Selecting routes through a network

• US 10,097,612 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuze, Inc. (8X8, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fuze, Inc. (8X8, Inc.)
• Inventors: West, Julian Wray, Jeffords, Jason Paul, Dietz, Darryl, Mishra, Rajesh K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodchild, William J.
• Application Number:
  US11/751,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20070283042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,159 Days
• Field of Search: 709245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

Routing a communication from a first computer system, through a network, to a second computer system, may include determining whether a route through the network meets a metric, and assigning an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system based on whether the route meets the metric. The communication may be sent from the output address of the first computer system and received at the input address of the second computer system.

Claims

1. A method for affecting routing of a communication from a first computer system, through a network, to a second computer system, the method comprising:

identifying a location of a fault on a segment of the network based on (a) an identification of multiple communication endpoints on the network, (b) a determination of which of the multiple communication endpoints experience data transmission that is affected by the fault, (c) a determination of which of the multiple communication endpoints experience data transmission that is not affected by the fault, and (d) correlating both common and unique segments of paths through the network to the multiple communication endpoints experiencing data transmission affected by the fault and the multiple communication endpoints experiencing data transmission not affected by the fault, wherein the multiple communication endpoints comprise carrier systems;

selecting a metric from a plurality of metrics based on a type of the communication initiated from the first computer system, through the network, ending at the second computer system, the first computer system and the second computer system being among the multiple communication endpoints on the network;

determining whether a route through the network meets the selected metric and avoids the segment of the network containing the fault;

assigning an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system corresponding to the determined route through the network; and

when the route is determined to no longer meet the selected metric, the method further comprises assigning a new output address of the first computer system and a new input address of the second computer system to a new route through the network, at least one of the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system being different from the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a route list comprising the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the route list comprising one or more additional output addresses of the first computer system paired with one or more additional input addresses of the second computer system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected metric comprises plural metrics, the plural metrics comprising an attribute of the determined route and a quality of communication.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the attribute of the determined route comprises at least one of a quality of the determined route and a bandwidth associated with the determined route.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected metric comprises a bandwidth associated with the determined route.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

assigning the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system to the determined route if there is not sufficient bandwidth associated with the determined route to accommodate the communication, at least one of the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system being different from the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises an unmanaged network, over which a predefined bandwidth is not guaranteed for communication.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the unmanaged network comprises the Internet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a managed network, over which a predefined bandwidth is guaranteed for communication.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises a telephone call.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein assigning comprises generating a route list comprising the output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system;

and

wherein, prior to engaging in a communication over the network, the first computer system is configured to obtain the route list and to route the communication in accordance with the route list.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the metric from the plural metrics further based on a type of the communication being one of video content or voice content.

13. One or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media comprising instructions that are executable to affect routing of a communication from a first computer system, through a network, to a second computer system, the instructions being executable by one or more processing devices to:

identify a location of a fault on a segment of the network based on (a) an identification of multiple communication endpoints on the network, (b) a determination of which of the multiple communication endpoints experience data transmission that is affected by the fault, (c) a determination of which of the multiple communication endpoints experience data transmission that is not affected by the fault, and (d) correlating both common and unique segments of paths through the network to the multiple communication endpoints experiencing data transmission affected by the fault and the multiple communication endpoints experiencing data transmission not affected by the fault, wherein the multiple communication endpoints comprise carrier systems;

select a metric from a plurality of metrics based on a type of the communication initiated from the first computer system, through the network, ending at the second computer system, the first computer system and the second computer system being among the multiple communication endpoints on the network;

determine whether a route through the network meets the selected metric and avoids the segment of the network containing the fault;

assign an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system-corresponding to the determined route through the network; and

when the route is determined to no longer meet the selected metric, assign a new output address of the first computer system and a new input address of the second computer system to a new route through the network, at least one of the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system being different from the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system.

14. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 13, further comprising instructions to generate a route list comprising the output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system, the route list comprising one or more additional output addresses of the first computer system paired with one or more additional input addresses of the second computer system.

15. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the communication is sent from the new output address of the first computer system and received at the new input address of the second computer system.

16. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the selected metric comprises plural metrics, the plural metrics comprising an attribute of the determined route and a quality of communication.

17. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the attribute of the determined route comprises at least one of a quality of the determined route and a bandwidth associated with the determined route.

18. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the selected metric comprises a bandwidth associated with the determined route.

19. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 18, further comprising instructions to:

assign the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system if there is not sufficient bandwidth associated with the determined route to accommodate the communication, at least one of the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system being different from the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system.

20. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the network comprises an unmanaged network, over which a predefined bandwidth is not guaranteed for communication.

21. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the unmanaged network comprises the Internet.

22. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the network comprises a managed network, over which a predefined bandwidth is guaranteed for communication.

23. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage media of claim 13,

wherein assigning comprises generating a route list comprising the output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system;

and

wherein the one or more machine-readable media comprise instructions to obtain the route list and to route the communication in accordance with the route list.

24. A system to affect routing of communication over a network, comprising:

a first computer system having plural output addresses;

a second computer system having plural input addresses; and

at least one of the first computer system and the second computer system being configured to;

(i) identify a location of a fault on a segment of the network based on (a) an identification of multiple communication endpoints on the network, (b) a determination of which of the multiple communication endpoints experience data transmission that is affected by the fault, (c) a determination of which of the multiple communication endpoints experience data transmission that is not affected by the fault, and (d) correlating both common and unique segments of paths through the network to the multiple communication endpoints experiencing data transmission affected by the fault and the multiple communication endpoints experiencing data transmission not affected by the fault, wherein the multiple communication endpoints comprise carrier systems;

(ii) to select a metric from a plurality of metrics based on a type of the communication initiated from the first computer system, through the network, ending at the second computer system, the first computer system and the second computer system being among the multiple communication endpoints on the network,

(iii) to determine whether a route through the network meets the selected metric and avoids the segment of the network containing the fault,

(iv) to assign an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system, through which addresses communication is routed, via the network, between the first computer system and the second computer system-corresponding to the determined route through the network; and

when the route is determined to no longer meet the selected metric, to assign a new output address of the first computer system and a new input address of the second computer system to a new route through the network, at least one of the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system being different from the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first computer system and the second computer system is configured to generate a route list comprising the output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system, the route list comprising one or more additional output addresses of the first computer system paired with one or more additional input addresses of the second computer system.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a registration server, the registration server being configured to receive the route list and to send the route list to at least one of the first computer system and the second computer system;

wherein at least one of the first computer system and the second computer system is configured to use the route list to determine the output address of the first computer system over which to output the communication to the network and to determine the input address of the second computer system to which to direct the communication.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the selected metric comprises plural metrics, the plural metrics comprising an attribute of the determined route and a quality of the communication.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising one or more servers configured to store information relating to quality of communications transmitted over the determined route and to provide the information to at least one of the first computer system and the second computer system, the information corresponding to the selected metric.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the attribute of the determined route comprises a bandwidth associated with the determined route.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the selected metric comprises a bandwidth associated with the determined route.

31. The system of claim 24,

wherein the communication is sent from the new output address of the first computer system and received at the new input address of the second computer system.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein the network comprises an unmanaged network, over which a predefined bandwidth is not guaranteed for communication.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the unmanaged network comprises the Internet.

34. The system of claim 24, wherein the network comprises a managed network, over which a predefined bandwidth is guaranteed for communication.

35. The system of claim 24, wherein the communication comprises a telephone call.

36. The system of claim 24,

wherein the first computer system is configured to assign an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system, the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system corresponding to the determined route through the network;

and

wherein the second computer system is configured to receive the determined route from the first computer system and to propose, to the first computer system, an alternate route through the network.

37. The system of claim 24,

wherein the first computer system is configured to assign an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system, the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system corresponding to the determined route through the network;

and

wherein the second computer system is configured to receive the determined route from the first computer system, to determine whether the determined route is acceptable to the second computer system, and, if the determined route is not acceptable, to wait for an alternate route from the first computer system.

38. The system of claim 24,

wherein the second computer system is configured to assign an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system, the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system corresponding to the determined route through the network;

and

wherein the first computer system is configured to receive the determined route from the second computer system and to propose, to the second computer system, an alternate route through the network.

39. The system of claim 24,

wherein the second computer system is configured to assign an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system, the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system corresponding to the determined route through the network;

and

wherein the first computer system is configured to receive the determined route from the second computer system, to determine whether the determined route is acceptable to the first computer system, and, if the determined route is not acceptable, to wait for an alternate route from the second computer system.

40. The system of claim 24,

wherein the first computer system is configured to assign a first output address of the first computer system and a first input address of the second computer system, the first output address of the first computer system and the first input address of the second computer system corresponding to a first route through the network;

wherein the second computer system is configured to assign the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system, the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system corresponding to a second route through the network; and

wherein at least one of the first computer system and the second computer system are configured to determine whether to use, for communication as the determined route, the first route, the second route, or neither route.

