METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING AN APPLICATION IDENTIFIER ACROSS APPLICATION ELEMENTS

• US 20120005351A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dhesikan, Subhasri, Polk, James M.
• Application Number:
  US12/829,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005351A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes generating a Session Description Protocol (SDP) construct, the SDP construct being arranged to be included in a first signaling flow. The method also includes providing an attribute in the SDP construct. The attribute identifies an application type associated with a first traffic flow. Finally, the SDP construct is forwarded on the first signaling flow.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a Session Description Protocol (SDP) construct, the SDP construct being arranged to be included in a first signaling flow;

providing an attribute in the SDP construct, the attribute being arranged to identify an application type associated with a first traffic flow; and

forwarding the SDP construct on the first signaling flow.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first signaling flow is associated with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message and the first traffic flow is a real-time transport protocol (RTP) traffic flow.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein forwarding the SDP construct on the first signaling flow includes forwarding the SDP construct from a first element in a first administrative domain to a second element in a second administrative domain.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the application type is arranged to indicate to the second administrative domain how to process the first traffic flow.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the SDP construct is an offer message, the method further including:

obtaining an answer message from the second element, the SDP answer message being arranged to identify an application type associated with a second traffic flow.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the SDP construct is associated with one selected from the group including an offer message and an answer message.

7. The method of claim 1 the application type provides an indication of a quality of service associated with the first traffic flow.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the application type provides an indication of one selected from a group including a policy associated with the first traffic flow and admission control associated with the first traffic flow.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the SDP construct includes generating the SDP construct using an element included in a first administrative domain.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein, after forwarding the SDP construct on the first signaling flow:

determining that the application type associated with the first traffic flow has changed;

generating an updated SDP construct, the SDP construct being arranged to be included in a second signaling flow;

providing an updated attribute in the updated SDP construct, the updated attribute being arranged to identify the changed application type; and

forwarding the updated SDP construct on the second signaling flow.

11. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating a Session Description Protocol (SDP) construct, the SDP construct being arranged to be included in a signaling flow;

means for providing an attribute in the SDP construct, the attribute being arranged to identify an application type associated with a traffic flow; and

means for forwarding the SDP construct on the signaling flow.

12. A computer-readable medium comprising computer program code, the computer program code, when executed, configured to:

generate a Session Description Protocol (SDP) construct, the SDP construct being arranged to be included in a first signaling flow;

provide an attribute in the SDP construct, the attribute being arranged to identify an application type associated with a first traffic flow; and

forward the SDP construct on the first signaling flow.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the first signaling flow is associated with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message and the first traffic flow is a real-time transport protocol (RTP) traffic flow.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the computer program code configured to forward the SDP construct on the first signaling traffic flow is further configured to forward the SDP construct from a first element in a first administrative domain to a second element in a second administrative domain.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the application type is arranged to indicate to the second administrative domain how to process the first traffic flow.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the SDP construct is an offer message, the computer program code further being configured to:

obtain an answer message from the second element, the answer message being arranged to identify an application type associated with a second traffic flow.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the SDP construct is associated with one selected from the group including an offer message and an answer message

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 the application type provides an indication of a quality of service associated with the first traffic flow.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the computer program code configured to generate the SDP construct is further configured to generate the SDP construct using an element included in a first administrative domain.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a processing arrangement;

a network interface arrangement; and

Session Description Protocol (SDP) logic, the SDP logic being arranged to cooperate with the processing arrangement, the SDP logic being configured to generate a first SDP construct that includes an attribute, the attribute being arranged to indicate a class of service associated with a first traffic flow, the first SDP construct being arranged to be provided with a first signaling flow to a network through the network interface arrangement.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the network interface arrangement is configured to obtain a second SDP construct associated with a second signaling flow, and wherein the SDP logic is arranged to process the second SDP construct to determine a class of service associated with a second traffic flow.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the SDP logic is further arranged to apply a policy to the second traffic flow, the policy being determined using the class of service associated with the second traffic flow.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first SDP construct is an offer message.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first traffic flow is a real-time transport protocol (RTP) traffic flow.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein when the class of service associated with the first traffic flow changes, the SDP logic is configured to generate a second SDP construct that includes an updated class of service associated with the first traffic flow, the second SDP construct being arranged to be provided with a second signaling flow to a network through the network interface arrangement.