METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING ACTIONS ON PACKETS AT INTERMEDIATE NODES IN A CONNECTION BETWEEN A COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND A DESTINATION DEVICE IN A TARGET NETWORK

摘要

A method for supporting a connection between a communication device and a destination device in a target network over intermediate network nodes, in particular in the context of Internet Protocol based communication, wherein data between the communication device and the destination device is transmitted via a tunnel established between the communication device or a base station connected to the communication device, as a first tunnel endpoint and a gateway in the target network as a second tunnel endpoint. One or more dummy packets are sent via the tunnel from the first tunnel endpoint towards the second tunnel endpoint, information is encoded in the packet headers of the one or more dummy packets, and at least one of the intermediate network nodes, upon receiving the one or more dummy packets, performs the steps of detecting and/or decoding the encoded information and performing a predefined action dependent on the encoded information.