Load sharing on DOCSIS
First Claim
1. A method for forwarding a packet upstream from a subscriber unit to a central access point, the packet including destination information and source information, the method comprising:
- determining a first value associated with the packet, the first value being one of a predetermined set of limited values, wherein the first value is determined using the destination information and the source information including applying a hash function to the destination information and the source information and generating the first value using the hash function, wherein the first value is a hash value;
identifying a first service flow that is suitable for use to forward the packet, the first service flow being one of a set of service flows between the source and the destination, wherein the first service flow is identified using the first value associated with the packet; and
sending the packet on the first service flow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for efficiently distributing traffic on available best-effort service flows within a system are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for forwarding a packet which includes destination information and source information upstream from a source to a destination includes determining a first value associated with the packet using the destination information and the source information. A first service flow that is suitable for use to forward the packet is identified using the first value. The first service flow is one of a set of service flows between a source and a central access point. Once the first service flow is identified, the packet is sent on the first service flow. In one embodiment, the source is a subscriber unit and the central access point is a headend.
39 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for forwarding a packet upstream from a subscriber unit to a central access point, the packet including destination information and source information, the method comprising:
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determining a first value associated with the packet, the first value being one of a predetermined set of limited values, wherein the first value is determined using the destination information and the source information including applying a hash function to the destination information and the source information and generating the first value using the hash function, wherein the first value is a hash value; identifying a first service flow that is suitable for use to forward the packet, the first service flow being one of a set of service flows between the source and the destination, wherein the first service flow is identified using the first value associated with the packet; and sending the packet on the first service flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for forwarding packets associated with a session upstream from a subscriber unit to a central access point, the method comprising:
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identifying a number (N) of available service flows between the subscriber unit and the central access point;
sending a first packet of the session from the subscriber unit to the central access point on a first service flow included in the N available service flows;sending an (N−
1)th packet of the session from the subscriber unit to the central access point on an (N−
1)th service flow included in the N available service flows;sending an Nth packet of the session from the subscriber unit to the central access point on an Nth service flow included in the N available service flows; and sending a second packet of the session from the subscriber unit to the central access point on a second service flow included in the N available service flows, wherein the second packet is substantially in sequence behind the first packet and before the (N−
1)th packet and Nth packet. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A device for forwarding a packet upstream to a central access point, the packet including destination information and source information, the device comprising:
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means for causing a first value associated with the packet to be determined, the first value being one of a predetermined set of limited values, wherein the means for causing the first value to be determined include means for causing the destination information and the source information to be used, means for causing a hash function to be applied to the destination information and the source information; and
means for causing the first value to be generated using the hash function, wherein the first value is a hash value;means for causing a first service flow that is suitable for use to forward the packet to be identified, the first service flow being one of a set of service flows between the source and the central access point, wherein the means for causing the first service flow to be identified include means for causing first service flow to be identified using the first value associated with the packet; and means for causing the packet to be sent on the first service flow. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A device for forwarding packets associated with a session upstream to a central access point, the device comprising:
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means for causing a number (N) of available service flows to the central access point to be identified; means for causing a first packet of the session to be sent to the central access point on a first service flow included in the N available service flows; means for causing an (N−
1)th packet of the session to be sent to the central access point on an (N−
1)th service flow;means for causing an Nth packet of the session to be sent to the central access point on an Nth service flow included in the N available service flows; means for causing a second packet of the session to be sent to the central access point on a second service flow, wherein the second packet is substantially in sequence behind the first packet and before the (N−
1)th packet and Nth packet. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A device for forwarding packets to a central access point through a number of available service flows, the device comprising:
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a routing component; a hashing component, the hashing component being arranged to apply a hash function to information associated with a first packet to determine a value, wherein the routing component is arranged to provide the information associated with the first packet to the hashing component and the potential number of determined values at least equal to the number of available service flows; and a first service flow identifier, the first service flow identifier being associated with the value, wherein the hashing component associates the first packet with the first service flow identifier. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A device comprising:
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a receiving component configured to receive a plurality of packets that are to be forwarded to a central access point by a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) protocol; a plurality of service flow identifiers which are associated with a plurality of service flows of said DOCSIS protocol; and a routing component configured to receive the plurality of packets from the receiving component and to provide the plurality of packets to the plurality of service flow identifiers of said DOCSIS protocol on a substantially round-robin basis, wherein the routing component is further configured to provide a first packet of the plurality of packets to a first service flow identifier of the plurality of service flow identifiers and to provide an Nth packet of the plurality of packets to an Nth service flow identifier of the plurality of service flow identifiers, and not to provide a second packet, that is received by the receiving component between the first packet and the Nth packet, to either the first service flow identifier or the Nth service flow identifier. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification