Internal traffic in a telecommunications node

• US 6,430,189 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Networks (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Networks (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hellstrom, Jan, Juntumaa, Jyrki, Paajanen, Timo, Ylonen, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/671,752
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395, 370/396, 370/397, 370/398, 370/399, 370/409, 370/410, 370/522, 370/395.61, 370/395.63, 370/395.64, 370/395.65, 370/395.2, 370/426, 370/231, 370/252, 370/433, 370/420, 370/6, 370/7
• US Class Current: 370/399
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5651 Priority, marking, classes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5653 using the ATM adaptation layer [AAL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/205 Quality of Service based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics

Abstract

In computers (Processor Unit 1, . . . , Processor Unit N) that handle the operation of an ATM switch, applications may communicate with each other by transmitting internal traffic cells to each other, which are transported among other subscriber traffic. By assigning service categories to the applications, which correspond as well as possible to their quality needs, it is possible to optimize the quality of the connection services of internal connections. By setting the traffic parameters of internal traffic individually changeable, internal traffic and subscriber traffic can be integrated in the best possible way. In the preferred embodiment, the service category can be selected connection-specifically. In such a case, each application selects the best possible service category. In the second embodiment, the connection-specific category is selected to be the same for all the applications. In such a case, all the applications use the same predetermined service category. It is possible to divide the application into groups and to select the same service category for all the applications. In such a case, the application within the group always use the same predetermined service category.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting cells of internal traffic between computer units in a broadband telecommunication system which comprises:

an ATM switch which has at least one input port and a plurality of output ports and which switches an internal traffic cell applied to the input port to an output port,

a connection control unit which, as a response to a request sent by the party requesting the connection, the request including the party'"'"'s traffic and quality parameters as well as the desired service category, decides whether the connection can be accepted and in the affirmative case establishes a virtual connection to another party,

at least one computer unit controlling the switch, in which at least one application is running, wherein the at least one application communicates with applications in other computer units, wherein

each computer unit has an entity carrying out ATM adaptation layer functions, the entity inserts information which was generated by the application and is to be transmitted into the data section of the internal traffic cell and the entity correspondingly combines the data sections of the cells received from the other applications into received information,

each computer unit comprises an entity handling communications, which, as a response to the application'"'"'s request to be allowed to transmit information to an application in another computer unit, transmits the application'"'"'s traffic and quality parameters as well as the desired service category to the connection control unit, whereby the application is able to act as the party requesting a connection from the ATM switch,

the service category requested by all the applications are at least selected connection-specifically.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traffic parameters used by the application are at least selected connection-specifically, and that the traffic parameters are changed in accordance with changes caused by the actual subscriber traffic in the use of the system capacity, whereby internal traffic and subscriber traffic are integrated as effectively as possible.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application informs a telecommunication entity of the traffic parameters it desires, and as a response to this information, the telecommunication entity decides which traffic parameters are to be granted for the connection.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application informs the telecommunication entity of the desired service category, and as a response to this information the telecommunication entity decides which service category is to be used on the connection.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application gives information to the telecommunication entity on the desired quality of service, and as a response to this information the telecommunication entity decides which service category is to be used on the connection.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fixed service category has been selected for the. application, whereby the same application always uses the predetermined service category.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the same, fixed service category has been selected for all the applications.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applications have been divided into groups, and the same, fixed service category has been selected for the applications within the same group, whereby the applications belonging to the same group always use the same, predetermined service category.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applications have been divided into groups, and the applications within the same group have at their disposal part of the service categories, whereby the applications belonging to the same group have at least two service categories to select from.

10. A system as claimed in any one if claim 6, wherein the application itself knows the service category set for it and informs the telecommunications entity of it.

11. A system as claimed in any one of claim 6, wherein the application informs the telecommunications entity of the identifier information of the application, and in that the telecommunication entity, as a response to the identifier information, decides which service category the application is to use.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the virtual connections are set up permanently between all the applications, whereby the connection is not released after a service request from a single application.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein applications communicating with each other are located at different switches, whereby the internal traffic cells pass among the subscriber traffic cells across links that interconnect the switches.