SWAPPING BANDWIDTH RESERVATIONS

• US 20070280289A1
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Konda, Praveen Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 8,705,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/745 Reaction in network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/765 triggered by the end-points
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/828 Allocation of resources per group of connections, e.g. per group of users

Abstract

A network includes reservation agents for reserving bandwidth for communication sessions and swapping bandwidth reservations from one communication session to another communication session. After a swap, the recipient communication session proceeds using the bandwidth originally reserved for the donor communication session, while the donor communication session no longer utilizes that bandwidth reservation. By swapping bandwidth reservations, a network may more efficiently use bandwidth in an environment where bandwidth is a limited resource.

Claims

1. A method of swapping a bandwidth reservation comprising:

requesting a bandwidth reservation for a first communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, the first communication session routed through a first gateway and a second gateway, wherein both the first endpoint and the first gateway are located in a first network and both the second endpoint and the second gateway are located in a second network;

storing session information indicating that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication session;

receiving a request for a second communication session between the first endpoint and a third endpoint, the third endpoint located in the second network, the second communication session routed through the first gateway and the second gateway;

determining that the second communication session can use the bandwidth reservation corresponding to the first communication session while the first communication session is in progress;

modifying the session information to indicate that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the second communication session; and

requesting a swap of the bandwidth reservation from the first communication session to the second communication session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

terminating the second communication;

modifying the session information to indicate that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication; and

requesting a swap of the bandwidth reservation from the second communication session to the first communication session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the session information indicates a first port on the first gateway assigned to the first communication session and a second port on the first gateway assigned to the second communication session;

the bandwidth reservation is associated with the first port when the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication session; and

modifying the session information comprises associating the bandwidth reservation with the second port.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first communication session is inactive; and

in response, requesting the swap of the bandwidth reservation from the first communication session to the second communication session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that additional bandwidth should be allocated to the second communication;

requesting a reservation of additional bandwidth between the first gateway and the second gateway; and

modifying the session information to indicate that both the bandwidth reservation and the additional bandwidth reserved correspond to the second communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth is reserved between the first gateway and the second gateway in a communication link connecting the first network and the second network, wherein the communication link has a limited amount of bandwidth.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third endpoints are selected from:

a conference bridge, a telephone, a video phone, a computer, a personal digital assistant, and a cell phone.

8. A device for swapping a bandwidth reservation comprising:

session information stored in a memory, the session information indicating that a bandwidth reservation corresponds to a first communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, the first communication session routed through a first gateway and a second gateway, wherein both the first endpoint and the first gateway are located in a first network and both the second endpoint and the second gateway are located in a second network; and

a controller operable to request the bandwidth reservation for the first communication session and to receive a request for a second communication session between the first endpoint and a third endpoint, the third endpoint located in the second network, the second communication session routed through the first gateway and the second gateway;

the controller further operable to determine that the second communication session can use the bandwidth reservation corresponding to the first communication session while the first communication session is in progress, to modify the session information to indicate that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the second communication session, and to request a swap of the bandwidth reservation from the first communication session to the second communication session.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further operable to:

terminate the second communication;

modify the session information to indicate that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication; and

request a swap of the bandwidth reservation from the second communication session to the first communication session.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein:

the session information indicates a first port on the first gateway assigned to the first communication session and a second port on the first gateway assigned to the second communication session;

the bandwidth reservation is associated with the first port when the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication session; and

modifying the session information comprises associating the bandwidth reservation with the second port.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further operable to:

determine that the first communication session is inactive; and

in response, request the swap of the bandwidth reservation from the first communication session to the second communication session.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the controller is farther operable to:

determine that additional bandwidth should be allocated to the second communication;

request a reservation of additional bandwidth between the first gateway and the second gateway; and

modify the session information to indicate that both the bandwidth reservation and the additional bandwidth reserved correspond to the second communication.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the bandwidth is reserved between the first gateway and the second gateway in a communication link connecting the first network and the second network, wherein the communication link has a limited amount of bandwidth.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the first, second, and third endpoints are selected from:

a conference bridge, a telephone, a video phone, a computer, a personal digital assistant, and a cell phone.

15. Logic for swapping a bandwidth reservation, the logic encoded in media and operable when executed to:

request a bandwidth reservation for a first communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, the first communication session routed through a first gateway and a second gateway, wherein both the first endpoint and the first gateway are located in a first network and both the second endpoint and the second gateway are located in a second network;

store session information indicating that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication session;

receive a request for a second communication session between the first endpoint and a third endpoint, the third endpoint located in the second network, the second communication session routed through the first gateway and the second gateway;

determine that the second communication session can use the bandwidth reservation corresponding to the first communication session while the first communication session is in progress;

modify the session information to indicate that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the second communication session; and

request a swap of the bandwidth reservation from the first communication session to the second communication session.

16. The logic of claim 15, further operable to:

terminate the second communication;

modify the session information to indicate that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication; and

request a swap of the bandwidth reservation from the second communication session to the first communication session.

17. The logic of claim 15, wherein:

the session information indicates a first port on the first gateway assigned to the first communication session and a second port on the first gateway assigned to the second communication session;

the bandwidth reservation is associated with the first port when the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication session; and

modifying the session information comprises associating the bandwidth reservation with the second port.

18. The logic of claim 15, further operable to:

determine that the first communication session is inactive; and

in response, request the swap of the bandwidth reservation from the first communication session to the second communication session.

19. The logic of claim 15, further operable to:

determine that additional bandwidth should be allocated to the second communication;

request a reservation of additional bandwidth between the first gateway and the second gateway; and

modify the session information to indicate that both the bandwidth reservation and the additional bandwidth reserved correspond to the second communication.

20. The logic of claim 15, wherein the bandwidth is reserved between the first gateway and the second gateway in a communication link connecting the first network and the second network, wherein the communication link has a limited amount of bandwidth.

21. The logic of claim 15, wherein the first, second, and third endpoints are selected from:

a conference bridge, a telephone, a video phone, a computer, a personal digital assistant, and a cell phone.

22. A system for swapping a bandwidth reservation comprising:

means for requesting a bandwidth reservation for a first communication session between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, the first communication session routed through a first gateway and a second gateway, wherein both the first endpoint and the first gateway are located in a first network and both the second endpoint and the second gateway are located in a second network;

means for storing session information indicating that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the first communication session;

means for receiving a request for a second communication session between the first endpoint and a third endpoint, the third endpoint located in the second network, the second communication session routed through the first gateway and the second gateway;

means for determining that the second communication session can use the bandwidth reservation corresponding to the first communication session while the first communication session is in progress;

means for modifying the session information to indicate that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the second communication session; and

means for requesting a swap of the bandwidth reservation from the first communication session to the second communication session.

23. A system for swapping a bandwidth reservation comprising:

a first network including a first endpoint, a first gateway, and a third endpoint;

a second network including a second endpoint, and a second gateway; and

a call control agent comprising;

session information indicating that a bandwidth reservation corresponds to a first communication session between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, the first communication session routed through the first gateway and the second gateway; and

a controller operable to request a bandwidth reservation for the first communication session;

to receive a request for a second communication session between the first endpoint and the third endpoint, the second communication session routed through the first gateway and the second gateway, to determine that the second communication session can use the bandwidth reservation corresponding to the first communication session while the first communication session is in progress, to modify the session information to indicate that the bandwidth reservation corresponds to the second communication session, and to request a swap of the bandwidth reservation from the first communication session to the second communication session.