Bandwidth control apparatus, bandwidth control method, and bandwidth control system

• US 20060280168A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ozaki, Hirokazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,936,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13387 Call gapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 Distributing or queueing

Abstract

The present invention provides a bandwidth control apparatus, a bandwidth control method, and a bandwidth control system for effective utilization of bandwidths resource in data transmission. The bandwidth control apparatus measures downstream effective bit rate of own access lines and notifies downstream effective bit rate information of each access line to a remote bandwidth control apparatus which communicates with the bandwidth control apparatus via a network. The bandwidth control apparatus allocates and controls upstream bandwidths of own access lines on the basis of corresponding downstream effective bit rate information of access lines notified from remote bandwidth control apparatus via the networks.

Claims

1. A bandwidth control system constituted by a plurality of bandwidth control apparatuses, each concentrating a plurality of access lines into a multiplexed line connecting to a network and communicating with one another via the network by controlling bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in each of the bandwidth control apparatuses, the bandwidth control system comprising:

a first bandwidth control apparatus which collects bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus and notifies, via the network, other bandwidth control apparatuses, which are communicating with the first bandwidth control apparatus, of the bandwidth states of the respective access lines collected; and

a second bandwidth control apparatus which receives the bandwidth states notified by the first bandwidth control apparatus, allocates bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus on the basis of the bandwidth states received, and controls the bandwidths of the respective access lines of the second bandwidth control apparatus in accordance with the allocated bandwidths.

2. The bandwidth control system according to claim 1, wherein

the first bandwidth control apparatus collects downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus, and

the second bandwidth control apparatus controls upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus.

3. The bandwidth control system according to claim 2, wherein

the first bandwidth control apparatus notifies the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus with a weighting information classified into a plurality of groups corresponding to states of use, and

the second bandwidth control apparatus distributes and allocates the upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus on the basis of a ratio of the weighting information.

4. The bandwidth control system according to claim 3, wherein

the first bandwidth control apparatus inserts the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus into upstream signals of the respective access lines, multiplexes the upstream signals of the respective access lines with the downstream bandwidth states inserted therein, and notifies the second bandwidth control apparatus of the downstream bandwidth states.

5. The bandwidth control system according to claim 3, wherein

the first bandwidth control apparatus inserts the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus into positions, which correspond to the respective access lines, of an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal transmitted from the first bandwidth control apparatus, respectively, and notifies the second bandwidth control apparatus of the downstream bandwidth states, and

the second bandwidth control apparatus controls, on the basis of the downstream bandwidth states inserted in the positions, which correspond to the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus, of the Option field of the TCP header notified from the first bandwidth control apparatus, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the downstream bandwidth states.

6. The bandwidth control system according to claim 3, wherein

the first bandwidth control apparatus inserts the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus into positions, which correspond to the respective access lines, of an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal transmitted from the first bandwidth control apparatus and notifies the second bandwidth control apparatus of the bandwidth states together with a bandwidth control apparatus identification number for identifying the first bandwidth control apparatus, and

the second bandwidth control apparatus specifies the first bandwidth control apparatus from a source IP address of an IP packet including a TCP header notified from the first bandwidth control apparatus and the bandwidth control apparatus identification number notified together with the downstream bandwidth states and controls, on the basis of the downstream bandwidth states inserted in the positions, which correspond to the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus specified, of the Option field of the TCP header, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the downstream bandwidth states.

7. The bandwidth control system according to claim 3, wherein

the first bandwidth control apparatus inserts downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus, a bandwidth control apparatus identification number for identifying the first bandwidth control apparatus, and access line identification numbers for identifying the access lines into an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal corresponding to the access lines and notifies the second bandwidth control apparatus of the downstream bandwidth state, the bandwidth control apparatus identification number, and the access line identification numbers, and

the second bandwidth control apparatus specifies an access line accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus for which a destination IP address of an IP packet including the TCP header notified from the first bandwidth control apparatus and a destination port number of the TCP header and a source IP address and a source port number of a TCP session stored in advance in association with the access lines accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus coincide with each other, identifies, from the bandwidth control apparatus identification number and the access line identification number, an access line accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the access line accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus specified, and controls, on the basis of the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus identified, an upstream bandwidth of the access line accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus specified.

8. The bandwidth control system according to claim 7, wherein

when there are a plurality of TCP sessions corresponding to one access line accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus, the second bandwidth control apparatus performs one of the control operations for controlling the upstream bandwidth of the access line accommodated in the second bandwidth control apparatus, in which:

a control operation on the basis of totaled bandwidths indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus identified by the corresponding TCP session,

a control operation on the basis of a maximum bandwidth state among the downstream bandwidth states of all access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus identified by the corresponding TCP session,

a control operation on the basis of an average of bandwidths indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus identified by the corresponding TCP session,

and a control operation on the basis of a weighted average of bandwidths indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the first bandwidth control apparatus identified by the corresponding TCP session.

