Communications network

• US 7,478,162 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Roadknight, Christopher Mark, Marshall, Ian W
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin; Kenny S
• Application Number:
  US10/169,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,911 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/229, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An emergent network is autonomous at the service level. Network nodes have policies that enable them to process different types of service requests, with the processing earning the nodes ‘rewards’. Successful nodes can pass some or all of their policies to other nodes using the evolutionary biology of bacteria as a model.

Claims

1. A multi-service communications network comprising more than one node, each node having storage means storing least one nodal policy and processing means operable to process at least one service corresponding to said at least one nodal policy, said network comprising:

(i) a service request identifier means for determining the type of service request that is capable of being processed by each respective node; and

(ii) at least one service request criteria means for determining whether a type of service request defined by said service request identifier means will be processed by each respective node;

wherein the processing of said at least one service request criteria means determines an activity indicator of said node such that the node autonomously varies at least one of the nodal policies in accordance with the activity indicator and causes the node to thereafter behave differently in accordance with a changed algorithm of node operation such that a set of inputs will thereafter cause different node behavior as compared to node operation occurring before the variation in policy was effected.

2. A multi-service communications network as in claim 1 wherein if the activity indicator of a node reaches a first upper threshold then the node is permitted to export one or more nodal policies then active at that node.

3. A multi-service communications network as in claim 2 wherein if the activity indicator of a node reaches a second upper threshold then the node is permitted to replicate all nodal policies then active at that node to generate a clone of the node.

4. A multi-service communications network as in claim 3 wherein the second upper threshold value is greater than the first upper threshold value.

5. A multi-service communications network as in claim 3 wherein the second upper threshold value is maintenance of the activity indicator at or above the first upper threshold for a predetermined period of time.

6. A multi-service communications network as in claim 1 wherein if the activity indicator of a node is lowered to a first lower threshold then the node is permitted to import a further nodal policy.

7. A multi-service communications network as in claim 6 wherein if the activity indicator is lowered to a second lower threshold then the node is permitted to delete an enabled nodal policy and enable a dormant nodal policy.

8. A multi-service communications network as in claim 7 wherein the second lower threshold value that is lower than the first lower threshold value.

9. A multi-service communications network as in claim 7 wherein the second upper threshold value is maintenance of the activity indicator at or below the first lower threshold for a predetermined period of time.

10. A multi-service communications network as in claim 7 wherein if the activity indicator reaches a second lower threshold and the node has no dormant nodal policies then the node deactivates itself.

11. A multi-service communications network as in claim 1 wherein a variable within at least one of said at least one nodal policy is randomly varied.

12. A multi-service communications network as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the nodal policies is adapted to process preferentially one type of service request.

13. A multi-service communications network as in claim 12, wherein preferential processing of a service request is determined by a service request function.

14. A multi-service communications network as in claim 13 wherein the service request function is a time to live.

15. A multi-service communications network as in claim 13 wherein the service request function is a value derived from processing the service request.

16. A multi-service communications network as in claim 1, the communications network being configured to process an additional service by insertion of an additional nodal policy into the network.

17. A multi-service communications network as in claim 16 wherein the additional nodal policy is inserted into the multi-service communications network such that at least one of said nodes imports the additional nodal policy.

18. A multi-service communications network as in claim 17 wherein the additional nodal policy is inserted directly into at least one of said nodes.

19. A multi-service communications network as in claim 17 wherein when a new node is created and the additional nodal policy is inserted directly into said new node.

20. A method of operating a multi-service communications network comprising more than one node, the method comprising:

(a) each node processing at least one type of service request corresponding to at least one nodal policy, each nodal policy comprising;

(i) a service request identifier, said service request identifier determining the type of service request that is capable of being processed by each respective node; and

(ii) at least one service request criteria, said service request criteria determining whether a type of service request defined by said service request identifier will be processed by each respective node; and

(b) processing said at least one service determines an activity indicator of said node such that the node autonomously varies at least one of the nodal policies in accordance with the activity indicator and causing the node to thereafter behave differently in accordance with a changed algorithm of node operation such that a set of inputs will thereafter cause different node behavior as compared to node operation occurring before the variation in policy was effected.

21. A method of operating a multi-service communications network as in claim 20 wherein one type of service request is processed preferentially in accordance with a nodal policy.

22. A method of operating a multi-service communications network as in claim 21 wherein preferential processing of a service request is determined by a service request function.

23. A method of operating a multi-service communication network as in claim 22 wherein the service request function is a time to live.

24. A method of operating a multi-service communications network as in claim 22 wherein the service request function is a value derived from processing the service request.

25. A method of operating a multi-service communications network as in claim 20 wherein at least one of the nodal policies is varied in accordance with the activity indicator by importing a new additional policy, recently inserted into the network, whereby the node, and thus the network as a whole, becomes enabled to process an additional service.

26. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising computer code for implementing a method of operating a multi-service communications network according to claim 20.