System and method for dynamic sharing of connection resources

• US 6,643,262 B1
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Larsson, Tony Ingemar, Hammam, Sef Tarik Ale
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Slavitt, Mitchell
• Application Number:
  US08/924,708
• Time in Patent Office: 2,258 Days
• Field of Search: 370/433, 370/229, 370/230, 370/231, 370/232, 370/235, 370/236, 370/250, 370/522, 370/524, 370/357, 370/360, 370/384, 370/248, 340/825.06, 340/825.16
• US Class Current: 370/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/821 Prioritising resource allocation or reservation requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/826 Involving periods of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0407 using a stored programme control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0457 Connection protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1301 Optical transmission, optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13202 Network termination [NT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1327 Release and resetting of connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 : Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 : Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 : Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13396 : Signaling in general, in-band signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 : Virtual channel/circuits

Abstract

A system and method for the efficient utilization of core telecommunications resources (including both switching and transport resources) during a datacom session over a connection-oriented telecommunications system is described. First, the telecommunications resources along a connection path are partitioned into two or more segments. One or more pause sensors placed along the connection path detect periods of inactivity in an connection. Whenever such a period of inactivity is detected, the pause sensor selectively causes the release of core telecommunications resources for reallocation to active applications, typically by deactivating one or more segments. When wake-up sensors detect renewed activity over the connection, then the dormant connection is reactivated by reallocating core physical resources. The dynamic connection technique of the present invention can be used both with analog (inband) signaling systems (e.g., Plain Old Telephone Service) as well as with digital signaling systems (e.g., Integrated Services Digital Network). The deactivation and reactivation of core telecommunications resources can be performed using various priority schemes.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications network, a method for increasing the utilization efficiency of core telecommunications resources utilized by a datacom application program across an end-to-end connection, the method comprising the steps of:

dividing the end-to-end connection into at least two segments, including a first segment spanning the core telecommunications resources associated with the end-to-end connection;

monitoring transmissions over the end-to-end connection until transmissions cease for a preselected period of time and generating a first signal in response thereto, wherein said first signal is a cause command;

deactivating the first segment in response to the generation of the first signal and releasing the core telecommunications resources associated with the deactivated first segment for reuse by a telecommunications applications causing segments other than said first segment of said end-to-end connection to become dormant;

monitoring the transmission activity in said other segments of the end-to-end connection until transmissions continue in at least one of said other segments and generating a second signal in response thereto; and

