Universal telecommunication node with software-defined exchangeable protocol architecture

• US 20050213590A1
• Filed: 08/16/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Brundert, Martin, Berghoff, Gerald, Hauenstein, Markus, Grunloh, Stephan, Major, Tamas
• Application Number:
  US10/919,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20050213590A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

The invention proposes a network node comprising modules (1, 2, 3, 4, 6; 7) including transport functions in order to support a particular network transport protocol, wherein the transport functions are realized by software. The invention also proposes a method for operating the network node. Different network transport protocols are supported with the same hardware by installing corresponding software.

Claims

1. A network node comprising

at least one module including transport functions in order to support a particular network transport protocol, wherein the transport functions are realized by software.

2. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the network node comprises a plurality of modules and the modules further comprise at least one interface module.

3. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the network node comprises a plurality of modules and the modules further comprise a central module.

4. The network node according to claim 1, further comprising a node-internal network providing means for providing a connection for the at least one module.

5. The network node according to claim 4, wherein

the node-internal network providing means is configured to operate with a particular node-internal network transport protocol, and

the transport functions of the at least one module are configured to convert traffic according to the particular network transport protocol into a form suitable for the node-internal network transport protocol, and to receive the traffic from the node-internal network providing means and to convert traffic according to the node-internal network transport protocol received from the node-internal network providing means into the particular network transport protocol.

6. The network node according to claim 5, wherein the node-internal network transport protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

7. The network node according to claim 5, wherein the node-internal network providing means is a switch.

8. The network node according to claim 1, further comprising means for updating the software of the transport functions of the at least one module.

9. The network node according to claim 8, wherein the means for updating the software is configured to update the software remotely.

10. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the network transport protocol is Internet Protocol (IP).

11. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the network transport protocol is Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM).

12. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the network node is a base station.

13. A method for operating a network node, wherein the network node comprises at least one module including transport functions to support a particular network transport protocol, the method comprising the step of:

performing the transport functions by using software.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the said step of performing the transport functions comprises performing the transport functions supported by a plurality of modules, the modules comprising at least one interface module.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the said step of performing the transport functions comprises performing the transport functions supported by a plurality of modules, the modules comprising a central module.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the said step of performing the transport functions comprises performing the transport functions utilizing a node-internal network providing means for connecting to the at least one module.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the node-internal network providing means is configured to operate with a particular node-internal network transport protocol, the method further comprising the steps of:

converting traffic according to the particular network transport protocol into a form suitable for the node-internal network transport protocol by using the transport functions of the at least one module, and

converting traffic according to the node-internal network transport protocol received from the node-internal network providing means into the particular network transport protocol by using the transport functions of the at least one module.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the said steps of converting traffic are implemented according to an Ethernet protocol.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the said step of converting traffic according to the node-internal network transport protocol comprises converting traffic received from a switch.

20. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of:

updating the software of the transport functions of the at least one module.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the updating step is performed remotely.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the said step of performing the transport functions support the Internet Protocol (IP).

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the said step of performing the transport functions support the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) protocol.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein the said step of performing the transport functions comprises performing the transport functions within a base station.

25. A network node comprising:

transport function providing means for providing transport functions to support a particular network transport protocol and means for performing the transport functions by using software.

26. A network node according to claim 25, wherein the transport function providing means utilizes a node-internal network providing means for connecting to the at least one module.

27. A network node according to claim 25, further comprising:

a first converting means for converting traffic according to the particular network transport protocol into a form suitable for the node-internal network transport protocol by using the transport functions of the at least one module; and

a second converting means for converting traffic according to the node-internal network transport protocol received from the node-internal network providing means into the particular network transport protocol by using the transport function of the at least one module.

28. A network node according to claim 27, wherein the first and second converting means are implemented according to an Ethernet protocol.

29. A network node according to claim 27, wherein the second converting means is configured to convert traffic received from a switch.

30. A network node according to claim 25, containing updating means for updating the software of the transport function of the at least one module.

31. A network node according to claim 30, wherein the updating means is configured to perform remotely.