Use of precedence bits for quality of service
First Claim
1. A method for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the method comprising:
- obtaining a user service profile including a QoS level for the user in response to a user log-in attempt to a service selection gateway (SSG), the QoS level being associated with the user regardless of a point of presence (PoP) at which the user attempts to log in;
routing all packets originated by the user through the SSG during a session;
setting, in the SSG, the QoS bits of packets originated by the user in accordance with the QoS level for the user; and
passing, after the QoS bits have been set, the packets on to the data communications network.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Certain bits of a packet, such as bits in the IP header of an IP packet, are used to designate the type of service or Quality of Service (QoS) level to be afforded to the packet as it passes through a data communications network. A user entitled to a certain QoS level logs into a service selection gateway SSG. The SSG queries an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server in response to a log-in attempt by the user. Upon authorization, the AAA server returns an access accept signal in addition to an indication from the user'"'"'s service profile (user profile) as to the QoS level to be afforded the user. While the user is logged in, all packets are routed through the SSG. The SSG sets the certain bits of the packet in accordance with the user'"'"'s assigned QoS level so that as the packets are routed through the data communications network, they are consistently afforded the assigned Quality of Service level. In another aspect of the invention, on-demand QoS may be provided by the SSG and accounted for by communications with the AAA server.
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Citations
87 Claims
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1. A method for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the method comprising:
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obtaining a user service profile including a QoS level for the user in response to a user log-in attempt to a service selection gateway (SSG), the QoS level being associated with the user regardless of a point of presence (PoP) at which the user attempts to log in; routing all packets originated by the user through the SSG during a session; setting, in the SSG, the QoS bits of packets originated by the user in accordance with the QoS level for the user; and passing, after the QoS bits have been set, the packets on to the data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the method comprising:
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initiating a request to an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server in response to the user'"'"'s attempt to log in; receiving, from the AAA server, a user service profile corresponding to the user, the user service profile including a Quality of Service field indicating a QoS level associated with the user regardless of a point of presence (PoP) at which the user attempts to log in; and using the Quality of Service field to set the QoS bits within the packets transmitted by the user. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a service selection gateway (SSG) to which the user is in communication, a request from the user to assign a particular QoS level to at least one packet flow transmitted by the user; assigning, in response to the request, a QoS level to the at least one packet flow and applying in the assigned QoS level until either the user requests another QoS level to use or the user logs out; setting the QoS bits within the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow received at the SSG in accordance with the assigned QoS level; and transmitting the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow to the data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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a service selection gateway (SSG) in communication with the user, the SSG receiving a user service profile including a QoS level in response to an attempt to log in by the user, the QoS level being associated with the user regardless of the point of presence (PoP) at which the user attempts to log in; and a packet modifier associated with the SSG, the packet modifier modifying the QoS bits of packets sent by the user to reflect the QoS level received for the user. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for setting Quality of Service (QoS) indicator bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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a service selection gateway (SSG) in communication with the user and the data communications network; and a packet modifier associated with the SSG, responsive to a QoS request from the user to assign a particular QoS level, setting, in accordance with the requested QoS level, a QoS bit field of packets sent by the user to the data communications network via the SSG, wherein the packet modifier applies the assigned QoS level until either the user requests another QoS level to use or the user logs out. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A system for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the system comprising:
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an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server maintaining a user service profile including a QoS level for the user; a service selection gateway (SSG) in communication with the user and the AAA server, the SSG receiving the user profile of the user in response to the user'"'"'s attempt to log in; and a packet modifier associated with the SSG, the packet modifier modifying the QoS bits of packets sent by the user to reflect the QoS level specified in the received user profile. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A system for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the system comprising:
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an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server maintaining a user profile; a service selection gateway (SSG) in communication with the user and the AAA server, the SSG configured to receive a QoS request by the user to assign a particular QoS level to at least one packet flow transmitted by the user; and a packet modifier associated with the SSG, the packet modifier configured to modify the QoS bits of packets sent by the user to reflect the requested QoS level. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for implementing Quality of Service (QoS) levels in a data communications network, the method comprising:
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maintaining, in an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server, a user service profile including a QoS level associated with a user; obtaining the user service profile from the AAA server in response to a user log-in attempt to a service selection gateway (SSG); routing all packets originated by the user through the SSG during a session; setting, in the SSG, QoS bits of the packets originated from the user in accordance with the QoS level for the user; and passing, after the QoS bits have been set, the packets on to the data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. A method for implementing Quality of Service (QoS) levels in a data communications network, the method comprising:
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maintaining, in an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server, a user service profile including information regarding a QoS level associated with a user; receiving, at a service selection gateway (SSG) to which the user is in communication, a request from the user to assign a particular QoS level to at least one packet flow transmitted by the user; assigning, in response to the request, the QoS level to the at least one packet flow in a session; setting QoS bits within packets belonging to the at least one packet flow received at the SSG in accordance with the assigned QoS level; transmitting the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow to the data communications network; and sending to the AAA server accounting packets having information on the user'"'"'s use of the QoS level within the data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for implementing Quality of Service (QoS) levels in a data communications network, the method comprising:
