US 12,218,825 B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for restricting a number of hops conducted in a communications network
Yesh Goel, Bangalore (IN); and John Nirmal Mohan Raj, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, Redwood Shores, CA (US)
Filed by Oracle International Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/539,724.
Prior Publication US 2023/0171182 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. H04L 45/00 (2022.01); H04L 67/02 (2022.01); H04L 67/51 (2022.01); H04L 67/56 (2022.01); H04L 67/566 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 45/20 (2013.01) [H04L 67/02 (2013.01); H04L 67/51 (2022.05); H04L 67/56 (2022.05); H04L 67/566 (2022.05)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for restricting a number of hops conducted in a communications network, the method comprising:
receiving, by a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) proxy element in a first network region, a service request message including a header section that specifies a maximum number of hops value;
conducting a search for a producer network function (NF) in the first network region to provide a network service requested in the service request message;
determining the maximum number of hops value in the header section of the service request message if the HTTP proxy element is unable to locate the producer NF in the first network region, the first network region being a first PLMN;
reducing the maximum number of hops value in the header section of the service request message by one to derive an updated maximum number of hops value if the HTTP proxy element determines that the maximum number of hops value in the header section is greater than zero; and
directing the service request message containing the updated maximum number of hops value to a second HTTP proxy element located in a second network region, the second network region being a second PLMN different than the first PLMN;
wherein each of the HTTP proxy element and the second HTTP proxy element is a security edge protection proxy (SEPP) or a service communication proxy (SCP).