reactivating the first segment of said end-to-end connection in response to the generation of the second signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of monitoring transmissions over the end-to-end connection until transmissions cease for a preselected period of time is performed using a pause sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensitivity of said pause sensor is adjustable by varying a triggering time-delay of said pause sensor.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said pause sensor is located within at least one of said other segments.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal is performed by issuing a pause command to a resource manager for the core telecommunications resources.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said pause command controls the duration of dormancy of the dormant said other segments of said end-to-end connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal is conditioned upon a utilization rate for the core telecommunications resources being higher than a preset level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal is conditioned upon an average utilization rate for the core telecommunications resources being higher than a preset level for a predetermined period of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal is adaptively correlated with a historical utilization rate of the core telecommunications resources for at least one of the group consisting of specific subscribers, specific datacom applications and specific times of day.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to said step of deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal, an active-to-dormant notification is sent to a plurality of devices associated with the end-to-end connection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to said step of deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal, a prepare-for-pause warning is sent to a plurality of telecommunications devices associated with the end-to-end connection.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, after the receipt of said prepare-for-pause warning by at least one of said telecommunications devices, a pause-acknowledgment response is sent from said at least one telecommunications device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, after receipt of said prepare-for-pause warning, at least one of said telecommunications devices save a plurality of state parameters associated with the end-to-end connection.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said telecommunications devices comprise at least one of the group consisting of modems and adaptors.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal is performed in conjunction with a deactivation priority scheme.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said telecommunications network has a multiplicity of subscribers, and wherein said deactivation priority scheme allocates different priorities to different subscribers.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said telecommunications network employs a multiplicity of datacom application programs, and wherein said deactivation priority scheme allocates different priorities to different datacom application programs.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of monitoring transmissions until transmissions continue in segments other than said first segment and generating the second signal in response thereto is performed using at least one wake-up sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said wake-up sensor is located within at least one of said other segments.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of reactivating said first segment of said end-to-end connection in response to the generation of the second signal is performed by issuing a wake-up command to a resource manager for the core telecommunications resources.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of reactivating said first segment of said end-to-end connection in response to the generation of the second signal is performed in conjunction with a reactivation priority scheme.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said telecommunications network has a multiplicity of subscribers, and wherein said reactivation priority scheme allocates different priorities to different subscribers.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said telecommunications network employs a multiplicity of datacom application programs, and wherein said reactivation priority scheme allocates different priorities to different datacom application programs.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of reactivating said first segment of said end-to-end connection in response to the generation of the second signal comprises the step of queuing a reactivation request in at least one resource allocation queue if connection resources are unavailable for allocation at the time of reactivation of said dormant connection.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein a multiplicity of reactivation requests in said resource allocation queue are ordered by a priority class assigned to each said reactivation request.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein said telecommunications network has a multiplicity of subscribers, and wherein a given subscriber invoking the end-to-end connection pursuant to a connection service is subject to access controls.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said step of dividing the end-to-end connection into segments, storing a plurality of context information pertaining to said end-to-end connection.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of reactivating said first segment of said end-to-end connection further comprises retrieving said stored context information.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said step of deactivating said first segment, storing a plurality of context information pertaining to the end-to-end connection.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of reactivating said first segment of said end-to-end connection further comprises retrieving said stored context information.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein said datacom application program maintains an active connection between an origination point and a termination point for a given subscriber.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising, prior to said step of dividing, checking a subscriber active status flag for a given subscriber and, if said flag is set, maintaining said end-to-end connection as an active connection.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the time said other segments of said end-to-end connection is dormant for a given subscriber is measured.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein a subscription fee associated with said given subscriber is conditioned on the time said other segments of said end-to-end connection is dormant.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein said core telecommunications resources include a transmission component.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein said core telecommunications resources include a switching component.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein said end-to-end connection is an analog telephony connection.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein said end-to-end connection is a digital telephony connection.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein said end-to-end connection employs ISDN.

103. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said core telecommunications resources utilized by said datacom application program comprises a processing resource that lowers the processing load upon at least one other core telecommunications resource.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein said at least one other core telecommunications resource comprises said at least one other segment.

40. In a telecommunications network, a system for increasing the utilization efficiency of core telecommunications resources utilized by a datacom application program across an end-to-end connection, said system comprising:

means for dividing the end-to-end connection into at least two segments, including a first segment spanning the core telecommunications resources associated with the end-to-end connection;

means for monitoring transmissions over the end-to-end connection until transmissions cease for a preselected period of time and generating a first signal in response thereto, wherein said first signal is a cause command;

means for deactivating the first segment in response to the generation of the first signal and releasing the core telecommunications resources associated with the deactivated first segment for reuse by a telecommunications application, causing segments other than said first segment of said end-to-end connection to become dormant;

means for monitoring the transmission activity in said other segments of the end-to-end connection until transmissions continue in at least one of said other segments and generating a second signal in response thereto; and

means for reactivating the first segment of said end-to-end connection in response to the generation of said second signal.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for monitoring transmissions over the end-to-end connection until transmissions cease for a preselected period of time comprises a pause sensor.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the sensitivity of said pause sensor is adjustable by varying a triggering time-delay of said pause sensor.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein said pause sensor is located within at least one of said other segments.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal comprises means for issuing a pause command to a resource manager for the core telecommunications resource.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said means for issuing a pause command includes means for controlling the duration of dormancy of the dormant other segments of said end-to-end connection.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of the first signal deactivates said first segment if a utilization rate for the core telecommunications resources is higher than a preset level.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of said first signal deactivates said first segment if an average utilization rate for the core telecommunications resources is higher than a preset level for a predetermined period of time.

48. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of said first signal is adaptively correlated with a historical utilization rate of the core telecommunications resources for at least one of the group consisting of specific subscribers, specific datacom applications and specific times of day.

49. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of said first signal comprises means for issuing an active-to-dormant notification to a plurality of devices associated with the end-to-end connection.

50. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of said first signal comprises means for issuing a prepare-for-pause warning to a plurality of telecommunications devices associated with the end-to-end connection.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein at least one of the telecommunications devices associated with the end-to-end connection includes means for generating a pause-acknowledgment signal in response to the receipt of the prepare-for-pause warning.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein, after receipt of said prepare-for-pause warning, at least one of said telecommunications devices saves a plurality of state parameters associated with the end-to-end connection.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein said telecommunications devices comprise at least one of the group consisting of modems and adaptors.

54. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for deactivating said first segment in response to the generation of said first signal is operative in conjunction with a deactivation priority scheme.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein said telecommunications network has a multiplicity of subscribers, and wherein said deactivation priority scheme allocates different priorities to different subscribers.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein said telecommunications network employs a multiplicity of datacom application programs, and wherein said deactivation priority scheme allocates different priorities to different datacom application programs.

57. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for monitoring transmissions until transmissions continue in segments other than said first segment and generating the second signal responsive thereto comprises at least one wake-up sensor means.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein said wake-up sensor means is located within at least one of said other segments.

59. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for reactivating said first segment of said end-to-end connection in response to the generation of the second signal comprises means for issuing a wake-up command to a resource manager for the core telecommunications resources.

60. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for reactivating said first segment of said end-to-end connection in response to the generation of the second signal is operative in conjunction with a reactivation priority scheme.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein said telecommunications network has a multiplicity of subscribers, and wherein said reactivation priority scheme allocates different priorities to different subscribers.

62. The system of claim 60, wherein said telecommunications network employs a multiplicity of datacom application programs, and wherein said reactivation priority scheme allocates different priorities to different datacom application programs.

63. The system of claim 40, wherein said means for reactivating said first segment of said end-to-end connection in response to the generation of the second signal comprises means for queuing a reactivation request in at least one resource allocation queue if connection resources are unavailable for allocation at the time of reactivation of said dormant connection.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein a multiplicity of reactivation requests in said resource allocation queue are ordered by a priority class assigned to each said reactivation request.

65. The system of claim 40, wherein said telecommunications network has a multiplicity of subscribers, and wherein a given subscriber invoking the end-to-end connection pursuant to a connection service is subject to access controls.

66. The system of claim 40, further comprising a memory for storing a plurality of context information pertaining to said end-to-end connection, said context information being stored within said memory prior to said dividing means dividing said end-to-end connection into said segments.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein said reactivating means retrieves said stored plurality of context information from said memory.

68. The system of claim 40, further comprising a memory for storing a plurality of context information pertaining to said end-to-end connection, said context information being stored within said memory prior to said deactivating means deactivating said first segment.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein said reactivating means retrieves said stored plurality of context information from said memory.

70. The system of claim 40, wherein said datacom application program maintains an active connection between an origination point and a termination point for a given subscriber.

71. The system of claim 70, further comprising a subscriber active status flag for a given subscriber, wherein, if said flag is set, said end-to-end connection is maintained as an active connection.

72. The system of claim 40, wherein the time said other segments of said end-to-end connection is dormant for a given subscriber is measured.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein a subscription fee associated with said given subscriber is conditioned on the time said other segments of said end-to-end connection is dormant.

74. The system of claim 40, wherein said core telecommunications resources include a transmission component.

75. The system of claim 40, wherein said core telecommunications resources include a switching component.

76. The system of claim 40, wherein said end-to-end connection is an analog telephony connection.

77. The system of claim 40, wherein said end-to-end connection is a digital telephony connection.

78. The system of claim 40, wherein said end-to-end connection employs ISDN.

105. The system of claim 40, wherein at least one of said core telecommunications resources utilized by said datacom application program comprises a processing resource that lowers the processing load upon at least one other core telecommunications resource.

106. The system of claim 105, wherein said at least one other core telecommunication resource comprises said at least one other segment.

