Digital object routing

• US 20070127372A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zarbana Digital Fund LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lippershy Celestial LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cohen, Alexander, Khan, Shabbir
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/123 Evaluation of link metrics techniques for monitoring network metrics H04L43/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 based on transmission quality or channel quality

Abstract

A digital object may be routed via a network. Routing of a digital object may be based in part on link quality on the network and/or a desired level of quality and/or service.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a digital object to be forwarded on a network, the digital object including a specified quality of service;

determining a quality of at least one link on the network; and

routing the digital object on the network based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the desired quality of service.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising arranging a routing table based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising arranging a routing table based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service, and adding routing table information to the digital object.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining whether there is a change in the quality of at least one link on the network, and if so then arranging a routing table based at least in part on the change.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising sending the specified quality of service to one or more downstream nodes, receiving link information from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes, and arranging a routing table based at least on part on the link information received from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, said routing including forwarding the digital object to at least one or more of the nodes coupled to a link on the network that may satisfy the specified quality of service.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein specified quality of service information is able to be stored separately from the digital object, and the specified quality of service information is able to be transmitted on the network separately from the digital object.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said receiving, said determining, or said routing, or any combination thereof, is performed at least in part by at least one of a proxy, an agent, or a service provider, or any combination thereof.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a request from a destination node to transmit a digital object from a source node to the destination node via a network, the request including a specified quality of service;

adding a payload to the digital object;

adding specified quality of service information to the digital object; and

forwarding the digital object according to the specified quality of service.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising determining a quality of at least one link on the network, and arranging a routing table for the digital object based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising determining a quality of at least one link on the network, arranging a routing table for the digital object based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service, and adding routing table information to the digital object.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising determining whether there is a change in the quality of at least one link on the network, and if so then arranging a routing table based at least in part on the change.

13. A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising sending the specified quality of service to one or more downstream nodes, receiving link information from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes, and arranging a routing table based at least on part on the link information received from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes.

14. A method as claimed in claim 9, said forwarding including forwarding the digital object to at least one or more of the nodes coupled to a link on the network that may satisfy the specified quality of service.

15. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the specified quality of service information is able to be stored separately from the digital object, and is able to be transmitted on the network separately from the digital object.

16. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of said receiving, said adding a payload, said adding specified quality of service information, or said forwarding, or any combination thereof, is performed at least in part by at least one of a proxy, an agent, or a service provider, or any combination thereof.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a digital object to be forwarded on a network, the digital object including a specified quality of service;

means for determining a quality of at least one link on the network; and

means for routing the digital object on the network based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the desired quality of service.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising means for arranging a routing table based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising means for arranging a routing table based at least in part on at, least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service, and means for adding routing table information to the digital object.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising means for determining whether there is a change in the quality of at least one link on the network, means for arranging a routing table based at least in part on the change if said means for determining whether there is a change determines there is a change.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising means for sending the specified quality of service to one or more downstream nodes, means for receiving link information from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes, and means for arranging a routing table based at least on part on the link information received from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, said means for routing to forward the digital object to at least one or more of the nodes coupled to a link on the network that may satisfy the specified quality of service.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising means for storing specified quality of service information separately from the digital object, and means for transmitting the specified quality of service information on the network separately from the digital object.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one of said means for receiving, said means for determining, or said means for routing, or any combination thereof, comprises at least in part at least one of a proxy, an agent, or a service provider, or any combination thereof.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a request from a destination node to transmit a digital object from a source node to the destination node via a network, the request including a specified quality of service;

means for adding a payload to the digital object;

means for adding the specified quality of service to the digital object; and

means for forwarding the digital object according to the specified quality of service.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising means for determining a quality of at least one link on the network, and means for arranging a routing table for the digital object based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising means for determining a quality of at least one link on the network, means for arranging a routing table for the digital object based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service, and means for adding routing table information to the digital object.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising means for determining whether there is a change in the quality of at least one link on the network, and means for arranging a routing table based at least in part on the change if said means for determining whether there is a change determines there is a change.

29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising means for sending the specified quality of service to one or more downstream nodes, means for receiving link information from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes, and means for arranging a routing table based at least on part on the link information received from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, said means for forwarding to forward the digital object to at least one or more of the nodes coupled to a link on the network that may satisfy the specified quality of service.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further comprising means for storing specified quality of service information separately from the digital object, and means for transmitting the specified quality of service information on the network separately from the digital object.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein at least one of said means for receiving, said means for adding a payload, said means for adding specified quality of service information, or said means for forwarding, or any combination thereof, comprises at least in part at least one of a proxy, an agent, or a service provider, or any combination thereof.

33. An apparatus comprising a computing platform, the computing platform being adapted to:

receive a digital object to be forwarded on a network, the digital object including a specified quality of service;

determine a quality of at least one link on the network; and

route the digital object on the network based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

34. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, the computing platform being further adapted to arrange a routing table based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

35. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, the computing platform being further adapted to arrange a routing table based at least in part on at least one of the, quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service, and add routing table information to the digital object.

36. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, the computing platform being further adapted to determine whether there is a change in the quality of at least one link on the network, and if so then arrange a routing table based at least in part on the change.

37. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, the computing platform being further adapted to send the specified quality of service to one or more downstream nodes, receive link information from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes, and arrange a routing table based at least on part on the link information received from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes.

38. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, the computing platform being further adapted to forward the digital object to at least one or more of the nodes coupled to a link on the network that may satisfy the specified quality of service.

39. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, the computing platform being further adapted to store specified quality of service information separately from the digital object, and being further adapted to transmit the specified quality of service information on the network separately from the digital object.

40. An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, the computing platform being adapted to perform at least one of said receiving, said determining, or said routing, or any combination thereof, at least in part as at least one of a proxy, an agent, or a service provider, or any combination thereof.

41. An apparatus comprising a computing platform, the computing platform being adapted to:

receive a request from a destination node to transmit a digital object from a source node to the destination node via a network, the request including a specified quality of service;

add a payload to the digital object;

add the specified quality of service to the digital object; and

forward the digital object according to the specified quality of service.

42. A computing platform as claimed in claim 41, the computing platform being further adapted to determine a quality of at least one link on the network, and arrange a routing table for the digital object based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

43. A computing platform claimed in claim 41, the computing platform being further adapted to determine a quality of at least one link on the network, arrange a routing table for the digital object based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service, and add routing table information to the digital object.

44. A computing platform claimed in claim 41, the computing platform being further adapted to determine whether there is a change in the quality of at least one link on the network, and if so then arrange a routing table based at least in part on the change.

45. A computing platform as claimed in claim 41, the computing platform being further adapted to send the specified quality of service to one or more downstream nodes, receive link information from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes, and arrange a routing table based at least on part on the link information received from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes.

46. A computing platform as claimed in claim 41, the computing platform being further adapted to forward the digital object to at least one or more of the nodes coupled to a link on the network that may satisfy the specified quality of service.

47. A computing platform as claimed in claim 41, the computing platform being further adapted to store specified quality of service information separately from the digital object, and is further adapted to transmit the specified quality of service information on the network separately from the digital object.

48. A computing platform as claimed in claim 41, the computing platform being adapted to perform at least one of said receiving, said adding a payload, said adding specified quality of service information, or said forwarding, or any combination thereof, at least in part as at least one of a proxy, an agent, or a service provider, or any combination thereof.

49. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computing platform, result in the routing of a digital object by:

receiving the digital object to be forwarded on a network, the digital object including a specified quality of service;

determining a quality of at least one link on the network; and

routing the digital object on the network based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the desired quality of service.

50. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by arranging a routing table based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

51. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by arranging a routing table based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service, and adding routing table information to the digital object.

52. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by determining whether there is a change in the quality of at least one link on the network, and if so then arranging a routing table based at least in part on the change.

53. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by sending the specified quality of service to one or more downstream nodes, receiving link information from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes, and arranging a routing table based at least on part on the link information received from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes.

54. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by forwarding the digital object to at least one or more of the nodes coupled to a link on the network that may satisfy the specified quality of service.

55. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in storing specified quality of service information separately from the digital object, and transmitting the specified quality of service information on the network separately from the digital object.

56. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in at least one of said receiving, said determining, or said routing, or any combination thereof, being performed at least in part by at least one of a proxy, an agent, or a service provider, or any combination thereof.

57. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computing platform, result in the routing of a digital object by:

receiving a request from a destination node to transmit a digital object from a source node to the destination node via a network, the request including a specified quality of service;

adding a payload to the digital object;

adding the specified quality of service to the digital object; and

forwarding the digital object according to the specified quality of service.

58. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 57, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by determining a quality of at least one link on the network, and arranging a routing table for the digital object based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service.

59. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 57, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by determining a quality of at least one link on the network, arranging a routing table for the digital object based at least in part on at least one of the quality of the at least one link and/or the specified quality of service, and adding routing table information to the digital object.

60. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 57, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by determining whether there is a change in the quality of at least one link on the network, and if so then arranging a routing table based at least in part on the change.

61. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 57, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by sending the specified quality of service to one or more downstream nodes, receiving link information from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes, and arranging a routing table based at least on part on the link information received from at least one or more of the at least one or more downstream nodes.

62. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 57, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in the routing of a digital object by forwarding the digital object to at least one or more of the nodes coupled to a link on the network that may satisfy the specified quality of service.

63. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 57, wherein the instructions, when executed, further result in storing the specified quality of service information separately from the digital object, and transmitting the specified quality of service information on the network separately from the digital object.

64. An article of manufacture as claimed in claim 57, wherein the instructions, when executed, result in at least one of said receiving, said adding a payload, said adding specified quality of service information, or said forwarding, or any combination thereof, being performed at least in part by at least one of a proxy, an agent, or a service provider, or any combination thereof.