Label switched packet transfer device

• US 10,212,077 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: BRE Communication LLC
• Inventors: Jabbari, Bijan, Dinan, Esmael, Papneja, Rajiv
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US15/367,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20170085471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 370252, 370254, 370389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/502 Frame based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 using assembly or disassembly of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/00 Network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A device for connecting base station(s) to a cellular label switched network in a cellular network. The cellular network includes: base station(s), the connecting device(s); cellular label switched network(s); and service area(s). The base station(s) communicates with mobile terminals using wireless technology. The wireless technology uses a protocol layer architecture that includes at least one of the following: a wireless physical layer; a wireless medium access control protocol layer; a radio link control layer; and a network layer. The connecting device(s) include: a first interface to connect to the base station(s); a second interface to connect to cellular label switched network(s); and a label forwarding layer that: forwards packets between base station(s) and cellular label switched network(s); attaches label(s) to packets and removes label(s) from packets. A service area divided into a multitude of cells through which mobile terminals can move through and communicate with base station(s).

Claims

1. A method for transmitting packets in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at a network node in a cell site in the network, a first packet from a base station associated with the cell site;

appending, by the network node, information to a header of the first packet, the information identifying a path through a backbone network, wherein appending information to the header of the first packet comprises attaching a first label to the first packet, the first label identifying a first label switched path through the backbone network; and

forwarding the first packet with the appended information to a switching node in the backbone network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

examining, by the switching node, the first label; and

based on examining the first label, determining, by the switching node, a transmission path of the first packet along the first label switched path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first label switched path includes identifying a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based path.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second packet from the switching node, the second packet including information appended to a header of the second packet that identifies a second path through the backbone network;

removing the information appended to the header of the second packet; and

upon removing the information, transmitting the second packet to the base station.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the information appended to the header of the second packet includes a second label attached to the second packet, and wherein the second path includes a second label switched path through the backbone network.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first packet or the second packet includes an IP (Internet Protocol) packet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the IP packet includes a header section, the header section including at least one of a source address or a destination address.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the network node is coupled to a radio component that is located at the cell site and configured to communicate wirelessly with a mobile wireless terminal over a radio link, the method comprising:

receiving, using the radio component, one or more radio link frames from the mobile wireless terminal; and

assembling the one or more radio link frames into the first packet.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving the second packet from the switching node in the backbone network;

segmenting the second packet into one or more radio link frames; and

transmitting, using the radio component, the one or more radio link frames associated with the second packet to the mobile wireless terminal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the network node includes a switching component, the method further comprising:

assembling, using the switching component, the one or more radio link frames into the first packet;

appending, using the switching component, the information to the header of the first packet;

removing, using the switching component, the information appended to the header of the second packet; and

segmenting, using the switching component, the second packet into the one or more radio link frames.

11. A network node that is configured to transmit packets in a network, wherein the network node is configured to:

receive a first packet from a base station associated with a cell site in the network;

append information to a header of the first packet, the information identifying a path through a backbone network, wherein appending information to the header of the first packet comprises attaching a first label to the first packet, the first label identifying a first label switched path through the backbone network; and

forward the first packet with the appended information to a switching node in the backbone network,

wherein the network node is placed in the cell site.

12. The network node of claim 11, wherein identifying the first label switched path includes identifying a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based path.

13. The network node of claim 11, wherein the network node is coupled to a radio component that is located at the cell site and configured to communicate wirelessly with a mobile wireless terminal over a radio link, and wherein the network node is configured to:

receive, using the radio component, one or more radio link frames from the mobile wireless terminal; and

assemble the one or more radio link frames into the first packet.

14. The network node of claim 13, wherein the network node includes a switching component, the network node further configured to:

assemble, using the switching component, the one or more radio link frames into the first packet; and

append, using the switching component, the information to the header of the first packet.

15. The network node of claim 14, wherein the switching component is co-located with the radio component.

16. The network node of claim 11, wherein the network node is located at an interface region between the cell site and the backbone network.

17. The network node of claim 11, wherein the network node is associated with a cell site gateway.

18. The network node of claim 11, wherein the network node is included in the base station.

19. A system comprising:

a base station associated with a cell site in a network;

a switching node in a backbone network associated with the network; and

a network node placed in the cell site and configured to forward packets between the base station and the switching node, wherein the network node is configured to;

receive a first packet from the base station;

append information to a header of the first packet, the information identifying a path through the backbone network, wherein appending information to the header of the first packet comprises attaching a first label to the first packet, the first label identifying a first label switched path through the backbone network; and

forward the first packet with the appended information to the switching node.