Apparatus and method for terminating service emulation instances

• US 20050226215A1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Bencheck, Michael U., DelRegno, Nick, McDysan, David E., Kotrla, Scott R., Turlington, Matthew W., Drake, William, Hardin, Ross S., Schell, Richard C., Chiu, Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

System and method for providing a termination point for service emulation instances in an access network is provided. In an embodiment, the service emulation instances are implemented utilizing, for example, pseudowires. Communications to and from the access network are aggregated and transmitted via one or more pseudowires to a service emulation instance terminator. The service emulation instance terminator converts the traffic to its native form and, if necessary, converts the traffic to a different type of format or service. The service emulation instance terminator then frames the traffic for the appropriate type of service and transmits the traffic to the service edge. Traffic received from the service is removed prepended with a pseudowire label and aggregated with other traffic. The aggregated traffic is transmitted to the customer via the access network. If necessary, an interworking function may convert the traffic from one type of service to another type of service.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing service emulation communications, comprising:

a service emulation interface for receiving service emulation communications;

a service emulation end point component communicatively coupled to the service emulation interface, the service emulation end point component being configured to convert service emulation communications to communications conforming to a first transport; and

an interworking function communicatively coupled to the service emulation end point component configured to convert the communications conforming to the first transport to communications conforming to a second transport.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service emulation interface receives service emulation communications from a customer via an access network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interworking function sends the communications conforming to the second transport to a service edge.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the interworking function sends the communications conforming to the second transport to the service edge via a framer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interworking function is communicatively coupled to a service edge.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a framer communicatively coupled to the interworking function and communicatively coupled to a service edge, the framer being configured to transmit communications conforming to the second transport on a communications link.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service emulation communications are received via a pseudowire.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service emulation end point component terminates one or more pseudowires within a tunnel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tunnel is a label switched path.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service emulation communications comprise a service emulation mapping identifier and a service emulation instance payload.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service emulation communications comprise a plurality of service emulation mapping identifiers and a service emulation instance payload.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to invoke the interworking function in response to receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.

16. An apparatus for processing service emulation communications, the apparatus comprising:

a service emulation interface communicatively coupled to a user of a first transport, the service emulation interface being configured to receive service emulation communications;

a service emulation end point component communicatively coupled to the service emulation interface, the service emulation end point component being configured to extract service emulation instance payload from a service emulation communications; and

an interworking function communicatively coupled to the service emulation end point component, the interworking function being configured to convert the service emulation instance payload conforming to the first transport to communications conforming to a second transport.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service emulation interface is communicatively coupled to the user via an access network.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the interworking function is communicatively coupled to a framer configured for framing the communications in accordance with the second transport.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the interworking function is communicatively coupled to a service edge via the framer.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the interworking function sends the communications conforming to the second transport to a service edge.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service emulation end point component terminates one or more pseudowires within a tunnel.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the tunnel is a label switched path.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service emulation communications comprise a service emulation mapping identifier.

27. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service emulation communications comprise a plurality of service emulation mapping identifiers.

28. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a controller configured to invoke the interworking function in response to receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.

30. An apparatus for processing service emulation communications having one or more service emulation instances, the apparatus comprising:

means for terminating a service emulation instance;

means for extracting a service emulation instance payload from the service emulation instance, the service emulation instance payload conforming to a first transport; and

means for converting the service emulation communications from the first transport to communications conforming to a second transport.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for framing the communications in accordance with the second transport.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for communicatively coupling to a service edge the means for converting.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for communicatively coupling to an access network the means for terminating.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

35. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

36. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire.

37. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the service emulation communications comprise a service emulation mapping identifier.

38. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the service emulation communications comprise a plurality of service emulation mapping identifiers.

39. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for invoking the means for converting upon receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the means for invoking receives the indication from a network management system.

41. An apparatus for processing service emulation communications, the apparatus comprising:

an interworking function communicatively coupled to a service edge, the interworking function being configured to convert communications conforming to a first transport to communications conforming to a second transport;

a service emulation end point component communicatively coupled to the interworking function, the service emulation end point component being configured to encode communications conforming to the second transport into service emulation communications; and

a service emulation interface communicatively coupled to the service emulation end point component and an access network, the service emulation interface being configured to transmit service emulation communications on a service emulation instance.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the interworking function is communicatively coupled the service edge via a framer, the framer being configured for extracting the communications from frames associated with the second transport.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the service emulation end point component terminates one or more pseudowires within a tunnel.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the tunnel is a label switched path.

48. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the service emulation communications comprise a service emulation mapping identifier and a service emulation instance payload.

49. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the service emulation communications comprise a plurality of service emulation mapping identifiers and a service emulation instance payload.

50. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising a controller configured to invoke the interworking function in response to receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.

52. An apparatus for processing service emulation communications, the apparatus comprising:

a pseudowire terminator communicatively coupled to an access network, the pseudowire terminator being configured to act as one end of a pseudowire to receive communications corresponding to a first transport; and

a framer communicatively coupled to a service edge and the pseudowire terminator, the framer being configured to insert framing data prior to transmission to the service edge.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising an interworking function communicatively coupled to the pseudowire terminator and the framer, the interworking function configured to convert from communications received via the pseudowire terminator conforming to the first transport to communications conforming to a second transport suitable for framing by the framer.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

56. The apparatus of claim 53, further comprising a controller configured to invoke the interworking function in response to receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.

58. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the pseudowire terminator terminates one or more pseudowires within a tunnel.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein the tunnel is a label switched path.

60. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the communications received by the pseudowire terminator comprise a service emulation mapping identifier and a service emulation instance payload.

61. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the communications received by the pseudowire terminator comprise a plurality of service emulation mapping identifiers and a service emulation instance payload.

62. An apparatus for processing service emulation communications, the apparatus comprising:

a framer communicatively coupled to a service edge, the framer being configured to extract communications conforming to a first transport; and

a pseudowire terminator communicatively coupled to an access network and the framer, the pseudowire terminator being configured to act as one end of a pseudowire to transmit the communications on a pseudowire.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, further comprising an interworking function communicatively coupled to the pseudowire terminator and the framer, the interworking function configured to convert from communications received via the framer conforming to the first transport to communications conforming to a second transport suitable for transmission by the pseudowire terminator.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

65. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

66. The apparatus of claim 63, further comprising a controller configured to invoke the interworking function in response to receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.

68. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the pseudowire terminator terminates one or more pseudowires within a tunnel.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the tunnel is a label switched path.

70. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the communications transmitted by the pseudowire terminator comprise a service emulation mapping identifier and a service emulation instance payload.

71. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the communications transmitted by the pseudowire terminator comprise a plurality of service emulation mapping identifiers and a service emulation instance payload.

72. A method for processing service emulation communications, comprising:

receiving service emulation communications on a service emulation instance from a customer via an access network, the service emulation communications comprising a service emulation instance payload corresponding to a first transport;

converting the service emulation instance payload to a second format corresponding to a second transport; and

transmitting the service emulation instance payload in the second format to a service edge on a communications link corresponding to the second transport.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the receiving includes decapsulating the service emulation communications.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the decapsulating includes removing one or more service emulation instance mapping identifiers.

75. The method of claim 73, wherein the decapsulating includes removing a tunnel label.

76. The method of claim 72, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire.

77. The method of claim 72, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire within a tunnel.

78. The method of claim 72, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

79. The method of claim 72, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

80. The method of claim 72, further comprising associating the service emulation instance with a port communicatively coupled to the service edge.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein the step of associating is performed dynamically via a network management system.

82. The method of claim 72, further comprising framing the communications for transmission on the second transport.

83. The method of claim 72, wherein the converting is in response to receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

84. The method of claim 83, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.

85. A method for processing service emulation communications, comprising:

receiving communications in a first format associated with a first transport;

removing framing information associated with the first transport;

converting the communications to a second format corresponding to a second transport;

encoding the communications in the second format to form service emulation communications; and

transmitting the service emulation communications over a service emulation instance.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the encoding includes prepending a service emulation instance mapping identifier.

87. The method of claim 85, wherein the encoding includes prepending a plurality of service emulation instance mapping identifiers.

88. The method of claim 85, wherein the encoding includes prepending a tunnel label.

89. The method of claim 85, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire.

90. The method of claim 85, wherein the receiving includes receiving communications from a service edge.

91. The method of claim 85, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the service emulation communications to a customer via an access network.

92. The method of claim 85, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

93. The method of claim 85, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

94. The method of claim 85, wherein the converting is in response to receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.

96. A computer program product for processing service emulation communications, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for receiving service emulation communications on a service emulation instance from a customer via an access network, the service emulation communications comprising a service emulation instance payload corresponding to a first transport;

computer program code for converting the service emulation instance payload to a second format corresponding to a second transport; and

computer program code for transmitting the service emulation instance payload in the second format to a service edge on a communications link corresponding to the second transport.

97. The computer program product of claim 96, wherein the computer program code for receiving includes computer program code for decapsulating the service emulation communications.

98. The computer program product of claim 97, wherein the computer program code for decapsulating includes computer program code for removing a service emulation instance mapping identifiers.

99. The computer program product of claim 97, wherein the computer program code for decapsulating includes computer program code for removing a plurality of service emulation instance mapping identifiers.

100. The computer program product of claim 97, wherein the computer program code for decapsulating includes computer program code for removing a tunnel label.

101. The computer program product of claim 96, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire.

102. The computer program product of claim 96, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire within a tunnel.

103. The computer program product of claim 96, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

104. The computer program product of claim 96, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

105. The computer program product of claim 96, further comprising computer program code for associating the service emulation instance with a port communicatively coupled to the service edge.

106. The computer program product of claim 105, wherein the computer program code for associating comprises computer program code for dynamically receiving associations via a network management system.

107. The computer program product of claim 96, further comprising computer program code for framing the communications for transmission on the second transport.

108. The computer program product of claim 96, wherein the computer program code for converting is performed in response to a receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

109. The computer program product of claim 108, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.

110. A computer program product for processing service emulation communications, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for receiving communications in a first format associated with a first transport;

computer program code for removing framing information associated with the first transport;

computer program code for converting the communications to a second format corresponding to a second transport;

computer program code for encoding the communications in the second format to form service emulation communications; and

computer program code for transmitting the service emulation communications over a service emulation instance.

111. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the computer program code for encoding includes computer program code prepending a service emulation instance mapping identifiers.

112. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the computer program code for encoding includes computer program code prepending a plurality of service emulation instance mapping identifiers.

113. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the computer program code for encoding includes computer program code prepending a tunnel label.

114. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the service emulation instance is a pseudowire.

115. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the computer program code for receiving includes computer program code receiving communications from a service edge.

116. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the computer program code for transmitting include computer program code transmitting the service emulation communications to a customer via an access network.

117. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the first transport is Frame Relay and the second transport is Ethernet.

118. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the first transport is Ethernet and the second transport is Frame Relay.

119. The computer program product of claim 110, wherein the computer program code for converting is performed in response to a receipt of an indication that the first transport is different than the second transport.

120. The computer program product of claim 119, wherein the indication is received from a network management system.