Communicating data through a network so as to ensure quality of service
First Claim
1. A method for communicating data through a network from a source node to one or more destination nodes at appropriate Quality Of Service (“
- QOS”
) levels, the network having multiple routing devices and a network manager for configuring those routing devices to forward data, each routing device able to forward data to at least one or more other routing devices based on a current configuration, the method comprising;
under control of the source node, receiving data for communication to a destination node device;
registering the data communication with the network manager by sending a registration request and receiving a transmittal virtual identifier and multiple transmission QOS communication parameters for use with the communication; and
sending to a first routing device the received data accompanied by the transmittal virtual identifier and the transmission QOS communication parameters;
under control of the network manager and in response to the registration request from the source node, determining a type of the data to be communicated;
determining one or more QOS levels that are appropriate for communications of the determined type of data;
determining a path through the network via which communications of data of the determined type can be sent from the source node to the destination node device at the determined QOS levels, the path associated with a virtual identifier and comprising multiple intermediate routing devices including the first routing device;
determining multiple QOS communication parameters that when used by the intermediate routing devices with communications of data of the determined type should send those data communications at the determined QOS levels; and
sending the associated virtual identifier and the determined QOS communication parameters to the source node for use as the transmittal virtual identifier and the transmission QOS communication parameters for the data communication; and
under control of each of the intermediate routing devices along the path receiving data accompanied by the transmittal virtual identifier and the transmission QOS communication parameters;
determining to forward the received data to a next device that is a next intermediate routing device along the path or the destination node device based on the accompanying transmittal virtual identifier;
determining a manner of forwarding the received data based on the accompanying transmission QOS communication parameters; and
forwarding the received data accompanied by the transmittal virtual identifier and the transmission QOS communication parameters to the determined next device in the determined manner, so that the data communication will be sent to the destination node device at the appropriate QOS levels based on a type of the data being communicated.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for communicating data through a network so as to satisfy various Quality Of Service (“QOS”) levels are described. The QOS levels may be selected based on a determined type of the data or the data communication, such as by a network manager after the data communication is registered, and QOS communication parameters are selected for the data communication to ensure that the QOS levels are achieved. Other techniques may also be used to ensure that a selected QOS level is achieved, including selecting an appropriate path through the network, controlling other data communications that use some or all of the selected path, and/or enabling preemption of such other data communications. QOS levels that are actually achieved may also be monitored, and the QOS communication parameters and/or path for a data communication may be dynamically modified based on differences between actual achieved QOS levels and desired QOS levels.
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Citations
78 Claims
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1. A method for communicating data through a network from a source node to one or more destination nodes at appropriate Quality Of Service (“
- QOS”
) levels, the network having multiple routing devices and a network manager for configuring those routing devices to forward data, each routing device able to forward data to at least one or more other routing devices based on a current configuration, the method comprising;
under control of the source node, receiving data for communication to a destination node device;
registering the data communication with the network manager by sending a registration request and receiving a transmittal virtual identifier and multiple transmission QOS communication parameters for use with the communication; and
sending to a first routing device the received data accompanied by the transmittal virtual identifier and the transmission QOS communication parameters;
under control of the network manager and in response to the registration request from the source node, determining a type of the data to be communicated;
determining one or more QOS levels that are appropriate for communications of the determined type of data;
determining a path through the network via which communications of data of the determined type can be sent from the source node to the destination node device at the determined QOS levels, the path associated with a virtual identifier and comprising multiple intermediate routing devices including the first routing device;
determining multiple QOS communication parameters that when used by the intermediate routing devices with communications of data of the determined type should send those data communications at the determined QOS levels; and
sending the associated virtual identifier and the determined QOS communication parameters to the source node for use as the transmittal virtual identifier and the transmission QOS communication parameters for the data communication; and
under control of each of the intermediate routing devices along the path receiving data accompanied by the transmittal virtual identifier and the transmission QOS communication parameters;
determining to forward the received data to a next device that is a next intermediate routing device along the path or the destination node device based on the accompanying transmittal virtual identifier;
determining a manner of forwarding the received data based on the accompanying transmission QOS communication parameters; and
forwarding the received data accompanied by the transmittal virtual identifier and the transmission QOS communication parameters to the determined next device in the determined manner, so that the data communication will be sent to the destination node device at the appropriate QOS levels based on a type of the data being communicated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- QOS”
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20. A method for communicating data with an appropriate Quality Of Service (“
- QOS”
) through a network having multiple routing devices and a network manager, the method comprising;
under control of a source, registering a data communication of a first type with the network manager so that one or more QOS communication parameters for use in forwarding the data communication along a path from the source to a destination through one or more of the routing devices are identified; and
initiating a data communication of the first type to the destination by supplying data and an indication of the identified QOS communication parameters to a first of the routing devices along the path for forwarding in a manner based on the identified QOS communication parameters; and
under control of the network manager, receiving an indication of the registering of a data communication of the first type;
determining at least one QOS level to be satisfied when transmitting a data communication of the first type along the path to the destination; and
identifying at least one QOS communication parameter that when used for transmitting a data communication of the first type along the path to the destination is expected to cause the transmitting to satisfy the determined QOS levels. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
- QOS”
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58. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing device to communicate data through a network with an appropriate Quality Of Service (“
- QOS”
), by performing a method comprising;
under control of a source, registering a communication of data of a first type with a network manager for the network so that one or more QOS communication parameters for use in forwarding the data along a path from the source to a destination through one or more of the routing devices can be identified; and
initiating a communication of data of the first type to the destination by supplying the data and an indication of the identified QOS communication parameters to a first of the routing devices along the path for forwarding in a manner based on the identified QOS communication parameters; and
under control of the network manager, receiving an indication of the registering of a communication of data of the first type; and
identifying at least one QOS communication parameter that when used for transmitting data of the first type along the path to the destination should cause the transmitting to satisfy one or more QOS levels determined based on the first type.