9. A bandwidth control apparatus which concentrates a plurality of access lines into a multiplexed line connecting to network and controls bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated by the bandwidth control apparatus, the bandwidth control apparatus comprising:

a bandwidth state transmitting unit that collects downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus and notifies, via the network, other bandwidth control apparatuses, which are communicating with the bandwidth control apparatus, of the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines collected;

a bandwidth allocating unit that acquires downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines, which are accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatuses, notified by the other bandwidth control apparatuses, which are communicating with the bandwidth control apparatus via the network, and allocates, on the basis of the bandwidth states acquired, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus; and

a bandwidth control unit that controls upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus according to the bandwidth allocated by the- bandwidth allocating unit.

10. The bandwidth control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the bandwidth state transmitting unit includes:

a line bit rate measuring unit that measures bit rates of downstream signals of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus; and

an inter-apparatus control signal transmitting unit that collects the bit rates of the downstream signals of the respective access lines measured by the line bit rate measuring unit and notifies the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the downstream bandwidth states including weighting information classified into a plurality of groups corresponding to the bit rates, and

the bandwidth allocating unit acquires the bandwidth states notified by the other bandwidth control apparatuses which communicates with the bandwidth control apparatus and distributes and allocates, on the basis of a ratio of the weighting information included in the bandwidth states acquired, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus.

11. The bandwidth control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the inter-apparatus control signal transmitting unit inserts the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus into upstream signals of the respective access lines, multiplexes the upstream signals of the respective access lines with the bandwidth states inserted therein, and notifies the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the downstream bandwidth states.

12. The bandwidth control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the inter-apparatus control signal transmitting unit inserts the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus into positions, which correspond to the respective access lines, of an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal transmitted from the bandwidth control apparatus, respectively, and notifies the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the downstream bandwidth states, and

the bandwidth allocating unit controls, on the basis of the downstream bandwidth states inserted in the positions, which correspond to the respective access lines accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatuses, of the Option field of the TCP header notified from the other bandwidth control apparatuses, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the downstream bandwidth states.

13. The bandwidth control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the inter-apparatus control signal transmitting unit inserts the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus into positions, which correspond to the respective access lines, of an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal transmitted from the bandwidth control apparatus, respectively, and notifies the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the downstream bandwidth states together with a bandwidth control apparatus identification number for identifying a transmission source bandwidth control apparatus, and

the bandwidth allocating unit specifies the transmission source bandwidth control apparatus from a source IP address of an IP packet including a TCP header notified from the other bandwidth control apparatuses and the bandwidth control apparatus identification number notified together with the downstream bandwidth states and controls, on the basis of the downstream bandwidth states inserted in the positions, which correspond to the respective access lines accommodated in the transmission source bandwidth control apparatus specified, of the Option field of the TCP header, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the downstream bandwidth states.

14. The bandwidth control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the bandwidth state transmitting unit further includes a storing unit that stores source IP addresses and source port numbers of a TCP session corresponding to the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus,

the inter-apparatus control signal transmitting unit inserts downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus, a bandwidth control apparatus identification number for identifying the transmission source bandwidth control apparatus, and access line identification numbers for identifying the access lines into an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal corresponding to the access lines and notifies the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the downstream bandwidth state, the bandwidth control apparatus identification number, and the access line identification numbers, and

the bandwidth allocating unit compares a destination IP address of an IP packet including a TCP header notified from the other bandwidth control apparatuses and a destination port number of the TCP header and a source IP address and a source port number of the TCP session stored in advance in the storing unit and specifies an access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus for which the destination IP address and the destination port number and the source IP address and the source port number coincide with each other, identifies, from the bandwidth control apparatus identification number and the access line identification number, an access line accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the specified access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus, and controls, on the basis of a downstream bandwidth state of the access line accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatus identified, an upstream bandwidth of the specified access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus.

15. The bandwidth control apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

when there are a plurality of TCP sessions stored in the storing unit corresponding to one access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus, the bandwidth allocating unit performs one of control operations for controlling the upstream bandwidth of the access line in the bandwidth control apparatus, in which:

a control operation on the basis of totaled bandwidths indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatus identified by the corresponding TCP session,

a control operation on the basis of a maximum bandwidth state among the downstream bandwidth states of all access lines accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatus identified by the corresponding TCP session,

a control operation on the basis of an average of bandwidths indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatus identified by the corresponding TCP session,

and a control operation on the basis of a weighted average of bandwidths indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatus identified by the corresponding TCP session.