79. In a telecommunications network, a method for increasing the utilization efficiency of shared components used across an end-to-end connection, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing the end-to-end connection using a datacom application program, said connection comprising a multiplicity of segments, a first of said segments including at least one shared component within the telecommunications network;

after establishment of the connection, storing a plurality of connection context information pertaining to the end-to-end connection within a memory;

monitoring data communications across the end-to-end connection and comparing the level of activity of said data communications therein against a communications threshold;

generating, after the data communications activity drops below said communications threshold, a first signal in response thereto;

deactivating the first segment, in response to the generation of the first signal, and releasing said at least one shared component for use by a telecommunications application;

resume monitoring data communications activity across at least one of the remaining of said multiplicity of segments;

generating, after said data communications activity across at least one of said remaining segments resumes, a second signal in response thereto; and

reactivating the first segment, in response to the generation of the second signal, utilizing said plurality of stored connection context information.

80. The method according to claim 79, wherein said first signal is a pause signal.

81. The method according to claim 79, wherein said second signal is a wake-up signal.

82. The method according to claim 79, wherein said step of deactivating deactivates at least one other segment in response to said first signal, said at least one other segment including at least one other shared component.

83. The method according to claim 82, wherein said first signal deactivates said first and said at least one other segment using one of the group consisting of an inband signal and a control channel signal.

84. The method according to claim 79, wherein said step of deactivating the first segment is adaptive to the traffic load of the telecommunications network.

85. The method according to claim 79, wherein said at least one shared component comprises core telecommunications resources.

86. The method according to claim 85, wherein said at least one shared component comprises a transmission component.

87. The method according to claim 85, wherein said at least one shared component comprises a switching component.

88. The method according to claim 79, wherein said end-to-end connection is an analog telephony connection.

89. The method according to claim 79, wherein said end-to-end connection is a digital telephony connection.

90. The method according to claim 79, wherein said end-to-end connection employs ISDN.

107. The method according to claim 79, wherein at least one of said shared components used across said end-to-end connection comprises a processing resource that lowers the processing load upon at least one other shared component.

108. The method of claim 107, wherein said at least one other shared component comprises said at least one of said remaining segment.

91. In a telecommunication network, a system for increasing the utilization efficiency of shared components used across an end-to-end connection, the system comprising:

means for establishing the end-to-end connection using a datacom application program, said connection comprising a multiplicity of segments, a first of said segments including at least one shared component within the telecommunications network;

a memory for storing a plurality of connection context information pertaining to said end-to-end connection within said telecommunications network;

means for monitoring data communications across the end-to-end connection and comparing the level of activity of said data communications therein against a communications threshold;

means for generating, after the data communications activity drops below said communications threshold, a first signal in response thereto;

means for deactivating the first segment, in response to the generation of the first signal, and releasing said at least one shared component for use by a telecommunications application;

means for resume monitoring of data communications activity across at least one of the remaining of said multiplicity of segments;

means for generating, after said data communications activity across at least one of said segments resumes, a second signal in response thereto; and

means for reactivating the first segment, in response to the generation of the second signal, utilizing said plurality of stored connection context information.

92. The system according to claim 91, wherein said first signal is a pause signal.

93. The system according to claim 91, wherein said second signal is a wake-up signal.

94. The system according to claim 91, wherein said deactivating means deactivates at least one other segment in response to said first signal, said at least one other segment including at least one other shared component.

95. The system according to claim 94, wherein said first signal deactivates said first and said at least one other segment using one of the group consisting of an inband signal and a control channel signal.

96. The system according to claim 91, wherein said deactivating means is adaptive to the traffic load of the telecommunications network.

97. The system according to claim 91, wherein said at least one shared component comprises core telecommunications resources.

98. The system according to claim 97, wherein said at least one shared component comprises a transmission component.

99. The system according to claim 97, wherein said al least one shared component comprises a switching component.

100. The system according to claim 91, wherein said end-to-end connection is an analog telephony connection.

101. The system according to claim 91, wherein said end-to-end connection is a digital telephony connection.

102. The system according to claim 91, wherein said end-to-end connection employs ISDN.

109. The system according to claim 91, wherein said at least one other shared component comprises said at least one of said remaining segments.

110. The system of claim 109, wherein said at least one other shared component comprises said at least one of said remaining segments.