Resource reservation protocol based guaranteed quality of service internet protocol connections over a switched network through proxy signaling

• US 20040022247A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Vleck, Paul F., Allen, Keith Joseph, Chen, Weijing
• Granted Patent: US 7,272,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4608 LAN interconnection over ATM networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/10 Routing in connection-oriented networks, e.g. X.25 or ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• 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 47/785 among multiple network domains, e.g. multilateral agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/825 Involving tunnels, e.g. MPLS

Abstract

A system and method establish an Internet protocol (IP) connection between an originating end-system and a destination end-system, incapable of resource reservation protocol (RSVP) signaling, through a switched transport network. A first interworking function (IWF) device inserts its switched transport network address into a first data field of an RSVP path message, received from an RSVP capable proxy signaling device that interfaces with the destination end-system. The first IWF device forwards the path message, through routers in an IP network, which is passed without modification to the first data field. A second IWF device receives the path message and forwards a setup message to the first IWF device through switching devices in the switched transport network, based on the first IWF device'"'"'s address retrieved from the first data field of the path message. The IP connection is established through the proxy signaling device in response to the setup message.

Claims

1. A method for establishing an Internet protocol (IP) connection through a switched transport network, between an originating host device and a destination host device communicating through an IP network, the destination host device being incapable of resource reservation protocol (RSVP) signaling, the method comprising:

associating a switched transport network address of a destination bridging device with an IP address of the destination bridging device, without communicating with an address server, in response to an RSVP path message initiated by an RSVP capable proxy device in association with the destination host device, the RSVP path message being directed to the originating host device through the IP network; and

establishing the IP connection, through the switched transport network and the destination bridging device, in response to a setup message directed to the switched transport network address of the destination bridging device.

2. The method for establishing the IP connection according to claim 1, the RSVP path message containing at least one quality of service parameter, which is passed to the setup message, wherein the IP connection is established in accordance with the at least one quality of service parameter.

3. The method for establishing the IP connection according to claim 1, the switched transport network comprising an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.

4. The method for establishing the IP connection according to claim 3, each IP connection comprising a switched virtual circuit connection.

5. The method for establishing the IP connection according to claim 1, the switched transport network comprising a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network.

6. The method for establishing the IP connection according to claim 1, the setup message comprising a user-to-network interface protocol message.

7. A method for implementing an Internet protocol (IP) connection, through a switched transport network, between an originating host device and a destination host device, connected through an IP network, the destination host device being incapable of resource reservation protocol (RSVP) signaling, the method comprising:

communicating a request for the IP connection to an RSVP capable proxy signaling device associated with the destination host device;

inserting a switched transport network address of a destination bridging device into a first data field of an RSVP path message received from the proxy signaling device;

forwarding the path message to an originating bridging device, through at least one router in the IP network by default routing, the at least one router passing the path message without modifying the first data field.

forwarding a setup message to the destination bridging device, through at least one switching device in the switched transport network, based on the destination bridging device address retrieved from the first data field, the setup message including an RSVP reservation request message generated in response to the path message; and

establishing the IP connection between the originating host device and the proxy signaling device, through the originating bridging device and the destination bridging device in response to the setup message, the proxy signaling device interfacing with the destination host device.

8. The method for implementing the IP connection according to claim 7, further comprising:

including at least one quality of service connection parameter in a second data field of the path message received from the proxy signaling device;

including the second data field in the responsive reservation request message; and

establishing the IP connection in accordance with the at least one quality of service connection parameter.

9. The method for implementing the IP connection according to claim 8, the at least one quality of service connection parameter comprising a bandwidth.

10. The method for implementing the short-cut connection according to claim 7, further comprising:

capturing the path message at the originating bridging device and storing the address of the first bridging device from the RSVP extension object in association with an address of the destination host device, provided by the proxy signaling device;

retrieving the stored address of the destination bridging device based on the address of the destination host device included in the responsive reservation request message; and

forwarding the setup message to the destination bridging device based on the retrieved address.

11. The method for implementing the short-cut connection according to claim 7, the switched transport network comprising an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network.

12. The method for implementing the short-cut connection according to claim 11, the short-cut connection comprising a switched virtual circuit.

13. The method for implementing the short-cut connection according to claim 7, the switched transport network comprising a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network.

14. A method for providing a guaranteed quality of service Internet protocol (IP) session, through an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, between an originating end-system and a destination end-system that is incapable of resource reservation protocol (RSVP) signaling, the destination end-system interfacing with an RSVP capable proxy device, the method comprising:

establishing an initial IP session between the originating end-system and the destination end-system through an IP network;

receiving an RSVP path message from the proxy device, on behalf of the destination end-system, at a destination interworking function (IWF) device, the path message including at least one parameter defining the quality of service;

inserting an ATM address of the destination IWF device into a transport network hop (THOP) extension object of the path message;

forwarding the path message through the IP network by default routing to an originating IWF device without modifying the THOP extension object;

caching the THOP extension object in association with an IP address of the destination end-system;

launching a setup message through the ATM network based on the associated THOP extension object and the IP address of the destination end-system, the setup message including a responsive RSVP reservation request message, containing the at least one parameter defining the quality of service;

receiving the setup message at the destination IWF device and establishing a switched virtual circuit (SVC) connection between the destination IWF device and the originating IWF device in accordance with the at least one quality of service parameter;

forwarding the reservation request message to the proxy signaling device, which accepts the reservation request message on behalf of the destination end-system; and

shifting the initial IP session between the originating end-system and the destination end-system to the SVC connection.

15. The method for providing the guaranteed quality of service Internet session, according to claim 14, in which the default routing comprises best effort routing among IP routers.

