AUTOMATIC SIGNALING METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES

• US 20100002722A1
• Filed: 06/03/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tejas Networks
• Original Assignee: Tejas Israel Ltd.
• Inventors: LIPSHTEYN, Marina, PORAT, Hayim
• Granted Patent: US 8,503,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/123 Evaluation of link metrics techniques for monitoring network metrics H04L43/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/18 Loop-free operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/44 Distributed routing

Abstract

A method includes receiving by a first inter network interface (INI) a control message from an entity in a first network, the first INI being located at a border between the first network and networks external to the first network. The first INI translates the control message from a first format used internally in the first network to a second format used to communicate between the first INI and a second INI located at a border between a second network and networks exterior to the second network. The first INI then transmits the translated control message to the second INI. The method can also include translating, by the second INI, the received control message from the second format to a third format used internally in the second network, and forwarding the received and translated control message to an entity in the second network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving by a first inter network interface (INI) a control message from an entity in a first network, the first INI being located at a border between the first network and networks external to the first network, the control message including signaling between the first network and a second network;

translating, by the first INI, the control message from a first format used internally in the first network to a second format used to communicate between the first INI and a second INI located at a border between the second network and networks exterior to the second network; and

transmitting the translated control message from the first INI to the second INI.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

translating, by the second INI, the received control message from the second format used to communicate between the first and second INIs to a third format used internally in the second network; and

forwarding the received and translated control message to an entity in the second network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control message includes a network update request;

the receiving by the first INI includes receiving a new Global Unique Identifier (GUID);

the translating by the first INI includes generating an update message having GUIDs and network capabilities of the first network; and

the transmitting includes transmitting the update message to all INIs in a hierarchy level of the first INI and a next higher hierarchy level, as determined according to GUIDs of INIs.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the control message includes a network update request;

the translating by the second INI includes calculating updated path metrics based on an update message generated by the translating by the first INI; and

the forwarding the received and translated message includes comparing path metrics and network capabilities stored for the first network in a connectivity database of the second INI with the updated path metrics and network capabilities translated from the received update message, and, in response to the stored path metrics and network capabilities being different than the updated path metrics and network capabilities, storing the updated path metrics and network capabilities of the first network in the connectivity database of the second INI.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the control message includes a service creation request;

the receiving by the first INI includes receiving a service creation template having a destination GUID, a service ID, and a Quality of Service requirement;

the translating by the first INI includes generating a path creation message having data mapped from the service creation template to the second format for inter-INI communication, a GUID of the first INI, path metrics of a requested path between the first network and the second network, and a tariff for the requested path; and

the transmitting the translated control message includes transmitting the path creation message to a next INI of a next network in the requested service path.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving the transmitted path creation message by the next INI;

determining if the destination GUID in the path creation message is located in the network of the next INI;

in response to the destination GUID not being located in the network of the next INI and the next INI having information regarding the destination GUID, updating by the next INI the path metrics and tariff in the path creation message and transmitting the updated path creation message to another next INI in the requested service path.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control message includes a service teardown request;

the transmitting the translated service teardown message includes transmitting the message to a next INI of a next network in a service path that is requested to be torn down; and

the method further comprising;

receiving the transmitted service teardown message by the next INI;

determining if an endpoint of the service path that is requested to be torn down is located in the network of the next INI; and

in response to the endpoint not being located in the network of the next INI, transmitting the translated service teardown message to another next INI in the service path that is requested to be torn down.

8. A inter network interface (INI) device, comprising:

a first transceiver configured to receive a control message from an entity in a first network, the control message including signaling between the first network and a second network;

a processor configured to access and execute program instructions to translate the control message from a first format used internally in the first network to a second format used to communicate with a second INI located at a border between the second network and networks external to the second network;

a second transceiver configured to transmit the translated control message to the second INI; and

a memory configured to store the program instructions.

9. The INI device of claim 8, wherein the second transceiver is further configured to receive a second control message from the second INI;

the processor is further configured to execute the program instructions to translate the received second control message from the second format used to communicate with the second INI to the first format used internally in the first network; and

the first transceiver is further configured to forward the received and translated second control message to a second entity in the first network.

10. The INI device of claim 8, wherein the control message includes a network update request having a new Global Unique Identifier (GUID);

the processor is further configured to execute program instructions such that the translating includes generating an update message including GUIDs and network capabilities of the first network; and

the second transceiver is further configured such that the transmitting the translated control message includes transmitting the update message to all INIs in a hierarchy level of the first INI and a next higher hierarchy level, as determined according to GUIDs of INIs.

