Establishing connections across a communications network
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Accused Products
Abstract
On receipt of a request for a communication session over a communications network, such as an Internet Protocol communications network, a path for the session is established. In a preferred example the communications network is an MPLS network and the method uses a modified version of the SIP messaging protocol. Bandwidth along a chosen path is reserved and a messaging protocol such as CR-LDP used to establish this reserved path for the communication session. This creates a delay in the time taken to establish a communication session because the process of choosing a path and reserving bandwidth must be completed before the CR-LDP protocol is used. This delay is reduced by using modified SIP Protocol to perform the CR-LDP function too.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A method of establishing a path in a communications network, the path being for use in a communications session between two endpoints, the method comprising the following steps:
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advertising information identifying a plurality of path elements, or tunnels, the path elements, or tunnels, being between nodes of said communications network;
a first node associated with the first endpoint sending at least one communication session setup request message, towards a second node associated with the second endpoint or with an intermediate point in the network, the second node receiving at least two communication session setup request messages, the received messages having traversed respective different paths in the network;
selecting one of said different paths;
the second node sending a communication setup response message along said selected path towards said first node;
establishing a path for use in said communications session by storing items of said advertised information, the items identifying path elements, or tunnels, associated with a path traversed by said communication setup response message;
characterised by;
a third node receiving the at least one communication session setup message, or a message derived therefrom, and replicating the received message to form at least first and second forked communication session setup messages; and
the third node sending the second and third communication setup messages towards said second node along different paths, the at least two communication session setup request messages received by the second node being, or being derived from, the second and third communication setup messages. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A communications network comprising two endpoints and a first, second and third node, the first node being associated with the first endpoint and the second node being associated with the second endpoint or with an intermediate point in the network, the network being arranged to establish a path for use in a communications session between the two endpoints by:
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advertising information identifying a plurality of path elements, or tunnels, the path elements, or tunnels, being between nodes of the network;
the first node sending at least one communication session setup request message, towards the second node;
the second node receiving at least two communication session setup request messages, the received messages having traversed respective different paths in the network;
selecting one of said different paths;
the second node sending a communication setup response message along said selected path towards said first node;
establishing a path for use in said communications session by storing items of said advertised information, the items identifying path elements, or tunnels, associated with a path traversed by said communication setup response message;
characterised by;
the third node receiving the at least one communication session setup message, or a message derived therefrom, and replicating the received message to form at least first and second forked communication session setup messages; and
the third node sending the second and third communication setup messages towards said second node along different paths, the at least two communication session setup request messages received by the second node being, or being derived from, the second and third communication setup messages. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium, the computer program being for controlling a communications network comprising two endpoints and a first, second and third node, the first node being associated with the first endpoint and the second node being associated with the second endpoint or with an intermediate point in the network, the computer program controlling the network to establish a path for use in a communications session between the two endpoints by:
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advertising information identifying a plurality of path elements, or tunnels, the path elements, or tunnels, being between nodes of the network;
causing the first node sending at least one communication session setup request message, towards the second node;
causing the second node receiving at least two communication session setup request messages, the received messages having traversed respective different paths in the network;
selecting one of said different paths;
causing the second node sending a communication setup response message along said selected path towards said first node;
establishing a path for use in said communications session by storing items of said advertised information, the items identifying path elements, or tunnels, associated with a path traversed by said communication setup response message;
characterised by;
causing the third node receiving the at least one communication session setup message, or a message derived therefrom, and replicating the received message to form at least first and second forked communication session setup messages; and
causing the third node sending the second and third communication setup messages towards said second node along different paths, the at least two communication session setup request messages received by the second node being, or being derived from, the second and third communication setup messages.
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Specification