System and method for using network derivations to determine path states

• US 8,879,391 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bugenhagen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin, Yemane
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOUDHRY, SAMINA F
• Application Number:
  US13/249,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20120020221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion

Abstract

A method of determining the state of a path in a network. A rate of throughput is observed at a node of the network over an interval for at least a portion of the path. Derivations associated with a characteristic of the frames or traffic flows communicated over at least the portion of the path are determined at the node. A state of congestion of the path is determined in response to the observed rate of throughput as compared to a bandwidth profile of the path and the derivations.

Claims

1. A method of determining a state of a path in a network, the method comprising:

observing at a network node of the network a rate of throughput over a time interval for at least a portion of the path;

determining, at the network node of the network, derivations associated with a characteristic of at least one of frames and traffic flows that are communicated over at least the portion of the path;

determining a state of congestion of the path in response to the observed rate of throughput as compared to a bandwidth profile of the path and the derivations; and

determining a dynamic bandwidth profile through the network node using the derivations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic flows are determined for a number of devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the number of devices are being monitored.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the derivations includes an average packet size.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the derivations include an average amount of non-payload bits of the frames received during the time interval.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the derivations are an observed overall throughput in bits per second less a determined amount of non-payload bits per second.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of congestion is used to control traffic over the network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of congestion is used by a call control manager to route telephone calls.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of congestion is used by a call control manager to perform call set-up for telephone calls.

10. A session controller comprising:

a memory configured to store a throughput capacity of a path in a network; and

a state machine in communication with the memory and configured to;

receive a measurement of a rate of observed throughput over a time interval for the path;

receive, for a number of devices, derivations associated with characteristics of at least one of (1) frames and (2) traffic flows that are communicated over the path;

determine a state of congestion of the path in response to the measurement of the rate of the observed throughput; and

the derivations; and

determine a dynamic bandwidth profile using the derivations.

11. The session controller of claim 10, further comprising:

session control logic, the session control logic configured to modify at least one parameter of a communications session in response to the determined state of congestion.

12. The session controller of claim 10, further comprising:

session control logic, the session control logic configured to modify the routing of communications in response to the determined state of congestion.

13. The session controller of claim 10, further comprising:

session control logic, the session control logic configured to select a CODEC in response to the determined state of congestion.

14. The session controller of claim 10, further comprising:

session control logic, the session control logic configured to select a network egress point in response to the determined state of congestion.

15. The session controller of claim 10, wherein the session controller is a call controller.

16. The session controller of claim 15, further comprising session control logic configured to determine call set-up parameters.

17. The session controller of claim 15, further comprising session control logic configured to determine a CODEC for a call.

18. The session controller of claim 15, further comprising session control logic configured to determine call routing.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer readable medium encoded with instructions configured when executed by a processor to:

observe at a network node of the network a rate of throughput over a time interval for at least a portion of a path in the network;

determine at the network node of the network a derivation associated with a characteristic of at least one of frames and traffic flows that are communicated over at least the portion of the path;

determine a state of congestion of the path in response to the observed rate of throughput as compared to a bandwidth profile of the path and the derivation; and

determine a dynamic bandwidth profile through the network node using the derivations.