System and method for traffic routing

• US 20060159101A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Turk, Doughan A.
• Application Number:
  US11/311,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20060159101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for traffic routing. An embodiment includes an engine for identifying groupings of subscriber stations within a particular ISP. The engine can also obtain a block of contiguous addresses for assignment to the subscriber stations. The addresses are assigned from the block to each of the subscriber stations in substantially contiguous sub-blocks based on the groupings. The groupings can be geographic or based on other desired criteria.

Claims

1. An apparatus for associating network addresses with a plurality of subscriber stations in a network;

said apparatus comprising an engine for receiving a block of contiguous network addresses;

said engine operable to identify a grouping of said subscriber stations from said plurality of subscriber stations;

said engine operable to associate said block of contiguous network addresses with said at least one grouping.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said network addresses are IP addresses.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said engine is connected to a base station and said grouping is identified by including all of said subscriber stations that are connected to said base station in said grouping;

said apparatus further operable to provide said block to said base station;

said base station farther operable to assign said addresses to said subscriber stations.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said base station is selected from the group consisting of a BAS and a wireless base station in a wireless local loop.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said engine is further operable to assign said IP addresses directly to said subscriber stations.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said engine is further operable to forward an identification of said block to a junction, such that traffic for said grouping of subscriber stations is routed through said junction.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said apparatus is further operable to forward an identification of said block to one of a plurality of junctions, such that traffic for said grouping of subscriber stations is routed through said junction;

said apparatus operable to make a selection of which one of said junctions presents a desired routing for said traffic.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said desired routing is based on at least one of cost, latency, bit error rate and geographic distance.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grouping is based on subscriber stations belonging to a single enterprise.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grouping is based on subscriber stations having a common location.

12. A computer readable media storing a set of programming instructions according to the method in claim 10.

11. A method of associating network addresses with a plurality of subscriber stations in a network comprising:

receiving a block of contiguous network addresses;

identifying a grouping of said subscriber stations from said plurality of subscriber stations;

associating said block of contiguous network addresses with said at least one grouping.

11-1. A method of associating network addresses with a plurality of subscriber stations in a network comprising:

receiving subscriber station information;

determining address needs for said subscriber stations;

receiving blocks of network addresses for assignment to said subscriber stations; and

,

assigning network addresses to said subscriber stations according to groupings thereof.