US 12,250,097 B2
Flexible nodal layer three overlay of layer two traffic
Timothy Bleidorn, Colorado Springs, CO (US)
Assigned to Charter Communications Operating, LLC, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed by Charter Communications Operating, LLC, St. Louis, MO (US)
Filed on Apr. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/731,440.
Prior Publication US 2023/0353420 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H04L 12/46 (2006.01); H04L 43/062 (2022.01); H04L 45/64 (2022.01); H04W 40/24 (2009.01)
CPC H04L 12/4633 (2013.01) [H04L 43/062 (2013.01); H04L 45/64 (2013.01); H04W 40/24 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A network deployed at a site, comprising:
an access device configured to operate in a layer 2 domain and receive layer 2 traffic from user devices;
a packet inspection device configured to operate in a layer 2 domain and receive layer 2 traffic from the access device; and
a layer 3 tunnel instantiation device configured to:
encapsulate layer 2 traffic into layer 3 traffic, wherein the layer 2 traffic is inspected and forwarded by the packet inspection device to the layer 3 tunnel instantiation device; and
provide a first tunnel endpoint for a layer 3 tunnel to establish a demarcation point between a layer 2 domain and a layer 3 domain, the first tunnel endpoint connected to a second tunnel endpoint instantiated at a network gateway,
wherein the layer 3 traffic is transmitted over the layer 3 tunnel.