VLAN numbering in access networks

• US 8,964,768 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Luthra, Vinod, De Boer, Alexander Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidner, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US13/690,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20130089108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0889 Techniques to speed-up the configuration process
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/20 Support for services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation

Abstract

The invention relates to VLAN numbering in access networks.

Claims

1. A network terminating device adapted for use in an access network, the network supporting virtual local area networks (VLANs) on a network side of the device and untagged Ethernet on a subscriber side of the device, wherein:

in the access network, different services from different ones of service providers are delivered to the subscriber as VLAN traffic over the network flowing to the subscriber, the VLAN traffic being delivered as untagged Ethernet traffic through one or more physical ports on the device to the subscriber; and

the VLANs separate the VLAN traffic from the different service providers, each of the VLANs on the network side having an associated VLAN numbering with the VLAN numbering comprising a port number part comprising a port number and a service number part comprising a service number differentiating the different services provided by at least one of the service providers;

the device comprising;

means for translating between the untagged Ethernet traffic on the subscriber side and the VLAN traffic on the network side by setting the service number in the service number part of the VLAN numbering in the VLAN traffic on the network side to a specific service value that indicates a relation to the untagged Ethernet traffic on the subscriber side and setting the port number in the port number part to a given port number, wherein the given port number corresponds with a particular physical port through which the services are to be delivered to the subscriber side, so as to define VLAN numbering on the network side.

2. The network terminating device recited in claim 1 wherein the specific service value corresponds to decimal 128.

3. The network terminating device recited in claim 1 wherein the port number and the service number have a numerical bit structure, and the specific service value is binary 1000 0000.

4. An access network having network and subscriber sides, which supports virtual local area networks (VLANs) on the network side and untagged Ethernet on the subscriber side, wherein different services from different service providers are delivered to the subscriber as VLAN traffic flowing over the network and are delivered as untagged Ethernet traffic through one or more physical ports on the subscriber side to the subscriber, the network comprising:

a plurality of VLANs for separating the VLAN traffic from the different service providers, each of the VLANs on the network side having an associated VLAN numbering with the VLAN numbering comprising a port number part comprising a port number and a service number part comprising a service number differentiating the different services provided by at least one of the service providers; and

a network terminating device, connected to the VLANs in the network side, the device comprising;

means for translating between the untagged Ethernet traffic on the subscriber side and the VLAN traffic on the network side by setting the service number in the service number part of the VLAN numbering in the VLAN traffic on the network side to a specific service value that indicates a relation to the untagged Ethernet traffic on the subscriber side and setting the port number in the port number part to a given port number, wherein the given port number corresponds with a particular physical port through which the services are to be delivered to the subscriber side, so as to define VLAN numbering on the network side.

5. A method for facilitating communication between service providers and a subscriber in a multiple service provider access network, the network having network and subscriber sides and supporting virtual local area networks (VLANs) on the network side and untagged Ethernet on the subscriber side, the method comprising:

providing different services from different ones of the service providers to the subscriber as VLAN traffic flowing over the network and delivered as untagged Ethernet traffic through one or more physical ports on the subscriber side;

separating, through a plurality of VLANs, the VLAN traffic from the different service providers, each of the VLANs on the network side having an associated VLAN numbering with the VLAN numbering comprising a port number part comprising a port number and a service number part comprising a service number differentiating the different services provided by at least one of the service providers; and

translating between the untagged Ethernet traffic on the subscriber side and the VLAN traffic on the network side by setting the service number in the service part of the VLAN numbering in the VLAN traffic on the network side to a specific service value that indicates a relation to the untagged Ethernet traffic on the subscriber side and setting the port number in the port number part to a given port number, wherein the given port number corresponds with a particular physical port through which the services are to be delivered to the subscriber side, so as to define VLAN numbering on the network side.