Connectionless communications network

• US 6,480,495 B1
• Filed: 08/26/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Mauger, Roy Harold, Brueckheimer, Simon Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US09/380,173
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.43, 370/395.41, 370/395.21, 370/474, 370/389, 370/316, 370/476, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/395.65, 455/428, 455/422, 455/427, 455/431
• US Class Current: 370/395.65
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18578 Satellite systems for providing broadband data service to individual earth stations for selecting H04W; provisions for broadband connection, H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18584 Arrangements for data networking, i.e. for data packet routing, for congestion control data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18589 Arrangements for controlling an end to end session, i.e. for initialising, synchronising or terminating an end to end link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5608 Satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5619 Network Node Interface, e.g. tandem connections, transit switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5623 Network design, dimensioning, topology or optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5632 Bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5634 In-call negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5638 Services, e.g. multimedia, GOS, QOS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5645 Connectionless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5651 Priority, marking, classes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5656 using the AAL2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5675 Timeslot assignment, e.g. TDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A non-geostationary satellite connection-less network incorporates a plurality of satellite nodes and ground stations in communication with the nodes. The network is modeled by the corresponding virtual model network. In the virtual network, connections between users are available between virtual nodes and are made according to a restricted set of routing plans based on the modeled virtual paths between those nodes. The virtual model provides a means of determining admission of connection-orientated calls of different quality of service (QoS) traffic class requirements into the network with engineered grade of service (GoS) and QoS guarantees.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the admission of connection-orientated calls of different quality of service (QoS) traffic class requirements including a priority class and other classes of service, such that the admitted calls can be provided with predetermined grade of service (GoS) and QoS guarantees appropriate to their traffic class requirements, into a connection-less telecommunications packet network having a constantly changing topology and comprising a plurality of non-geostationary satellite nodes interconnected by inter-satellite communications links established between temporarily adjacent satellite nodes, and a ground network incorporating ground stations each being in communication with the respective satellite node currently nearest to that ground station, and in which each user of the network has an allocated signaling link to an allocated connection control, the method comprising;

providing a virtual model of the network, said virtual model comprising an array of fixed virtual nodes corresponding to a current topological disposition of the satellite nodes and wherein each virtual node is connected to every other virtual node by a set of modelled virtual paths of predetermined capacity corresponding to current communications links within the real communications network, allocating capacity on said modelled virtual paths in response to connection requests from users so as to determine routing of those connections within the modelled network, restricting a routed connection for a priority class of service connection to a specific modelled virtual path for that connection on which modelled virtual path a quality of service appropriate to that connection can be guaranteed, and transferring that routed connection on the modelled virtual path from the virtual modeled network to the real network so as to admit the priority class of service connection to the real network.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, and including combining reserved and on-demand bandwidth allocation to different traffic QoS classes in a network using TDMA access.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said virtual network is used to define virtual virtual circuits corresponding to virtual circuits in the real network.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said virtual virtual circuits are semi-permanent.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein connectionless traffic is aggregated and shaped to conform to stabilised distribution whereby to admit said connectionless traffic and manage that traffic in the network.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein traffic in of the higher quality of service classes is allocated reserved access bandwidth.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein traffic a lower of quality of service class is allocated on-demand access bandwidth.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein call state and admission control and congestion management are performed on the ground network.