AD-HOC ON-DEMAND ROUTING THROUGH CENTRAL CONTROL

• US 20150124625A1
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: ALDRIN, Sam K., PERKINS, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,906,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/10 Routing in connection-oriented networks, e.g. X.25 or ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/16 in connection oriented networks, e.g. frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 based on transmission quality or channel quality

Abstract

System and method of ad hoc on-demand routing by virtue of central control. A central controller of a network can communicate directly with a route-requesting network device regarding discovery of a data transmission path and perform route computation. A source network device may query the central controller with a unicast route request. In response, the central controller can identify a feasible route based on the topology information of the network. The central controller may also receive a broadcast route request as long with other network nodes. As a result, the source device can be offered to select from two resultant routes, one provided by the central controller in a centralized manner and the other provided by the destination device. Further, the central controller can be used specifically for computation of constrained routes by incorporating global constraints. The central controller may be a software defined network (SDN) controller.

Claims

1. A method of routing data in an ad-hoc communication network comprising a plurality of network nodes and a central controller, said method comprising:

receiving a routing request sent from a first network node to said central controller, wherein said routing request comprises a request to identify a transmission path for routing data from said first network node to a second network node;

at said central controller, determining an identified transmission path based on a topology of said ad-hoc communication network in response to said routing request, wherein said identified transmission path is available for data transmission between said first network node and said second network node; and

sending a routing response to said first network node through unicast, wherein said routing response identifies said identified transmission path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said routing request is sent from said first network node to said central controller by virtue of unicast.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said routing request comprises a request to identify a transmission path with a route constraint, wherein said route constraint comprises a global constraint with respect to said ad hoc communication network, and wherein said determining comprises determining an identified transmission path by incorporating said route constraints.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first network node is configured to send another routing request to said plurality of network nodes by virtue of broadcast, wherein said second network node is configured to send another routing response to said first network node in response to said broadcast, and wherein said another routing response identifies another transmission path available for data transmission between said first network node and said second network node.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said another routing response is independent of said route constraints.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said routing request is sent from said first network node to said central controller and said plurality of network nodes by virtue of broadcast.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said second network node is configured to send another routing response to said first network node in response to said broadcast, wherein said another routing response identifies another transmission path available for data transmission between said first network node and said second network, and wherein first network node is operable to select between said identified transmission path and said another transmission path.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said ad-hoc communication network comprises a software defined network (SDN), and wherein said plurality of network devices comprise routers and network switches.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is a computer implemented method.

10. A control system within a software defined network (SDN), wherein said control system is coupled to a plurality of network devices within said SDN and is operable to access topology information of said SDN and intelligently control data traffic among said plurality of network devices, said control system comprises:

an input interface configured to receive a route request from a first network device within said SDN, wherein said route request comprises a request to identify a transmission path for routing data from said first network device to a second network device within said SDN;

a route computation module coupled to said input interface and configured to determine a first transmission path based on said topology information of said ad-hoc communication network and based on said route request, wherein said first transmission path is feasible for data transmission between said first network device and said second network device;

a message generation module coupled to said route computation module and configured to generate a route response that identifies said first transmission path; and

an output interface coupled to said message generation module and configured to send said route response to said first network device via unicast, wherein said route response comprise information used for updating a routing table associated with said first network device.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein said route request is sent to said control system via unicast.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein said route request comprises a request to identify a transmission path with a route constraint, wherein said a route computation module is further configured to incorporate said route constraint for determining said first transmission path.

13. The control system of claim 10, wherein said route request is sent to said control system via broadcast to said SDN, wherein second network device is configured to send another route response to said first network node in response to said route request, wherein said another route response identifies a second transmission path feasible for data transmission between said first network device and said second network device.

14. The control system of claim 10, wherein said route request is sent to said control system via broadcast.

15. A method of transmitting data through an ad-hoc communication network comprising a plurality of network nodes and a central controller, said method comprising:

sending a route request to a central controller of said ad-hoc communication network, wherein said route request comprises a request to identify a transmission path for routing data from a first network device to a second network device in said ad-hoc communication network, wherein said central controller is operable to determine an identified transmission path based on topology of said ad-hoc communication network in response to said routing request; and

receiving a route response from said central controller via unicast, wherein said route response identifies a first transmission path linking said first network device and said second network device.

16. The method claim 15, wherein said ad-hoc communication network comprises a software-defined network (SDN), and wherein said central controller is a SDN controller, and wherein said sending comprises sending a route request to said SDN controller via unicast.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said route request comprises route constraints with respect to data transmission between said first and said second network devices, and wherein said first transmission path is determined by incorporating said route constraints.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprises:

broadcasting a route request to said SDN;

receiving another route response from said second network device, wherein said another route response identifies a second data transmission path between said first and said second network devices based on a ad hoc on-demand distance vector routing method; and

selecting a resultant transmission path from said first and said second data transmission paths.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said ad-hoc communication network comprises a SDN, and wherein said central controller is a SDN controller, wherein said sending comprises sending a route request to said SDN controller via broadcast to said SDN, and wherein said method further comprises receiving another route response from said second network device, wherein said another route response identifies a second data transmission path between said first and said second network devices based on a ad hoc on-demand distance vector routing method, and further comprising selecting a resultant transmission path from said first data transmission path and said second data transmission path.

20. The network device of claim 19, wherein said SDN controller is a centralized controller that is distributed in multiple network devices of said plurality of network devices.