Communication network across which packets of data are transmitted according to a priority scheme

• US 6,654,346 B1
• Filed: 07/19/1999
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dunti Corporation
• Inventors: Mahalingaiah, Rupaka, Kapadia, Viren H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcelo, Melvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Andy
• Application Number:
  US09/356,645
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/232, 370/235, 370/389, 370/392, 370/401, 370/352, 370/353, 370/412, 370/444, 370/465, 370/468, 370/228, 370/428, 370/400
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing

Abstract

Architectures, systems, and methods are provided for securing and prioritizing packets of data sent through a communication network. Each packet is assigned a security code and priority code as it enters the network. The security code or priority code may remain the same or change as it travels from node-to-node across the network. By assigning security and priority codes to each packet, maximum bandwidth allocation can be achieved among the nodes in a packet-switched environment. The assigned security and priority codes enter and travel through the network according to modules which have a hierarchical class or grouping. Thus, the security and priority information may be sent solely within one class or among classes depending on where, within the classes the data path exists. In this manner, a specified quality of service can be achieved to ensure the data path is secured dynamically as it travels from node to node, and also to determine which packet among several is to be forwarded across a shared resource of that network.

Claims

1. A forwarding module, comprising:

an input port coupled within a data flow path of a communication network for receiving an incoming packet of data; and

a mapping table comprising a priority code that is assigned to the packet depending on an identification number of another forwarding module immediately preceding the forwarding module, wherein the priority code is maintained for only a portion of the plurality of successive packets whose cumulative number of bits forwarded per second is greater than the allocated transmission speed, and wherein at least one packet of the successive packets is forwarded across the section of data flow path with a default priority code less than the assigned priority code.

2. The forwarding module as recited in claim 1, wherein the priority code is further assigned depending on an amount of bandwidth allocated to a section of the data flow path to which the packet of data is forwarded from the forwarding module.

3. The forwarding module as recited in claim 2, wherein the amount of bandwidth comprises an allocated transmission speed of said section of data flow path.

4. The forwarding module as recited in claim 1, wherein the priority code is used to prioritize transmission of the incoming packet across at least a portion of the communication network.

5. The forwarding module as recited in claim 1, wherein the priority code within the incoming packet is assigned to a packet which follows the incoming packet for prioritizing the following packet relative to the incoming packet.

6. A Forwarding module, comprising:

an input coupled within a data flow path of a communication network for receiving a incoming packet of data;

a mapping table comprising a priority code that is assigned to the packet depending on an identification number of another forwarding module immediately preceding the forwarding module, wherein the priority code is maintained for only a portion of the plurality of successive packets whose cumulative number of bits fowarded per second is greater than the allocated transmission speed, and wherein at least one packet of the sucessive packets is forwarded across the section of data flow path with a default priority code less than the assigned priority code

wherein the priority code assigned to the packet depends on an address from which the packet of data was sent;

wherein the priority code further assigned depending on an amount of bandwidth allocated to a section of the data flow path to which the packet of data is forwarded from the

wherein the amount of bandwidth comprises an allocated transmission speed of said section of data flow path; and

wherein the priority code is maintained for the plurality of successive packets provided the number of bits forwarded per second by the plurality of successive packets is less than the allocated transmission speed.

7. A communication network, comprising:

a first forwarding module that receives a first packet of data and assign a first priority code to the first packet of data;

a second forwarding module that receives a second packet of data and assign a second priority code to the second packet of data;

an arbiter coupled to forward the first packet of data across a portion of the communication network instead of the second packet of data if the first priority code is higher in priority than the second priority code, wherein the address from which the first and second packets of data is sent corresponds to an identification code of a forwarding module situated at a unique structural level within the communication network;

nd

wherein the first priority code and the second priority code assigned depending on the identification number of the forwarding module immediately upstream of the respective first and send forwarding modules.

8. The communication network as recited in claim 7, wherein the arbiter forwards the first packet of data followed by a successive number of packets of data from the first forwarding module before sending the second packet of data.

9. The communication network as recited in claim 7, wherein the arbiter is coupled within a third forwarding module linked to receive an output from the first and second forwarding modules.

10. The communication network as recited in claim 7, wherein the first and second forwarding modules each comprise:

a storage device containing respective said first and second priority codes; and

a traffic controller execution unit which fetches said first and second priority codes from the storage devices and places the first and second priority codes within a header of the first and second packets of data.

11. The communication network as recited in claim 10, wherein the storage device is programmed from instructions sent across a bus separate from a data flow path of the communication network.

12. The communication network as recited in claim 7, wherein the propagation times through the first and second forwarding modules are pre-defined.

13. The communication network as recited in claim 7, wherein the propagation times through the first and second forwarding modules are pre-defined based on available bandwidth through the communication network.