Label switched media gateway and network

• US 6,778,494 B1
• Filed: 03/02/2000
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Mauger, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): George, Keith M.
• Application Number:
  US09/518,477
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/352, 370/389, 370/392, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13339 Ciphering, encryption, security
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13348 Channel/line reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13372 Intercepting operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

A network arrangement for delivering IP services to subscribers includes a core network, a plurality of label switched media gateways coupled to the network and each providing an interface for one or more subscriber terminals. Call servers associated with the network are used to establish connections between pairs of gateways, these connections being routed across the core network via tunnels established therein. The tunnels are exclusively reserved for traffic between the label switched media gateways so as to provide security of that traffic from third party access and to provide a guaranteed quality of service. Because traffic is accepted into a tunnel only if bandwidth is available in that tunnel, firm and meaningful quality of service guarantees can be given to users.

Claims

1. A network arrangement for delivering IP services to subscribers, the arrangement comprising a core network, a plurality of label switched media gateways coupled to the network, each providing an interface for one or more subscriber terminals, a plurality of call servers associated with the network and arranged to establish connections between pairs of said gateways, wherein said connections are routed across the core network via tunnels established therein, said tunnels being exclusively reserved for traffic between the label switched media gateways so as to provide security of that traffic from third party access and to provide a guaranteed quality of service and wherein each said tunnel comprises first and second tunnel portions coupled via a network node therebetween.

3. A network arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said tunnels comprise multi-protocol label switched (MPLS) tunnels.

4. A network arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said core network comprises an ATM network.

5. A network arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least one said gateway provides subscriber access to a voice network via the core network.

6. A network as claim ed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one or more said terminals are coupled to the respective gateways via digital subscriber line access multiplexers (DSLAM).

7. A network as claimed in claim 6, wherein a plurality of said terminals are coupled to a said gateway via a campus local area network.

2. A network arrangement for delivering IP services to subscribers, the arrangement comprising a core network, a plurality of label switched media gateways coupled to the network via respective edge nodes and each providing an interface for one or more subscriber terminals, a plurality of tunnels arranged in the core network in a full mesh between said edge nodes, each said tunnel comprising first and second tunnel portions coupled via a network node therebetween and having a predetermined traffic handling capacity and being exclusively reserved for carrying traffic between a respective pair of said edge nodes, a plurality of call servers associated with the network and arranged to establish connections between pairs of said gateways via the respective edge nodes and tunnel portions, and wherein said call servers are arranged to determine the traffic occupancy of each said tunnel so as to accept new traffic into that tunnel only if sufficient capacity is available in that tunnel so as to provide a guaranteed quality of service for accepted traffic.

8. A label switched media gateway for controlling subscriber access to a connectionless IP core network in which user traffic is routed via tunnels established therein, the gateway providing an interface between a plurality of subscriber terminals and the network, and being arranged to route user traffic in the form of IP packets across the network via tunnels of guaranteed capacity reserved for that traffic, the gateway being arranged to append two labels to each IP packet, one of the labels identifying the tunnel to be used and the other label identifying a destination label switched media gateway for that IP packet.

9. A label switched media gateway for controlling subscriber access to a connectionless (IP) core network in which user traffic is routed via tunnels established therein, the gateway providing an interface between a plurality of subscriber terminals and the network, and being arranged to route user traffic across the network via tunnels of guaranteed capacity reserved for that traffic, the gateway comprising a plurality of proxies for translating IP addresses between the network and encapsulated Layer 3 addresses, the latter constituting an address space which is allocated dynamically for session services to said subscribers.

10. A method of controlling subscriber access via edge nodes to a connectionless packet network so as to provide controlled delivery of IP packet services to subscribers, the method comprising establishing a plurality of tunnels arranged in the network in a full mesh between said edge nodes, each said tunnel having a predetermined traffic handling capacity and each being exclusively reserved for carrying traffic in the form of IP packets between a respective pair of said edge nodes, determining in response to each subscriber request for service the available capacity of a said tunnel in which the subscriber traffic is to be routed, and accepting that subscriber request for service only if sufficient capacity is available in that tunnel so as to provide quality of service guarantees to accepted traffic, wherein the method includes appending two labels to each IP packet, one of the labels identifying the tunnel to be used and the other label identifying a destination gateway for that IP packet.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein, for virtual private Intranet (VPI) access, a tunnel is established between a VPI and a label switched media gateway, and wherein routing is performed at Layer 3 using VPI addresses to access the established tunnel.

12. A network arrangement for delivering IP services to subscribers, the arrangement comprising a core network, a plurality of label switched media gateways coupled to the network, and each providing an interface for one or more subscriber terminals, a plurality of call servers associated with the network and arranged to establish connections between pairs of said gateways, and wherein said connections are routed across the core network via tunnels established therein, said tunnels being exclusively reserved for traffic in the form of IP packets between the label switched media gateways so as to provide security of that traffic from third party access and to provide a guaranteed quality of service, wherein an originating label switched media gateway has means for appending two labels to each IP packet to be transmitted by that gateway, one of the labels identifying the tunnel to be used and the other label identifying a destination label switched media gateway for that IP packet.

