Method and system for routing traffic in a communication network

• US 7,839,840 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Rothe, Asavari, Hartman, Michael James, Evans, Scott Charles, Pearlman, Marc Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US11/442,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20070280197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 370238-503, 709201-248
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery

Abstract

A method and system for routing traffic in a communication network is disclosed that may include assigning each node in a network a first subset of route repository nodes and a second subset of route repository nodes, querying the second subset of route repository nodes in order to obtain route information that is stored in the second subset of route repository nodes, computing route information by applying a route computation algorithm to the first subset of route repository nodes, and routing traffic in the communication network based on the route information obtained from the second subset of route repository nodes and the route information computed using the first subset of route repository nodes.

Claims

1. A method for routing traffic in a communication network comprising:

assigning each node in a network a first subset of route repository nodes and a second subset of route repository nodes;

storing local connectivity information in the first subset of route repository nodes;

computing route information by applying a route computation algorithm to the first subset of route repository nodes;

storing the route information in the second subset of route repository nodes;

querying the second subset of route repository nodes in order to obtain the route information;

enabling traffic through each node to be routed based on the route information obtained from the second subset of route repository nodes; and

establishing a dynamic route repository node configuration based on at least one dynamic route repository node evaluation factor, the dynamic route repository node configuration characterized by one of route repository node assignment changes, proxy route repository node assignment changes, routing protocol messaging link assignment changes, route repository node state migration, and updating of messaging parameters, and the dynamic route repository node evaluation factors being one of node connectivity, network topology, node characteristics, node health, and node failure;

wherein the dynamic route repository node configuration permits nodes to be informed concerning route repository node assignments through one of periodic route repository node assignment notifications, triggered notification of route repository node assignments, and querying of nodes for their route repository node assignments.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

advertising route information to route repository nodes, wherein the route advertisements are issued through at least one of individual unicasts to individual route repository nodes or through multicast delivery to all selected route repository nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a quorum architecture, wherein each node'"'"'s first subset of route repository nodes has at least one route repository node in common with each node'"'"'s second subset of route repository nodes.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a proxy architecture, wherein each node'"'"'s first subset to route repository nodes comprises one advertising route repository node and each node'"'"'s second subset to route repository nodes comprises one query proxy route repository node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one highly-connected route repository node serves all network nodes, the at least one highly connected route repository node being one of a satellite, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a manned aerial vehicle, and a terrestrial node.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions executed by at least one processor to implement a method for routing traffic in a communication network comprising:

assigning each node in a network a first subset of route repository nodes and a second subset of route repository nodes;

storing local connectivity information in the first subset of route repository nodes;

computing route information by applying a route computation algorithm to the first subset of route repository nodes;

storing the route information in the second subset of route repository nodes;

querying the second subset of route repository nodes in order to obtain the route information;

enabling traffic through each node to be routed based on the route information obtained from the second subset of route repository nodes; and

establishing a dynamic route repository node configuration based on at least one dynamic route repository node evaluation factor, the dynamic route repository node configuration characterized by one of route repository node assignment changes, proxy route repository node assignment changes, routing protocol messaging link assignment changes, route repository node state migration, and updating of messaging parameters, and the dynamic route repository node evaluation factors being one of node connectivity, network topology, node characteristics, node health, and node failure;

wherein the dynamic route repository node configuration permits nodes to be informed concerning route repository node assignments through one of periodic route repository node assignment notifications, triggered notification of route repository node assignments, and querying of nodes for their route repository node assignments.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising:

advertising route information to route repository nodes, wherein the route advertisements are issued through at least one of individual unicasts to individual route repository nodes or through multicast delivery to all selected route repository nodes.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising:

establishing a quorum architecture, wherein each node'"'"'s first subset of route repository nodes has at least one route repository node in common with each node'"'"'s second subset of route repository nodes.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising:

establishing a proxy architecture, wherein each node'"'"'s first subset to route repository nodes comprises one advertising route repository node and each node'"'"'s second subset to route repository nodes comprises one query proxy route repository node.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein at least one highly-connected route repository node serves all network nodes, the at least one highly connected route repository node being one of a satellite, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a manned aerial vehicle, and a terrestrial node.

11. A system routing traffic in a communication network, comprising:

a plurality of nodes; and

a route determination node, wherein the route determination node assigns each node in the network a first subset of route repository nodes and a second subset of route repository nodes, stores local connectivity information in the first subset of route repository nodes, computes route information by applying a route computation algorithm to the first subset of route repository nodes, stores the route information in the second subset of route repository nodes, queries the second subset of route repository nodes in order to obtain the route information wherein traffic is routed through each node based on the route information obtained from the second subset of route repository nodes;

wherein the route determination node establishes a dynamic route repository node configuration based on at least one dynamic route repository node evaluation factor, the dynamic route repository node configuration characterized by one of route repository node assignment changes, proxy route repository node assignment changes, routing protocol messaging link assignment changes, route repository node state migration, and updating of messaging parameters, and the dynamic route repository node evaluation factors being one of node connectivity, network topology, node characteristics, node health, and node failure;

wherein the dynamic route repository node configuration permits nodes to be informed concerning route repository node assignments through one of periodic route repository node assignment notifications, triggered notification of route repository node assignments, and querying of nodes for their route repository node assignments.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the route determination node causes route information advertisements to be issued to route repository nodes, wherein the route advertisements are issued through at least one of individual unicasts to individual route repository nodes or through multicast delivery to all selected route repository nodes.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the route determination node establishes a quorum architecture, wherein each node'"'"'s first subset of route repository nodes has at least one route repository node in common with each node'"'"'s second subset of route repository nodes.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the route determination node establishes a proxy architecture, wherein each node'"'"'s first subset to route repository nodes comprises one advertising route repository node and each node'"'"'s second subset to route repository nodes comprises one query proxy route repository node.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

at least one highly-connected route repository node that serves all network nodes, the at least one highly connected route repository node being one of a satellite, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a manned aerial vehicle, and a terrestrial node.