11. The INI device of claim 9, wherein the control message includes a network update request;

the processor is further configured to execute program instructions such that the translating the second control message includes calculating updated path metrics based on an update message generated by a second INI; and

the first transceiver is further configured such that the forwarding the received and translated second control message includes comparing path metrics and network capabilities stored for the second network in a connectivity database stored in the memory with the updated path metrics and network capabilities translated from the received second control message, and, in response to the stored path metrics and network capabilities being different than the updated path metrics and network capabilities, storing the updated path metrics and network capabilities of the second network in the connectivity database in the memory.

12. The INI device of claim 8, wherein the control message includes a service creation template having a destination GUID, a service ID, and a Quality of Service requirement;

the processor is further configured to execute program instructions such that the translating includes generating a path creation message having data mapped from the service creation template to the second format for inter-INI communication, a GUID of the INI device, path metrics of a requested path between the first network and the second network, and a tariff for the requested path; and

the second transceiver is further configured such that the transmitting the translated control message includes transmitting the path creation message to a next INI of a next network in the requested service path.

13. The INI device of claim 12, wherein the second transceiver is further configured to receive a second path creation message transmitted by the another INI;

the processor is further configured to execute program instructions to;

determine if a destination GUID in the second path creation message is located in the first network, and,

in response to the destination GUID not being located in the first network and the memory having information regarding the destination GUID, update path metrics and a tariff in the second path creation message; and

the second transceiver is further configured to transmit the updated second path creation message to a next INI in a second requested service path.

14. The INI device of claim 8, wherein the control message includes a service teardown request;

and

the second transceiver is further configured such that the transmitting the translated service teardown message includes transmitting the message to a next INI of a next network in a service path that is requested to be torn down.

15. The INI device of claim 8, wherein the second transceiver is further configured to receive a service teardown message from another INI;

the processor is further configured to execute program instructions to determine if an endpoint of the service path that is requested to be torn down is located in the first network; and

in response to the endpoint not being located in the first network, the second transceiver is further configured to transmit the service teardown message to a next INI in the service path that is requested to be torn down.

16. The INI device of claim 8, wherein the memory is further configured to store authorization and authentication databases having a list of entities permitted to connect to the INI device and to other INI devices.

17. A method of end-to-end signaling between a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

identifying a network topology between a first and second network;

determining an end-to-end path over the topology between a source in the first network and a destination in the second network; and

automatically provisioning an end to end telecommunication service over the path using distributed, in-band signaling.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of automatically provisioning includes:

providing a first inter-network interface (INI) on a border of the first network;

providing a second INI on a border of the second network, the second INI in communication with the first INI;

causing the first INI to request resources, automatically, in-band, from the second INI; and

causing the second INI to automatically respond to the request, in-band to the first INI.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing an inter-INI protocol for in-band communication between the first and second INIs, the in-band communication including the resource requests and responses to resource requests.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the in-band communication includes converting addresses, Quality of Service definitions and protection definitions between a protocol of the first network and a protocol of the second network.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of provisioning includes updating with a specific address set at least one of:

forwarding data bases of network switching devices, or routing tables of network switching devices.

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein each of the INIs includes:

at least two interfaces for receiving and transferring signals, at least one of the interfaces for receiving and transferring signals with the network on which border the INI is located; and

a control plane processing mechanism for signaling between INIs.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of automatically provisioning is carried out in real-time.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of provisioning includes conversion of control plane messages from an internal protocol of the first network to an inter network communication protocol and from the inter network communication protocol to an internal protocol of the second network.

25. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of provisioning further includes preparing and transferring a template including defined capabilities of at least one of:

one of the first and second networks, or a service.

26. The method according to claim 17, further comprising providing a global unique hierarchical addressing scheme for identifying each network entity by a global unique identifier.

27. An interface device for inter-network communication, the interface device comprising:

at least two interfaces for receiving and transferring signals, at least one of the interfaces for receiving and transferring signals with a network on which border the interface is located; and

a control plane processing mechanism for in-band signaling with another interface device.

28. The interface device according to claim 27, further comprising:

a protocol converter coupled to the at least two interfaces;

a service interface;

a topology manager;

a template generator;

a routing mechanism;

a link state database; and

a template database.

29. The interface device according to claim 28, further comprising an OSS interface.