AUTOMATIC PACKET TAGGING

• US 20090279545A1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Moonen, Jan Renier
• Granted Patent: US 8,305,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

A network device is arranged for coupling to a first network segment (18) to a second network segment (17), and has a transfer unit (23) for transferring data packets between the first and second network segments. The device has a determining unit (24) for determining a service requirement for a received data packet for accommodating the service requirement in the second network segment. A source of the received data packet in the first network segment is detected. Based on priority criteria and content type criteria a type of service is tagged to the data packet in dependence of the source. The transfer unit is arranged for accommodating the type of service in the second network segment. Advantageously a bridge is formed for transferring data packets that are unaware of quality of service to a network segment that operates according to quality of service requirements.

Claims

1. Network device comprising:

a first interface unit (22) for coupling to a first network segment (18);

a second interface unit (21) for coupling to a second network segment (17);

transfer means (23) for transferring data packets between the first and second network segments; and

determining means (24) for determining a service requirement for a received data packet that is to be transferred from the first network to the second network segment, for accommodating the service requirement in the second network segment;

the determining means being arranged for determining the service requirement by;

detecting a source of the received data packet in the first network segment, and

assigning, to the received data packet, a type of service in dependence of the source, and

the transfer means being arranged for accommodating the type of service in the second network segment for the received data packet.

2. Network device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining means (24) are arranged for detecting the source of the received data packet based on at least one of:

a network address indicator;

a network port indicator;

a media access indicator or Media Access Protocol [MAC] address;

and, in the event of the first network segment being coupled to the Internet;

an Internet Protocol [IP] address;

a Uniform Resource Locator [URL].

3. Network device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining means (24) are arranged for said assigning the type of service by applying predefined criteria, the criteria including at least one of:

a mapping of a content type to a source;

priority criteria for a source.

4. Network device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the determining means (24) comprise a control interface for setting the predefined criteria, in a particular case the control interface being a user interface or an application programming interface [API].

5. Network device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining means (24) are arranged for said assigning the type of service based on analyzing a control portion of the received data packet according to a predefined protocol, in a particular case the control portion comprising a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions [MIME]-type according to a hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] protocol, an audio video [AV] profile according to a real time protocol [RTP], or a code indicating an encoder used for encoding the content of the data packet.

6. Network device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer means (23) are arranged for accommodating the type of service by adapting a control portion of the received data packet according to a predefined protocol.

7. Network device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said adapting comprises adapting a header by setting a type of service field.

8. Network device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second network interface (21) comprises different buffer queues for packets of different type of service for interfacing to a wireless second network segment, and

the transfer means (23) are arranged for said accommodating the type of service by transferring the received packet via a selected one of the buffer queues based on the type of service.

9. Network device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer means (23) comprise a mass storage unit (25) for storing data packets received from the first network segment and retrieving data packets to be transmitted to the second network segment, and the determining means are arranged for said assigning the type of service before said storing or after said retrieving.

10. Method of determining a service requirement while transferring data packets between a first network segment and a second network segment, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a service requirement for a received data packet that is to be transferred from the first network to the second network segment, for accommodating the service requirement in the second network segment;

which determining comprises;

detecting a source of the received data packet in the first network segment; and

assigning, to the received data packet, a type of service in dependence of the source;

and which transferring comprises;

accommodating the type of service in the second network segment for the received data packet.

11. Computer program product for determining a service requirement while transferring data packets between a first network segment and a second network segment, which program is operative to cause a processor to perform the method as claimed in claim 10.