Network nodes cooperatively routing traffic flow amongst wired and wireless networks

• US 20070110035A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James
• Application Number:
  US11/394,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20070110035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

End-point devices, access points and other types of network nodes each employ multi-path management software to manage communication via multiple possible paths to the Internet backbone from communication applications that run on an end-point device. The multi-path management software on an end-point device may operate independently and/or cooperate with the local communication applications and the multi-path management software located on the access points or other network nodes to select one or more pathways for the local communication applications. The multi-path management software depending on data types and data requirements also supports selection and maintenance of two or more paths that simultaneously serve a single communication application. The multi-path management software of an end-point device may pass all or a portion of multi-path management responsibility to a local communication application and/or to multi-path management software of another network node. In addition to managing the selection of one or more pathways, the multi-path management software seamlessly switches pathways as may become necessary to meet changing network conditions or bandwidth demands.

Claims

1. A communication infrastructure comprising:

a local communication software application having a local communication requirement;

a local management software application;

a local end point device that executes the local communication software application and the local management software application;

a remote end point device having a remote communication characteristic;

a plurality of local access point devices communicatively coupled to the local end point device via a corresponding plurality of independent links, the corresponding plurality of independent links having a corresponding plurality of local pathway characteristics;

a packet switched communication backbone that communicatively couples with each of the plurality of access point devices and the second end point device;

the local end point device communicates through at least one of the plurality of local access points to reach with the remote end point device via the packet switched communication backbone; and

the local end point device selects the at least one of the plurality of local access points after considering the local communication requirement, the remote communication characteristic, and the corresponding plurality of local pathway characteristic.

2. The communication infrastructure of claim 1, further comprising a remote management software application, running on the remote end point device, which directs the delivery of the remote communication characteristic to the local end point device.

3. The communication infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the local communication requirement is delivered by the local communication software application to the local management application.

4. The communication infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the selection by the local end point device of the at least one of the plurality of local access points is performed as directed by the local management software application.

5. The communication infrastructure of claim 1, wherein the selection by the local end point device of the at least one of the plurality of local access points is performed as directed by the local communication software application.

6. A communication infrastructure that supports a communication software application having a communication characteristic, the communication infrastructure comprising:

a plurality of network nodes comprising a first access point, a second access point, and an end-point node that executes the communication software application;

the end-point node executes a first management application;

the first access point executes a second management application; and

using the communication characteristic and based on interaction between the first management application and the second management application, the first access point is selected to service the communication software application.

7. The communication infrastructure of claim 6, wherein the second access point is selected to service the communication software application if the first access point fails to support the communication characteristic.

8. The communication infrastructure of claim 6, wherein the communication characteristic is delivered by the first communication software application to the first management application.

9. The communication infrastructure of claim 6, wherein the communication characteristic is retrieved from storage by the first management application.

10. A communication infrastructure that supports a communication software application, the communication software application supporting data communication, the communication infrastructure comprising:

a plurality of network nodes comprising a first access point, a second access point, a first end-point node that executes the communication software application, and a second end-point node;

the plurality of network nodes arranged to support multiple communication pathways for the first end-point node; and

the first end-point node executes a management application that, based on requirements of the communication software application, cooperates with at least one other of the plurality of network nodes to choose both a first of the multiple communication pathways via the first access point to service a first portion of the data communication, and a second of the multiple communication pathways via the second access point to service a second portion of the data communication.

11. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the management application retrieves the requirements of the communication software application from storage.

12. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the management application sends the requirements at to the at least one other of the plurality of network nodes.

13. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the management application hands over future choices of both the first and the second of the multiple communication pathways to the communication software application.

14. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the management application monitors the multiple communication pathways.

15. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the requirements of the communication software application is delivered by the communication software application to the management application.

16. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the requirements of the communication software application is retrieved from storage by the management application.

17. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the cooperation by the management application of the end point node comprising passing the choice of both the first and the second of the multiple communication pathways to the communication software.

18. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the cooperation by the management application of the end point node comprising passing the choice of both the first and the second of the multiple communication pathways to at least one other of the plurality of network nodes.

19. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the cooperation by the management application of the end point node comprising passing the choice of both the first and the second of the multiple communication pathways to the first access point.

20. The communication infrastructure of claim 10, wherein the management application further cooperates with the at least one other of the plurality of network nodes to choose a third of the multiple communication pathways to replace the first of the multiple communication pathways.

21. A communication infrastructure comprising:

a plurality of communication software applications that each support packet communications, the plurality of communication software applications having a corresponding plurality of communication requirements;

a pathway management application;

a plurality of network nodes comprising a first access point, a second access point, and a first end-point node;

the first end-point node executes the pathway management application and the plurality of communication software applications;

the plurality of network nodes arranged to support multiple communication pathways for the first end-point node; and

the first end-point node, based at least in part on the corresponding plurality of communication requirements, selects a first of the multiple communication pathways and a second of the multiple communication pathways to support the plurality of communication software applications.

22. The communication infrastructure of claim 21, wherein the pathway management application retrieves the plurality of communication requirements from the plurality of communication software applications.

23. The communication infrastructure of claim 21, wherein the multiple communication pathways having corresponding multiple pathway characteristics;

and the first end-point node also considers the corresponding multiple pathway characteristics for the selection.

24. The communication infrastructure of claim 21, wherein the first of the multiple communication pathways and the second of the multiple communication pathways both support communication flow involving a first of the plurality of communication software applications.

25. The communication infrastructure of claim 24, wherein the plurality of network nodes further comprising a second end-point node that is also involved in the communication flow via the first of the multiple communication pathways and the second of the multiple communication pathways.

26. The communication infrastructure of claim 21, wherein the first of the multiple communication pathways supports communication flow involving a first of the plurality of communication software applications and a second of the plurality of communication software applications.