Service interface for QoS-driven HPNA networks

• US 7,583,700 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lin, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boakye; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/188,380
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 370/469, 370/470, 370/471, 370/412, 370/401, 370/466, 370/467, 370/506, 370/510, 370/512, 370/393, 370/392, 370/395.21, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/395.41, 370/395.6, 709220-246, 711/108
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/38 Flow based routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/66 Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/18 End to end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6215 Individual queue per QOS, rate or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/321 Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers

Abstract

An in-band signaling model media control (MC) terminal for an HPNA network includes a frame classification entity (FCE) and a frame scheduling entity (FSE) and provides end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) by passing the QoS requirements from higher layers to the lower layers of the HPNA network. The FCE is located at an LLC sublayer of the MC terminal, and receives a data frame from a higher layer of the MC terminal that is part of a QoS stream. The FCE classifies the received data frame for a MAC sublayer of the MC terminal based on QoS information contained in the received data frame, and associates the classified data frame with a QoS stream queue corresponding to a classification of the data frame. The FSE is located at the MAC sublayer of the MC terminal, and schedules transmission of the data frame to a destination for the data frame based on a QoS requirement associated with the QoS stream.

Claims

1. A method for use at a frame classification entity in a network, said frame classification entity located at a logical link control (LLC) layer of the network, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of data frames from a layer in said network higher than said LLC layer, each data frame in said plurality of data frames comprising an in-band quality of service parameter;

classifying said plurality of data frames into at least a first quality of service stream as a function of a value of said in-band quality of service parameter, wherein said step of classifying comprises comparing said value to entries in a frame classification table associated with said frame classification entity;

forwarding said plurality of data frames to at least a first quality of service queue associated with said quality of service stream at a media access control (MAC) layer of said network; and

adding a new entry in said frame classification table when at least a first data frame in said plurality of data frames comprises a value not present in said frame classification table.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a message to a frame scheduling entity at said MAC layer of said network, said message operative to create a new quality of service queue associated with said at least a first quality of service stream.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said message is operative to add an identifier associated with said new quality of service queue and said value to a scheduling table associated with said frame scheduling entity.

4. A method for use at a frame scheduling entity for scheduling transmission of a plurality of data frames in a network, said frame scheduling entity located at a media access control (MAC) layer of the network, said method comprising:

receiving said plurality of data frames from a frame classification entity, each data frame in said plurality of data frames comprising a first value of an in-band quality of service parameter;

storing said plurality of data frames in a queue for a quality of service stream associated with said first value;

allocating bandwidth to said plurality of data frames as a function of said first value,

adding an entry corresponding to said quality of service queue to a scheduling table associated with said frame scheduling entity in response to said step of receiving;

setting a timer for said quality of service stream;

incrementing said timer periodically when there are no data frames present in said quality of service queue;

detecting that said timer has incremented to a predetermined threshold;

terminating said quality of service queue; and

removing said entry from said frame scheduling table.