Broadband system with traffic policing and transmission scheduling

• US 20020101820A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: PhyFlex Networks, Inc. (Ciena Corporation)
• Inventors: Nanda, Sanjiv, Rege, Kiran, Tandon, Manas, Sonawane, Nitin, Gupta, Satya V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5605 Fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5606 Metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5651 Priority, marking, classes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5679 Arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0863 by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 : Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 : at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/788 : Autonomous allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 : Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 : QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 : Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/829 : Topology based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 : Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 : using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 : Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

Hybrid fiber/coax networks employ the existing cable plant used for cable TV and transmit data signals in a frequency bandwidth above that which is used for cable TV. As this cable plant was deployed in a tree and branch topology, data transmissions may be susceptible to noise, variable transmission loss and frequency dispersion, particularly in the upstream direction. Further, due to the tree and branch topology, homes at the far end of the network experience much greater loss than do the homes that are near to the headend/ONU. The present system, which uses point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bi-directional broadband access. Digital signals are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router. The intelligent network elements can be co-located with or replace the standard network elements to take advantage of existing network configurations. The standard network elements can be selectively replaced by the intelligent network elements in an incremental approach. Packet handling at a network element includes receiving flows of packets from one or more devices coupled to the network element. A service instance associated with each packet in the packet flows is identified and a quality of service (QoS) class for each packet from the corresponding service instance is determined. The packet flow associated with each service instance is regulated according to corresponding policing criteria. In this manner, the data links are made over relatively short runs of coax cable, which can provide greater bandwidth than the typical end-to-end feeder/distribution connection between a home and the headend or optical network unit.

Claims

1. A method of packet handling at a network element, the method comprising:

receiving plural flows of packets from one or more devices coupled to the network element;

identifying a service instance associated with each packet in the packet flows;

determining a quality of service (QoS) class for each packet from the corresponding service instance; and

regulating the packet flow associated with each service instance according to corresponding policing criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the packets according to service-specific processing indicated by the service instance.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein processing the packets further includes service independent processing.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein service independent processing includes attaching to the packet an access network label that includes an indication of the determined QoS class.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising placing the processed packets into one of plural egress buffers, each egress buffer associated with a corresponding QoS class.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein placing the packets includes dropping a packet if the corresponding egress buffer has insufficient buffer space.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising transmitting the packets from the egress buffers according to a transmission schedule.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein transmitting includes transmitting the packets from the egress buffers to a common modem buffer for transmission to a second network element.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting to the common buffer is according to strict non-preemptive priorities across the QoS classes.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting to the common buffer is further according to first-in, first-out order among packets belonging to the same QoS class.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting to the common buffer includes receiving flow control flags from the second network element for each QoS class, each flow control flag having an ON and OFF state, the ON state indicating permission to transmit a packet belonging to the corresponding QoS class.

12. The method of claim 18 wherein transmitting to the common buffer further includes determining available memory in the modem buffer and the state of the flow control flags and moving a particular packet from an egress buffer into the modem buffer if the packet length is less than the available memory and the state of the corresponding flow control flag for the QoS class of the particular packet is ON.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the service instance includes associating a service instance on the basis of at least one of source MAC address, source IP address, source port ID address, destination MAC address, destination IP address and destination port ID address contained in the packet.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein regulating includes dropping packets that fail to meet policing criteria.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein regulating includes:

associating a token bucket with each service instance;

maintaining a state variable X for each token bucket;

updating the state variable X at an interval to provide a current value of the state variable X;

comparing the length of the received packet with the current value of the state variable X; and

dropping the received packet if the current value of the state variable X is less than the length of the received packet, otherwise decrementing the current value of the state variable X by the length of the received packet.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the token bucket has a token size and a maximum burst size and wherein updating the state variable X is according to the equations:

X←

X+token size and If (X>

maximum burst size) then X←

maximum burst size.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein regulating includes:

maintaining a state variable X for each token bucket;

updating the state variable X at an interval to provide a current value of the state variable X;

comparing the length of the received packet with the current value of the state variable X; and

dropping the received packet if the current value of the state variable X is less than the length of the received packet, otherwise decrementing the current value of the state variable X by the length of the received packet.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the token bucket has a token size and a maximum burst size and wherein updating the state variable X is according to the equations:

X←

X+token size and If (X>

maximum burst size) then X←

maximum burst size.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising processing the received packet according to service-specific processing indicated by the service instance.

17. A method of packet handling at a network element, the method comprising:

receiving plural flows of packets from one or more devices coupled to the network element;

determining a service instance associated with each packet in the packet flows;

associating a token bucket with each service instance; and

regulating the packet flows according to the state of the token bucket.

21. In a network element, apparatus for packet handling of plural packet flows from one or more devices coupled to the network element, the apparatus comprising:

a packet classifier for identifying a service instance associated with each packet in the packet flows and for determining a quality of service (QoS) class for each packet from the corresponding service instance; and

a traffic policing regulator for regulating the packet flow associated with each service instance according to corresponding policing criteria.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising service modules for processing the packets according to service-specific processing indicated by the service instance.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising plural egress buffers for receiving the processed packets, each egress buffer associated with a corresponding QoS class.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a transmission scheduler for transmitting the packets from the egress buffers according to a transmission schedule.

25. In a network element, apparatus for packet handling of plural packet flows from one or more devices coupled to the network element, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying a service instance associated with each packet in the packet flows and for determining a quality of service (QoS) class for each packet from the corresponding service instance;

means for regulating the packet flow associated with each service instance according to corresponding policing criteria;

means for processing the packets according to service-specific processing indicated by the service instance; and

means for transmitting the processed packets according to a transmission schedule.

26. A computer program product including computer program code for packet handling of plural packet flows from one or more devices coupled to a network element, the computer program product comprising:

computer program code for identifying a service instance associated with each packet in the packet flows and for determining a quality of service (QoS) class for each packet from the corresponding service instance;

computer program code for regulating the packet flow associated with each service instance according to corresponding policing criteria;

computer program code for processing the packets according to service-specific processing indicated by the service instance; and

computer program code for transmitting the processed packets according to a transmission schedule.

27. A computer data signal including program code for packet handling of plural packet flows from one or more devices coupled to a network element, the computer data signal comprising:

program code for identifying a service instance associated with each packet in the packet flows and for determining a quality of service (QoS) class for each packet from the corresponding service instance;

program code for regulating the packet flow associated with each service instance according to corresponding policing criteria;

program code for processing the packets according to service-specific processing indicated by the service instance; and

program code for transmitting the processed packets according to a transmission schedule.