Method and apparatus for providing support for multiple QoS levels within a third generation packet data session

• US 6,765,909 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Sen, Sanjoy, Manning, Serge, Wang, Chung-Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juntima, Nittaya
• Application Number:
  US09/454,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252-253, 370/389, 370/392, 370/400-402
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A classification application utilizing a table of connection numbers and associated TCP/IP applications is utilized for determining a wireless packet communication, quality of service level by decoding a connection number field of the compressed packet header. Packets carrying different connection numbers can be mapped to different Quality of Service planes. When a non-active TCP connection becomes active, the classification application detects and identifies the connection by reading the connection number field of a compressed TCP/IP header in a packet of the application. The classification application applies the appropriate Quality of Service level as determined from a user database and a list of available Quality of Service levels. If the connection has no table entry, the TCP/IP application is identified based on comparison to a pre-loaded table of port numbers and a new entry is created in the connection number table.

Claims

1. A method for classifying data in a data packet, comprising the steps of:

detecting an active data packet connection, including a data pack;

decoding a connection number field in a compressed header of said data packet to determine a connection number for said data packet;

providing a table comprising a first set of data and second set of data, said first set of data containing a plurality of identified connection numbers, and said second set of data containing a corresponding quality of service plane for each identified connection number in the table, wherein each of said plurality of identified connection numbers is an identifier of a particular data packet connection; and

mapping within said table said connection number for said data packet to a corresponding quality of service plane.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein said active data packet connection is a point to point protocol or user datagram protocol connection.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein providing said table of identified connection numbers, further comprises:

associating each said connection number with a specific, active Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol application.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein providing said table of identified connection numbers, further comprises:

associating each said connection number with a specific, active Real Time Protocol/User Datagram protocol/Internet Protocol application.

5. The method in claims 3 or 4, further comprising:

determining whether said connection number is present in said table of identified connection numbers.

6. The method in claim 3, further comprising:

utilizing a port number in a TCP/IP header in said packet to identify application type; and

mapping said application to a Quality of Service plane.

7. The method in claims 6, further comprising:

creating a new entry in said table if said connection number is not present.

8. The method in claim 6, further comprising:

utilizing a context ID determined from said table of connection numbers to classify said Point to Point Protocol packet.

9. An apparatus for classifying data in a data packet, comprising:

a switch for processing packet data;

decoding logic within said switch for decoding a connection number field in a compressed header of a datagram;

a table of connection numbers for identified applications comprising a first set of data and second set of data, said first set of data containing identified connection numbers and said second set of data containing a corresponding quality of service plane for each identified connection number in the table, wherein each of said identified connection numbers is an identifier of a particular data packet connection;

comparison logic for determining whether said connection number decoded by the decoding logic is present in said table;

logic for creating a new entry in said table if said connection number is not present; and

mapping logic for mapping, within said table, a connection number for a datagram to a corresponding quality of service plane.

10. The apparatus in claim 9, wherein said table of connection numbers for identified applications, further comprises:

each identified connection number having an associated Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol application for comparing incoming packet data connection numbers to said connection number.

11. The apparatus in claim 10, wherein each said identified connection number is associated with an active Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol application comparing incoming packet data connection numbers to said connection number of said application, further comprises:

logic means for determining whether said application connection number is present in said table of connection numbers for identified applications.

12. The apparatus in claim 9, wherein said table of connection numbers for identified applications, further comprises:

each identified connection number is associated with an active Real Time Protocol/User Datagram Protocol/Internet Protocol application for comparing incoming packet data connection numbers to said connection number of said application.

13. The apparatus in claim 11, further comprising:

logic means for utilizing a port number in a TCP/IP header to identify application type; and

logic means for mapping said application to a Quality of Service plane.

14. The apparatus in claims 11 or 12, further comprising:

logic means for creating a new entry in said table of connection numbers for identified applications.

15. The apparatus in claims 11 or 12, further comprising:

logic means for utilizing a context determined from said table of connection numbers to classify a Point to Point Protocol packet.

16. In a switch, a program of instructions executable by a computer embodied in a computer-readable medium and associated with a telecommunication system for classifying data in a data packet, comprising:

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for detecting an active data packet connection, including a data packet;

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for decoding a connection number field in a compressed header of said packet to determine a connection number for said data packet wherein said connection number is an identifier of a particular data packet connection; and

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for mapping said connection number for said data packet to a corresponding quality of service plan.

17. The program of instructions of claim 16, wherein instructions for identifying said active data packet connection are instructions for identifying a point to point protocol or user datagram protocol connection.

18. The program of instructions of claim 16, wherein decoding said connection number field in a compressed header of said Point to Point Protocol packet, further comprises:

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for providing a table of identified connection numbers wherein each said connection number is associated with a specific, active Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol application.

19. The program of instructions of claim 18, further comprising:

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for providing a table of identified connection numbers wherein each said connection number is associated with a specific, active Real Time Protocol/User Datagram protocol/Internet Protocol application.

20. The program of instructions of claim 18 or 19, further comprising:

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for determining whether said connection number is present in said table of identified connection numbers.

21. The program of instructions of claim 18, further comprising:

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for utilizing a port number in a TCP/IP header in said packet to identify application type; and

instructions within said instruction bearing media for mapping said application to a Quality of Service plane.

22. The program of instructions of claim 21, further comprising:

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for creating a new entry in said table if said connection number is not present.

23. The program of instructions of claim 21, further comprising:

instructions embodied in said computer-readable medium for utilizing a context ID determined from said table of connection numbers to classify said Point to Point Protocol packet.