Architecture for lightweight signaling in ATM networks

• US 6,128,305 A
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hjalmtysson, Gisli, Ramakrishnan, Kadangode K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/015,496
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395, 370/410, 370/396, 370/412, 370/428, 370/429, 370/522, 370/524, 370/397, 370/384, 370/385
• US Class Current: 370/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5619 Network Node Interface, e.g. tandem connections, transit switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5638 Services, e.g. multimedia, GOS, QOS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5642 Multicast/broadcast/point-multipoint, e.g. VOD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5667 IP over ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A method and system provide for a network using lightweight signaling for establishing connections. The method and system establish a best efforts connection between at least two terminals, on a hop-by-hop basis. Data can flow before and quality of service is established. The system enhances processing time for quality of service requirements and provides flexibility in establishing multicast connections.

Claims

1. A method for expediting call connectivity between a first point and a second point via a connection defined by a first set-up from the first point to an intermediate station, and a second set-up from the intermediate station to the second point, each set-up being established upon receipt of a connection acknowledgment corresponding to a connection request, the method comprising the steps of

receiving a first connection request at the intermediate station, the first connection request having been transmitted from the first point;

transmitting, from the intermediate station toward the second point, a second connection request;

transmitting a first connection acknowledgment from the intermediate station toward the first point in response to the first connection request, to establish the first set-up, the first connection acknowledgment being transmitted prior to receiving a second connection acknowledgment corresponding to the second connection request; and

receiving data at the intermediate station, via the first set-up, prior to establishing the second set-up.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting a first connection acknowledgment from the intermediate station occurs prior to the step of transmitting the second connection request.

3. A method for establishing connectivity between a first point and a second point via a connection defined by a first set-up from the first point to an intermediate station, and a second set-up from the intermediate station to the second point, each set-up being established upon receipt of a connection acknowledgment corresponding to a connection request, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the intermediate station, a first connectivity request from the first point;

transmitting, from the intermediate station toward the first point, a first connection acknowledgment related to the first connectivity request, to establish the first set-up;

transmitting a second connectivity request from the intermediate station toward the second point;

receiving, at the intermediate station, a second connection acknowledgment related to the second connectivity request to establish the second set-up, the first set-up being established before establishing the second set-up; and

receiving data at the intermediate station, via the first set-up, prior to establishing the second set-up.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of transmitting a connection acknowledgment related to the first connectivity request occurs prior to said step of transmitting the second connectivity request.

5. In a process for setting up a call from a first point to a second point via an intermediate station, a method for establishing connectivity from the first point to the second point, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing connectivity from the first point to the intermediate station;

establishing connectivity from the intermediate station to the second point, the connectivity from the intermediate station to the second point is established after the connectivity from the first point to the intermediate station is established; and

receiving data at the intermediate station, via the connectivity established from the first point to the intermediate station, prior to establishing the connectivity from the intermediate station to the second point.

6. A method for setting up a call between a first point and a second point via an intermediate station, the method comprising the steps of

establishing connectivity between the first point and the intermediate station;

establishing connectivity between the intermediate station and the second point; and

receiving data from the first point at the intermediate station, via the connectivity established between the first point and the intermediate station, prior to establishing connectivity between the intermediate station and the second point.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising the further steps of:

storing the received data at the intermediate station; and

forwarding the stored data after connectivity between the intermediate station and the second point is established.

8. In a packet data network a method for setting up a call between a first station and a second station via a plurality of hops, the method comprising the steps of

receiving a connectivity request at a first node over a first hop;

transmitting a connection acknowledgment from the first node over the first hop;

transmitting a second connectivity request from the first node over a second hop to a second node;

transmitting a third connectivity request from the second node over a third hop;

transmitting a second connectivity acknowledgment from the second node to the first node over the second hop; and

sending data from the first station toward the second station over the first hop before the second connectivity acknowledgment is received at the first node.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising the further steps of

receiving data at the first node over the first hop;

and

transmitting the received data to the second node over the second hop prior to the second node receiving a connectivity acknowledgment via the third hop.