16. A bandwidth control method of controlling, when a plurality of bandwidth control apparatuses, each concentrating a plurality of access lines into a multiplexed line connecting to a network and communicating with one another via the network, bandwidths of each of the access lines accommodated in the respective bandwidth control apparatuses, the bandwidth control method comprising:

a collecting step of collecting downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus;

a notifying step of notifying, via the network, other bandwidth control apparatuses, which are communicating with the bandwidth control apparatus, of the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines collected;

an acquiring step of acquiring the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatuses notified by the other bandwidth control apparatuses, which is communicating with the bandwidth control apparatus via the network;

a bandwidth allocating step of allocating upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus on the basis of the downstream bandwidth states acquired; and

a bandwidth control step of controlling the upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus in accordance with the allocated bandwidths.

17. The bandwidth control method according to claim 16, wherein

the collecting step includes a step of measuring bit rates of downstream signals of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus and a weighting step of giving a weighting information classified into a plurality of groups corresponding to the bit rates of the downstream signals of the respective access lines measured, and

the bandwidth allocating step includes:

a distributing and allocating step of acquiring the downstream bandwidth states notified by the other bandwidth control apparatuses and distributing and allocating, on the basis of a ratio of the weighting information included in the downstream bandwidth states acquired, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus.

18. The bandwidth control method according to claim 17, wherein

the notifying step includes an inserting and multiplexing step of inserting the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus into upstream signals of the respective access lines, multiplying the upstream signals of the respective access lines with the downstream bandwidth states inserted therein, and notifying the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the bandwidth states.

19. The bandwidth control method according to claim 17, wherein

the notifying step includes an inserting step of inserting the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus into positions, which correspond to the respective access lines, of an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal transmitted from the bandwidth control apparatus, respectively, and notifying the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the bandwidth states, and

the bandwidth control step includes a control step of controlling, on the basis of the downstream bandwidth states inserted in the positions, which correspond to the respective access lines accommodated in the other bandwidth control apparatuses, of the Option field of the TCP header notified from the other bandwidth control apparatuses, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the bandwidth states.

20. The bandwidth control method according to claim 17, wherein

the notifying step includes an inserting step of inserting the downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus into positions, which correspond to the respective access lines, of an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal transmitted from the bandwidth control apparatus, respectively, and notifying the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the downstream bandwidth states together with a bandwidth control apparatus identification number for identifying a transmission source bandwidth control apparatus, and

the bandwidth control step includes a control step of specifying the transmission source bandwidth control apparatus from a source IP address of an IP packet including a TCP header notified from the other bandwidth control apparatuses and the bandwidth control apparatus identification number notified together with the downstream bandwidth states and controlling, on the basis of the downstream bandwidth states inserted in the positions, which correspond to the respective access lines accommodated in the transmission source bandwidth control apparatus specified, of the Option field of the TCP header, upstream bandwidths of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the downstream bandwidth states.

21. The bandwidth control method according to claim 17, wherein

the notifying step includes:

a storing step of storing source IP addresses and source port numbers of a TCP session corresponding to the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus; and

an inserting step of inserting downstream bandwidth states of the respective access lines accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus, a bandwidth control apparatus identification number for identifying the transmission source bandwidth control apparatus, and access line identification numbers for identifying the access lines into an Option field of a TCP header of an upstream signal corresponding to the access lines and notifying the other bandwidth control apparatuses of the downstream bandwidth state, the bandwidth control apparatus identification number, and the access line identification numbers, and

the bandwidth control step includes;

an apparatus accommodating access line specifying step of comparing a destination IP address of an IP packet including a TCP header notified from the other bandwidth control apparatuses and a destination port number of the TCP header and a source IP address and a source port number of the TCP session stored in advance in the storing step and specifying an access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus for which the destination IP address and the destination port number and the source IP address and the source port number coincide with each other;

a transmission source apparatus access line identifying step of identifying, from the bandwidth control apparatus identification number and the access line identification number, an access line accommodated in the transmission source bandwidth control apparatus corresponding to the access line specified in the apparatus accommodating access line specifying step; and

a step of controlling, on the basis of a downstream bandwidth state of the access line identified in the transmission source apparatus access line identifying step, an upstream bandwidth of the access line specified in the apparatus accommodating access line specifying step.

22. The bandwidth control method according to claim 21, wherein

when there are a plurality of TCP sessions stored in the storing step corresponding to one access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus, the bandwidth control step includes one of control steps controlling the upstream bandwidth of the access line in the bandwidth control apparatus, in which:

totaling bandwidths indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the transmission source bandwidth control apparatuses identified and controlling an upstream bandwidth of the access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus specified on the basis of the totaled bandwidths,

controlling an upstream bandwidth of the access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus specified on the basis of a maximum bandwidth state among the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the transmission source bandwidth control apparatuses identified,

controlling an upstream bandwidth of the access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus specified on the basis of an average of bandwidth indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the transmission source bandwidth control apparatuses identified and

controlling an upstream bandwidth of the access line accommodated in the bandwidth control apparatus specified on the basis of a weighted average bandwidths indicated by the downstream bandwidth states of all the access lines accommodated in the transmission source bandwidth control apparatuses identified.