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establishing a user service profile including a QoS level associated with a user; maintaining the user service profile in an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server; obtaining the user service profile from the AAA server in response to a user log-in attempt to a service selection gateway (SSG); setting, in the SSG, QoS bits of the packets originated from the user in accordance with the QoS level for the user; routing, after the QoS bits have been set, the packets on to the data communications network; sending to the AAA server accounting packets having information on the user'"'"'s use of the QoS level within the data communications network; and charging the user in accordance with the use of the QoS level. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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53. A method for implementing Quality of Service (QoS) levels in a data communications network, the method comprising:
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establishing a user service profile including information regarding a QoS level associated with a user; maintaining the user service profile in an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server; receiving, at a service selection gateway (SSG) to which a user is in communication, a request from the user to assign a particular QoS level to at least one packet flow transmitted by the user; assigning, in response to the request, the QoS level to the at least one packet flow in a session; setting QoS bits within packets belonging to the at least one packet flow received at the SSG in accordance with the assigned QoS level; transmitting the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow to the data communications network; sending to the AAA server accounting packets having information on the user'"'"'s use of the QoS level within the data communications network; and charging the user in accordance with the use of the QoS level. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. An apparatus for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for obtaining a user service profile including a QoS level for the user in response to a user log-in attempt to a service selection gateway (SSG), the QoS level being associated with the user; means for routing all packets originated by the user through the SSG during a session; means for setting, in the SSG, the QoS bits of packets originated by the user in accordance with the QoS level for the user; and means for passing after the QoS bits have been set, the packets on to the data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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62. An apparatus for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for initiating a request to an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server in response to the user'"'"'s attempt to log in; means for receiving, from the AAA server, a user service profile corresponding to the user, the user service profile including a Quality of Service field; and means for using the Quality of Service field to set the QoS bits within the packets transmitted by the user. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64)
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65. An apparatus for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving, at a service selection gateway (SSG) to which the user is in communication, a request from the user to assign a particular QoS level to at least one packet flow transmitted by the user; means for assigning, in response to the request, a QoS level to the at least one packet flow; means for setting the QoS bits within the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow received at the SSG in accordance with the assigned QoS level; and means for transmitting the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow to the data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. An apparatus for implementing Quality of Service (QoS) levels in a data communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for maintaining, in an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server, a user service profile including a QoS level associated with a user; means for obtaining the user service profile from the AAA server in response to a user log-in attempt to a service selection gateway (SSG); means for routing all packets originated by the user through the SSG during a session; means for setting, in the SSG, QoS bits of the packets originated from the user in accordance with the QoS level for the user; and means for passing, after the QoS bits have been set, the packets on to the data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76)
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77. An apparatus for implementing Quality of Service (QoS) levels in a data communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for maintaining, in an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server, a user service profile including information regarding a QoS level associated with a user; means for receiving, at a service selection gateway (SSG) to which the user is in communication, a request from the user to assign a particular QoS level to at least one packet flow transmitted by the user; means for assigning, in response to the request, the QoS level to the at least one packet flow in a session; means for setting QoS bits within packets belonging to the at least one packet flow received at the SSG in accordance with the assigned QoS level; means for transmitting the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow to the data communications network; and means for sending to the AAA server accounting packets having information on the user'"'"'s use of the QoS level within the data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the method comprising:
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obtaining a user service profile including a QoS level for the user in response to a user log-in attempt to a service selection gateway (SSG), the QoS level being associated with the user regardless of a point of presence (PoP) at which the user attempts to log in; routing all packets originated by the user through the SSG during a session; setting, in the SSG, the QoS bits of packets originated by the user in accordance with the QoS level for the user; and passing, after the QoS bits have been set, the packets on to the data communications network.
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86. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the method comprising:
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initiating a request to an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) server in response to the user'"'"'s attempt to log in; receiving, from the AAA server, a user service profile corresponding to the user, the user service profile including a Quality of Service field indicating a QoS level associated with the user regardless of a point of presence (PoP) at which the user attempts to log in; and using the Quality of Service field to set, the QoS bits within the packets transmitted by the user.
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87. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for setting Quality of Service (QoS) bits of packets sent by a user of a data communications network, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a service selection gateway (SSG) to which the user is in communication, a request from the user to assign a particular QoS level to at least one packet flow transmitted by the user; assigning, in response to the request, a QoS level to the at least one packet flow and applying the assigned QoS level until either the user requests another QoS level to use or the user logs out; setting the QoS bits within the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow received at the SSG in accordance with the assigned QoS level; and transmitting the packets belonging to the at least one packet flow to the data communications network.
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Specification