10. In a packet data network, a method for setting up a call between a first station and a second station via at least one node, the method comprising the steps of

receiving a first connection request relating to the first station and including code to be associated with the call;

transmitting a second connection request from the node toward the second station, the second connection request including the code associated with the call; and

transmitting a first acknowledgment, related to the first connection request, toward the first station;

receiving data at the node via a connection established between the node and the first station prior to establishing a connection between the node and the second station.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first connection request comprises a micro set-up cell.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the micro set-up cell identifies a classification type for the call to be set up.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the classification type relates to a desired quality of service for the call.

14. A method for setting up a call between two points comprising the steps of:

receiving a first call connection request at a node;

transmitting a second call connection request from the node in response to receipt of the first call connection request;

transmitting toward a first of the points an acknowledgment of the first call connection request before establishing a connection between the node and a second of the points; and

setting service parameters for the call using the established connection and;

sending data from the first of the points to the node before establishing a connection between the node and the second of the points.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of setting service parameters for the call using the established connection comprises the substeps of receiving at the node, via one of the connections, a request for a selected quality of service;

processing the quality of service request to determine whether the request can be satisfied; and

setting at least one transmission parameter for the call based on the results of said step of processing.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the request for a quality of service is generated by a calling party.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the request for a quality of service is generated by a called party.

18. In a network that includes a plurality of switching stations, a method for processing a request for a particular service to be attributed to a call connection that involves at least two of the plurality of switching stations, the method comprising the steps of

receiving, at a first one of the at least two switching stations, a service request;

forwarding the service request from the first one of the switching stations to a downstream switching station;

processing the received service request at the first one of the switching stations while the service request travels downstream from the first one of the switching stations;

receiving at the first one of the switching stations a request acknowledgment relating to a service request processed by a switching station downstream of the first one of the switching stations; and

receiving data at the first one of the switching stations, prior to receiving a request acknowledgment at the first one of the switching stations.

19. A method for establishing connections between at least three stations in a network, the method comprising the steps of

receiving, at a first switching station, a first request to connect a source to two receivers wherein the first request includes a flow identifier to be associated with a connection formed in response to the first request;

forwarding a second connection request, based on the first request and including the flow identifier, toward a first one of the two receivers over a first path; and

forwarding a third connection request, based on the first request and including the flow identifier, toward a second one of the two receivers over a second path, wherein the second path differs from the first path; and

transmitting a connection request acknowledgment from the first switching station toward the source of the first connection request, said step of transmitting occurring before any receipt at the first switching station of a connection acknowledgment initiated by either of the first or second receivers.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein, after a connection is established to one of the two receivers, receiving at the first switching station a service request originated by the first connected receiver.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein, after connection is established to a second one of the two receivers, receiving at the first switching station a service request originated by the second connected receiver.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein a quality of service allocated along said first path in response to a service request originating from the first connected receiver differs from a quality of service allocated along the second path in response to the service request originating from the second connected receiver.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein a quality of service allocated along said first path response to a service request originating from the first connected receiver differs from a quality of service allocated along the second path in response to the service request originating from the second connected receiver.

23. A method for establishing connections between at least three stations in a network, the method comprising the steps of

receiving at a first switching station a first connection request seeking to connect a source to a first receiver, the request including a flow identifier to be associated with the connection;

receiving at the first switching station a second connection request seeking to connect the source to a second receiver, the request including the flow identifier as the first and second receiver are to be participants in the same connection;

forwarding a second connection request, based on the first request and including the flow identifier, toward a first one of the two receivers over a first path; and

forwarding a third connection request, based on the first request and including the flow identifier, toward a second one of the two receivers over a second path, wherein the second path differs from the first path; and

transmitting a connection request acknowledgment from the first switching station toward the source of the connection request, said step of transmitting occurring before any receipt at the first switching station of a connection acknowledgment initiated by either of the first or second receivers.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein, after a connection is established to one of the two receivers, receiving at the first switching station a service request originated by the first connected receiver.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein, after connection is established to a second one of the two receivers, receiving at the first switching station a service request originated by the second connected receiver.