13. A network arrangement for delivering IP services to subscribers, the arrangement comprising a core network, a plurality of label switched media gateways coupled to the network via respective edge nodes and each providing an interface for one or more subscriber terminals, a plurality of tunnels arranged in the core network in a full mesh between said edge nodes, each said tunnel having a predetermined traffic handling capacity and being exclusively reserved for carrying traffic in the form of IP packets between a respective pair of said edge nodes, a plurality of call servers associated with the network and arranged to establish connections between pairs of said gateways via the respective edge nodes and tunnel, and wherein said call servers are arranged to determine the traffic occupancy of each said tunnel so as to accept new traffic into that tunnel only if sufficient capacity is available in that tunnel so as to provide a guaranteed quality of service for accepted traffic, wherein an originating label switched media gateway has means for appending two labels to each IP packet to be transmitted by that gateway, one of the labels identifying the tunnel to be used and the other label identifying a destination label switched media gateway for that IP packet.

14. A method of controlling subscriber access via edge nodes to a connectionless packet network so as to provide controlled delivery of IP packet services to the subscribers, the method comprising establishing a plurality of tunnels arranged in the network in a full mesh between said edge nodes, each said tunnel comprising first and second tunnel portions coupled via a network node therebetween and having a predetermined traffic handling capacity and being exclusively reserved for carrying traffic between a respective pair of said edge nodes, determining in response to each subscriber request for service the available capacity of a said tunnel in which the subscriber traffic is to be routed, and accepting that subscriber request for service only if sufficient capacity is available in that tunnel so as to provide quality of service guarantees to accepted traffic.

15. An internet protocol (IP) network comprising:

a core IP network;

a plurality of label switched media gateways (LSMGs) coupled to said core IP network via respective multi-protocol label switch (MPLS) edge nodes, each LSMG providing an interface to the network for at least one subscriber terminal;

a plurality of call servers associated with the network for establishing MPLS tunnels in the core IP network between said MPLS edge nodes, said tunnels being reserved for subscriber traffic between said LSMGs and each having a predetermined traffic handling capacity, wherein said call servers are arranged to determine the traffic occupancy of a tunnel so as to accept new traffic into that tunnel only if sufficient capacity is available in that tunnel for the new traffic in order to provide a predetermined quality of service for accepted traffic, wherein each tunnel comprises first and second tunnel portions coupled via a core network node therebetween.

16. A method of providing subscribers access to an IP network via LSMGs coupled to said network by respective MPLS edge nodes comprises the steps of:

establishing by means of call servers associated with the IP network a plurality of MPLS tunnels in said network between said MPLS edge nodes, said tunnels being reserved for subscriber traffic between said LSMGs and each having a predetermined traffic capacity;

determining the traffic occupancy of a tunnel so as to accept new traffic into that tunnel only if sufficient capacity is available in that tunnel for the new traffic in order to provide a predetermined quality of service level to accepted traffic; and

appending two labels to each IP packet comprising subscriber traffic handled by said LSMGs, where one of the labels identifies a tunnel to be used to carry said IP packet and the other label identifies a destination LSMG for that IP packet.

17. An internet protocol (IP) network comprising:

a core IP network;

a plurality of label switched media gateways (LSMGs) coupled to said core IP network via respective multi-protocol label switch (MPLS) edge nodes, each LSMG providing an interface to the network for at least one subscriber terminal;

a plurality of call servers associated with the network for establishing MPLS tunnels in the core IP network between said MPLS edge nodes, said tunnels being reserved for subscriber traffic between said LSMGs and each having a predetermined traffic handling capacity, wherein said call servers are arranged to determine the traffic occupancy of a tunnel so as to accept new traffic into that tunnel only if sufficient capacity is available in that tunnel for the new traffic in order to provide a predetermined quality of service for accepted traffic;

wherein said LSMGs have means for appending two labels to each IP packet comprising subscriber traffic handled by said LSMGs, where one of the labels identifies a tunnel to be used to carry said IP packet and the other label identifies a destination LSMG for that IP packet.

18. An internet protocol (IP) network comprising:

a core IP network;

a plurality of label switched media gateways (LSMGs) coupled to said core IP network via respective multi-protocol label switch (MPLS) edge nodes, each LSMG providing an interface to the network for at least one subscriber terminal;

a plurality of call servers associated with the network for establishing MPLS tunnels in the core IP network between said MPLS edge nodes, said tunnels being reserved for subscriber traffic between said LSMGs and each having a predetermined traffic handling capacity, wherein said call servers are arranged to determine the traffic occupancy of a tunnel so as to accept new traffic into that tunnel only if sufficient capacity is available in that tunnel for the new traffic in order to provide a predetermined quality of service for accepted traffic;

wherein each LSMG comprises a plurality of proxies for translating IP addresses between the network and encapsulated Layer 3 addresses, the latter constituting an address space which is allocated dynamically for sessions services to said subscribers.