- QOS”
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64. A computing system for communicating data through a network with an appropriate Quality Of Service (“
- QOS”
), comprising;
one or more source nodes each capable of registering a communication of data with a network manager so that one or more QOS communication parameters for use in forwarding the data along a path from the source to a destination through one or more of the routing devices can be identified, and of initiating the data communication to the destination by supplying the data and an indication of the identified QOS communication parameters to a first of the routing devices along the path for forwarding in a manner based on the identified QOS communication parameters; and
a network manager for the network that is capable of receiving an indication of registering of a communication of data, of determining based on a type of the data communication at least one QOS level to be satisfied during transmitting of the data communication, and of identifying at least one QOS communication parameter for use in transmitting the data communication so as to satisfy the determined QOS levels. - View Dependent Claims (65)
- QOS”
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66. A computing system for communicating data through a network with an appropriate Quality Of Service (“
- QOS”
), comprising;
at least one source means for registering a communication of data with a network manager so that one or more QOS communication parameters for use in forwarding the data along a path from the source to a destination through one or more of the routing devices can be identified and for initiating the data communication to the destination by supplying the data and an indication of the identified QOS communication parameters to a first of the routing devices along the path for forwarding in a manner based on the identified QOS communication parameters; and
a network manager means for receiving an indication of registering by a source node of a communication of data, for determining based on a type of the data communication at least one QOS level to be satisfied during transmitting of the data communication, and for identifying at least one QOS communication parameter for use in transmitting the data communication so as to satisfy the determined QOS levels. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70)
- QOS”
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67. A method for communicating data through a network having multiple routing devices and a network manager, the method comprising:
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under control of a source, registering for communication of a type of data with the network manager so that data of that type will be communicated to a destination with an appropriate Quality Of Service (“
QOS”
); and
after the registering, communicating data of the registered type to the destination by providing the data to a first routing device along a path to the destination;
under control of the network manager, receiving an indication of the registering;
determining one or more QOS communication parameters that are to be satisfied during communicating of data of the registered type; and
configuring at least some of one or more routing devices along the path to communicate received data of the registered type to a next routing device along the path in a manner consistent with the determined QOS communication parameters; and
under control of each of the configured routing devices, receiving communicated data of the registered type; and
communicating the received data to the next routing device along the path as configured.
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71. A method for a network manager to assist in communicating data through a network with appropriate Quality Of Service (“
- QOS”
), the method comprising;
receiving an indication of a type of data communication to be transmitted through the network from a source to a destination;
determining one or more QOS levels for data communications of the indicated type;
determining a path through the network via which data communications of the indicated type can be sent from the source to the destination at the determined QOS levels, the path including at least one routing device;
determining a data communication transmission priority that is appropriate for use in transmitting data communications of the indicated type along the path to the destination at the determined QOS levels; and
associating the determined path and the determined data communication transmission priority with data communications of the indicated type from the source to the destination in such a manner that the determined data communication transmission priority will be used to transmit data communications of the indicated type along the path from the source to the destination. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
- QOS”
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78. A method for communicating data with an appropriate Quality Of Service (“
- QOS”
) through a network having multiple routing devices and a network manager, the method comprising;
under control of a source, registering a data communication with the network manager so that one or more QOS communication parameters for use in forwarding the data communication along a path from the source to a destination through one or more of the routing devices are identified; and
initiating the data communication to the destination by supplying data to a first of the routing devices along the path for forwarding in a manner based on the identified QOS communication parameters; and
under control of the network manager, receiving an indication of the registering of the data communication;
determining at least one QOS level to be satisfied when transmitting the data communication along the path to the destination; and
identifying at least one QOS communication parameter for use in transmitting the data communication along the path to the destination so as to satisfy the determined QOS levels; and
associating the identified QOS communication parameters with the data communication in such a manner that the identified QOS communication parameters will be used to transmit the data communication along the path from the source to the destination.
- QOS”
Specification