16. A system for establishing an Internet protocol (IP) connection between an originating host device and a destination host device through a switched transport network, the destination host device being incapable of resource reservation protocol (RSVP) signaling, the system comprising:

an RSVP capable proxy device that interfaces with the destination host device to provide RSVP signaling; and

an originating bridging device that associates a switched transport network address and an IP address of a destination bridging device, without communicating with an address server, in response to an RSVP path message, initiated by the proxy device and received by the originating host device through an IP network, the originating bridging device responding with a setup message directed through the switched transport network to the switched transport network address of the destination bridging device;

wherein the IP connection is established, through the switched transport network and the proxy device, in response to the setup message.

17. The system for establishing the IP connection according to claim 16, the setup message including at least one predetermined bidirectional flow parameter received from the path message, wherein the IP connection is established in accordance with the at least one bidirectional flow parameter.

18. The system for establishing the IP connection according to claim 16, the switched transport network comprising one of an asynchronous transport mode (ATM) network and a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network.

19. A system for establishing an Internet protocol (IP) connection between an originating end-system and a destination end-system through a switched transport network, the destination end-system being incapable of resource reservation protocol (RSVP) signaling, the system comprising:

a proxy signaling device that interfaces with the destination end-system;

a first interworking function (IWF) device that inserts its switched transport network address into a first data field of an RSVP path message, received from the proxy signaling device, and forwards the path message through at least one router in an IP network by default routing, the at least one router passing the path message without modifying the first data field; and

a second IWF device that receives the path message and forwards a setup message to the first IWF device through at least one switching device in the switched transport network, based on the first IWF device'"'"'s address retrieved from the first data field of the path message, the setup message including an RSVP reservation request message generated in response to the path message;

wherein the IP connection is established between the originating end-system and the destination end-system, through the first bridging device, the second bridging device and the proxy signaling device, in response to the setup message.

20. The system for establishing the IP connection according to claim 19, wherein at least one quality of service connection parameter is included in a second data field of the path message and passed to the reservation request message included in the setup massage;

and

wherein the IP connection is established in accordance with the at least one quality of service connection parameter.

21. The system for establishing the IP connection according to claim 20, the at least one quality of service connection parameter comprising a bandwidth.

22. A system for providing a guaranteed quality of service Internet protocol (IP) session, through an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, between an originating end-system and a destination end-system that is incapable of resource reservation protocol (RSVP) signaling, the originating end-system and the destination end-system having an initial IP connection, the system comprising:

a proxy signaling device that interfaces with the destination end-system and launches an RSVP path message, including at least one parameter defining a predetermined quality of service and a transport network hop (THOP) extension object;

a first interworking function (IWF) device that inserts its ATM address into the THOP extension object of the path message, received from the proxy signaling device, and forwards the path message through at least one router in an IP network by default routing, the at least one router passing the path message without modifying the THOP extension object; and

a second IWF device that receives the path message and launches a setup message to the first IWF device through at least one switch in the ATM network, based on the ATM address in the THOP extension object, the setup message including a responsive RSVP reservation request message, including the at least one parameter defining the quality of service;

wherein a switched virtual circuit (SVC) connection is established between the first IWF device and the second IWF device in accordance with the at least one quality of service parameter, in response to the setup message; and

wherein the reservation request message is forwarded to the proxy signaling device, which accepts the reservation request message on behalf of the destination end-system, so that the initial IP session between the originating end-system and the destination end-system is implemented over the SVC connection.

23. Computer data signaling, embodied on a propagation medium, that enables an Internet protocol (IP) connection across a switched transport network between an originating host device and a destination host device, through a first bridging device and a second bridging device, the destination host device being incapable of resource reservation protocol (RSVP) signaling, the computer data signaling comprising:

a first path message signal that is received from a proxy signaling device connected to the destination host device, the first path message signal including an address parameter for the second bridging device and an IP address of the proxy signaling device;

a second path message signal that is forwarded through an IP network without modification to the address parameter, the second path message signal including a switched transport network address of the second bridging device in the address parameter and the IP address of the proxy signaling device;

a reservation request message signal that is received by the first bridging device in response to the second path message, the reservation request message signal including the IP address of the proxy signaling device;

a first setup message signal that is forwarded through the switched transport network to the transport network address of the second bridging device, retrieved from the second path message signal, the first setup message signal including the reservation request message signal; and

a second setup message signal that is forwarded to the IP address of the proxy signaling device, the second setup message signal including the reservation request message signal, the IP connection being established in response to the second setup message signal.

24. The computer data signaling according to claim 23, the first path message signal, the second path message signal and the reservation request message signal further including a bidirectional flow parameter that defines at least one predetermined quality of service attribute of the IP connection, wherein the IP connection is established in accordance with the quality of service attribute.

25. The computer data signaling according to claim 24, wherein the at least one quality of service attribute comprises a bandwidth.

26. The computer data signaling according to claim 23, the first path message signal, the second path message signal and the reservation request message signal further including a reverse charging parameter, wherein accounting data for the IP connection is associated with the originating host device when the reverse charging parameter is activated.

27. The computer data signaling according to claim 26, wherein the accounting data for the IP connection is associated with the destination host device when the reverse charging parameter is not activated.

28. The computer data signaling according to claim 23, the first path message signal, the second path message signal and the reservation request message signal complying with a resource reservation protocol (RSVP).

29. The computer data signal according to claim 23, the first setup message signal and the second setup message signal complying with a user-to-network interface (UNI) protocol.

30. The computer data signaling according to claim 28, the switched data transport network comprising an asynchronous transport mode (ATM) network.

31. The computer data signaling according to claim 28, the switched data transport network comprising a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network.