41. The system of claim 40,

wherein, if the first computer system determines that neither the first or second route is to be used for communication, the first computer system is configured to select a third computer system with which to communicate;

and

wherein, if the second computer system determines that neither the first or second route is to be used for communication, the second computer system is configured to select the third computer system with which to communicate.

42. A system to affect routing of communication over a network, comprising:

a first computer system that is that is configured to communicate over the network via one or more output addresses;

a second computer system that is that is configured to communicate over the network via one or more input addresses; and

a third computer system that is configured to communicate over the network;

at least one of the first computer system, the second computer system, and the third computer system being configured to;

(i) identify a location of a fault on a segment of the network based on (a) an identification of multiple communication endpoints on the network, (b) a determination of which of the multiple communication endpoints experience data transmission that is affected by the fault, (c) a determination of which of the multiple communication endpoints experience data transmission that is not affected by the fault, and (d) correlating both common and unique segments of paths through the network to the multiple communication endpoints experiencing data transmission affected by the fault and the multiple communication endpoints experiencing data transmission not affected by the fault, wherein the multiple communication endpoints comprise carrier systems,

(ii) to select a metric from a plurality of metrics based on a type of the communication initiated from the first computer system, through the network, ending at the second computer system, the first computer system and the second computer system being among the multiple communication endpoints on the network,

(iii) to determine whether a route through the network meets the selected metric and avoids the segment of the network containing the fault,

(iv) to assign an output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system for communication between the first computer system and the second computer system-corresponding to the determined route through the network, and

(v) when the route is determined to no longer meet the selected metric, to assign a new output address of the first computer system and a new input address of the second computer system to a new route through the network, at least one of the new output address of the first computer system and the new input address of the second computer system being different from the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system.

43. The system of claim 42,

wherein the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system comprise parts of a route list, the route list comprising pairs of addresses over which communications can be routed between the first computer system and the second computer system;

and

wherein, if the first computer system is configured to assign the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the first computer system is configured to provide the route list to at least one of the second computer system and the third computer system.

44. The system of claim 42,

wherein the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system comprise parts of a route list, the route list comprising pairs of addresses over which communications can be routed between the first computer system and the second computer system;

and

wherein, if the second computer system is configured to assign the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the second computer system is configured to provide the route list to at least one of the first computer system and the third computer system.

45. The system of claim 42,

wherein the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system comprise parts of a route list, the route list comprising pairs of addresses over which communications can be routed between the first computer system and the second computer system;

and

wherein, if the third computer system is configured to assign the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the third computer system is configured to provide the route list to at least one of the first computer system and the second computer system.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein the selected metric comprise one or more metrics that are obtained via one or more of the first computer system, the second computer system, and the third computer system.

47. The system of claim 42, wherein, in a case that the first computer system assigns the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the selected metric comprises one or more metrics that are determined by the first computer system.

48. The system of claim 42, wherein, in a case that the second computer system assigns the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the selected metric comprises one or more metrics that are determined by the second computer system.

49. The system of claim 42, wherein, in a case that the third computer system assigns the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the selected metric comprises one or more metrics that are determined by the third computer system.

50. The system of claim 42, wherein, in a case that the first computer system assigns the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the selected metric comprises one or more metrics that are determined by at least one of the second computer system and the third computer system.

51. The system of claim 42, wherein, in a case that the second computer system assigns the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the selected metric comprises one or more metrics that are determined by at least one of the first computer system and the third computer system.

52. The system of claim 42, wherein, in a case that the third computer system assigns the output address of the first computer system and the input address of the second computer system, the selected metric comprises one or more metrics that are determined by at least one of the first computer system and the second computer system.

53. The system of claim 42, wherein the selected metric relates to one or more of jitter on the network, packet loss on the network, latency on the network, and bandwidth utilization on the network.

54. The system of claim 42,

wherein at least one of the first computer system, the second computer system, and third computer system is configured to generate a route list comprising the output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system;

and

wherein, prior to engaging in a communication over the network, the first computer system is configured to obtain the route list and to route the communication in accordance with the route list.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the route list is obtained from one of the second computer system and the third computer system.

56. The system of claim 42,

wherein at least one of the first computer system, the second computer system, and third computer system is configured to generate a route list comprising the output address of the first computer system and an input address of the second computer system;

and

wherein, during a set-up process for engaging in communication over the network, the first computer system is configured to obtain the route list and to route the communication in accordance with the route list.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the route list is obtained from one of the second computer system and the third computer system.