Network or service management system for determining the synchronization between two streams of packets

• US 7,443,889 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Martinot, Olivier, Delegue, Gérard, Poupel, Olivier, Gonguet, Arnaud
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mais; Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US10/345,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20030133416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: 370507-521
• US Class Current: 370/516
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6483 Video, e.g. MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6486 Signalling Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

A network management system for determining the synchronization between two streams of packets transmitted in a transport network measures throughput variations for each of the streams of packets and determines the synchronization by comparing the variations.

Claims

1. A network management system for determining the synchronization between two streams of packets transmitted in a transport network, said system including:

means for measuring throughput variations for each of said two streams of packets; and

means for determining the synchronization by comparing said throughput variations, wherein said throughput variations for each of said two streams of packets comprise variations of the ratio between the total size of the packets and the total time intervals between two successive packets of said stream of packets, and further wherein said variations of the ratio are calculated over a time window, and a time interval between said two successive packets of said stream of packets is variable.

2. The network management system claimed in claim 1,

wherein said two streams of packets are synchronized if a difference between their respective throughputs is below a tolerance threshold.

3. A service management system including a network management system as claimed in claim 1.

4. The service management system claimed in claim 3 wherein said two streams of packets are associated with a service.

5. The service management system claimed in claim 4 wherein at least one parameter relating to said synchronization measurement is inserted in a service level specification associated with said service.

6. The network management system of claim 5, wherein said parameter comprises an indicator of a difference between said variations of said ratio to a synchronization deviation tolerance, which specifies a degree of freedom that can be left to synchronization.

7. A method of determining the synchronization between two streams of packets transmitted in a transport network a network management system, said method including:

measuring throughput variations for each of said two streams of packets; and

determining the synchronization by comparing said throughput variations, wherein said throughput variations for each of said two streams of packets comprise variations of the ratio between the total size of the packets and the total time intervals between two successive packets of said stream of packets, and further wherein said variations of the ratio are calculated over a time window, and a time interval between said two successive packets of said stream of packets is variable.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said two streams of packets are synchronized if a difference between their respective throughputs is below a tolerance threshold.

9. A service management system including a method as claimed in claim 7.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said two streams of packets are associated with a service.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one parameter relating to said synchronization measurement is inserted in a service level specification associated with said service.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said parameter comprises an indicator of a difference between said variations of said ratio to a synchronization deviation tolerance, which specifies a degree of freedom that can be left to synchronization.