control data from a base station and to generate the communication instructions based on the control data, and the base station being configured to receive source data from a mobile device and to generate, in a control plane protocol, control data based on the source data;   means for causing the routing device to generate, in a protocol that can be read by a router module, data path instructions for the source data based on the communication instructions;   means for causing the routing device to receive the source data from the base station; and   means for causing the routing device to route the source data to a target device.