Method, System and Nodes for Network Topology Detection in Communication Networks

• US 20100208621A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: MORPER, Hans-Jochen
• Granted Patent: US 8,976,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Method for switching to an appropriate network topology type in a telecommunication network including of a node (b) sending to a further node a message (M1) including of a discovery request, receiving from further nodes of the telecommunication network messages (M3, M11) including of discovery results, thereafter, sending a message (M5) including of a proposal of a network topology type and switching to an appropriate network topology type.

Claims

1. Method for detecting network topology in telecommunication networks having a plurality of nodes (a, b, c, d, e) said method comprising the steps of:

an initiating node (b) broadcasting a discovery message (M1) to adjacent nodes (a, c),

the said initiating node (b) receiving from at least one further node (a, c, d, e) results from discovery message response (M3, M11), and

the said initiating node (b) sending to at least one of the said further nodes (a, c, d, e) a first information message (M5) comprising of a proposed network topology.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the said method further comprising the steps of:

the said initiating node (b) receiving a second information message (M20) comprising a further proposed network topology from at least one of the said further nodes (a, c, d, e), and the said initiating node (b) switching to a resulting network topology of operation depending on said proposed network topology, and the said further proposed network topology of the said second information.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the said method further comprising:

the provided network topology types are ranked and the said resulting network topology of operation is the least ranked network topology if one or more said further proposed network topology differ from the said proposed network topology.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the said resulting network topology of operation is a daisy chain type and the nodes (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h) having the capability of using at least two different radio bearers (c1, c2, c3).

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the said method further comprising the steps of:

the initiating node (b) analyzing the said results from the said discovery message response (M3, M11) received from at least one of the said further nodes (a, e), and determining the said proposed network topology of operating.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the said method further comprising the steps of:

the said further node (a, c, d, e) receiving a discovery message (M1, M7, M8) from the said adjacent nodes (b, c, d),

the said further node (a, c, d, e) analyzing the quality of its connection to adjacent nodes (a, b, c, d, e, f), and depending from result of the analysis, the said further node (a, c, d, e) broadcasting a discovering message (M7, M8) to its adjacent nodes (d, e), or the said further node (a, c, d, e) sending the said discovery message response (M3, M11) to the said initiating node (b).

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the said method further comprising of:

the said further node (a, c, d, e) adding information about the connectivity to its adjacent nodes to the said discovery message response (M3, M11).

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the said method further comprising of:

the said further node having exactly one adjacent node (a, e),

the said further node sending the said discovery message response (M3, M11) to the said initiating node (b).

9. A method according to claim 4 wherein the said method further comprising the steps of:

the said initiating node (b), a first said adjacent node (a), a second said adjacent node (c), a first said further node (d), and a second said further node (e) having the capability of using at least two different radio bearers (c1, c2, c3),

the said initiating node (b) being adjacent to the said first adjacent node (a) and to the said second adjacent node (c),

the said first further node (d) being adjacent to the said second adjacent node (c) and the said second further node (e),

the said second adjacent node (c) forwarding data directly to the said first adjacent node (a) using a first radio bearer (c1),

the said second further node (e) forwarding data directly to the said second adjacent node (c) using a second radio bearer (c2) and

the said initiating node (b) forwarding data directly to the said first further node (d) using a third adjacent radio bearer (c3).

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the method further comprising the steps of:

negotiating which carrier (c1, c2, c3) is used for forwarding the data between the said first adjacent node (a) and the said second adjacent node (c), and

negotiating which carrier (c1, c2, c3) is used for forwarding the data between the said second adjacent node (c) and the said second further node (e), and

negotiating which carrier (c1, c2, c3) is used for forwarding the data between the said initiating node (b) and the said first further node (c).

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the said second adjacent node (c) further comprising the steps of:

detecting a link failure to the said first further node (d),

sending a link failure detection message (M100) to the said second further node (e),

receiving an acknowledge message (M200) to the said link failure detection message (M100),

establishing a transparent transmission to the said second further node (e) wherein said second adjacent node (c) switches into transparent transmission mode wherein said switching takes place by receiving traffic from the said initiating node (b) on the said third radio bearer (c3) and forwarding traffic from the said initiating node (b) to the said second further node (e).

12. A method according to claim 9 wherein the said second adjacent node (c) further comprising the steps of:

detecting a link failure to the said first further node (d), sending a link failure detection (M100) to the said second further node (e), and

receiving an acknowledge message (M200) to link failure detection message (M100) from the said second further node (e)

establishing a non transparent transmission mode wherein the said second adjacent node (c) switches into non transparent transmission mode wherein said switches take place by sending a message (M400) to an initiating node (b).

13. An apparatus having means adapted for switching to an appropriate network topology characterized by

arranged for sending to at least a further node (a, c) a message (M1, M2) comprising of a discovery request,

arranged for sending to a further node (a, c) a message (M5) comprising of a proposed network topology, and

arranged for switching to the said appropriate network topology.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the said apparatus is a node (a, b, c, d, e).

14. An apparatus according claim 14 wherein the said apparatus is a network apparatus in a telecommunication network.