SELECTING A DATA PATH

• US 20090175285A1
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CradlePoint Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: CradlePoint Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Johnson, David Alan, Wood, Steven, Sewall, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control

Abstract

A method for selecting a data path includes identifying a plurality of available data paths between a router device and a wide area network. Link status information for the available data paths are obtained. Selection rules are processed with the obtained link status information, and one of the plurality of available data paths is selected according to the processing of the selection rules. Data communications are then routed between a local area network and the wide area network via a data exchanger and a remote data link that follows the selected data path.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a data path, comprising:

identifying a plurality of available data paths between a router device and a wide area network;

obtaining link status information for the available data paths;

processing selection rules with the obtained link status information;

selecting one of the plurality of available data paths according to the processing of the selection rules; and

routing data communications between a local area network and the wide area network via a data exchanger and a remote link that follows the selected data path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of available data paths are data paths between the wide area network and one or more data exchangers coupled to the router device and wherein obtaining link status information comprises polling the one or more data exchangers for the link status information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of available data paths are data paths between the wide area network and one or more data exchangers coupled to the router device and wherein obtaining link status information comprises parsing a database of link status information.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising periodically polling the one or more data exchangers for updated link status information and updating the database with updated link status information received from the one or more data exchangers in response to the polling.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the plurality of available data paths is a first one of the plurality of available data paths, the method further comprising:

obtaining updated link status information for the available data paths;

processing selection rules with the obtained updated link status information; and

selecting a second one of the plurality of available data paths according to the processing of the selection rules with the updated obtained link status information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second one of the plurality of available data paths is different than the first one of the plurality of available data paths.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing the remote link in response to the selecting of the data path.

8. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon that when executed by a router device cause the router device to implement a method, medium having instructions for:

identifying a plurality of available data paths between a router device and a wide area network;

obtaining link status information for the available data paths;

processing selection rules with the obtained link status information;

selecting one of the plurality of available data paths according to the processing of the selection rules; and

routing data communications between a local area network and the wide area network via a data exchanger and a remote link that follows the selected data path.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of available data paths are data paths between the wide area network and one or more data exchangers coupled to the router device and wherein the instructions for obtaining link status information include instructions for polling the one or more data exchangers for the link status information.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of available data paths are data paths between the wide area network and one or more data exchangers coupled to the router device and wherein the instructions for obtaining link status information include instructions for parsing a database of link status information.

11. The medium of claim 10, having further instructions for periodically polling the one or more data exchangers for updated link status information and updating the database with updated link status information received from the one or more data exchangers in response to the polling.

12. The medium of claim 8, wherein the selected one of the plurality of available data paths is a first one of the plurality of available data paths, the medium having instructions for:

obtaining updated link status information for the available data paths;

processing selection rules with the obtained updated link status information; and

selecting a second one of the plurality of available data paths according to the processing of the selection rules the updated obtained link status information.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the second one of the plurality of available data paths is different than the first one of the plurality of available data paths.

14. The medium of claim 8, having further instructions for establishing the remote link in response to the selecting of the data path.

15. A router device, comprising a plurality of data exchanger interfaces, a remote link manager, and a router, wherein:

each of the plurality of data exchanger interfaces is configured to provide an interface between the router and a data exchanger coupled to that data exchanger interface;

the remote link manager is configured to identify a plurality of available data paths between a router device and a wide area network, obtain link status information for the available data paths, process selection rules with the obtained link status information, and select one of the plurality of available data paths according to the processing of the selection rules; and

the router is configured to route data communications between a local area network and the wide area network via a data exchanger and a remote link that follows the selected data path.

16. The router device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of available data paths are data paths between the wide area network and one or more data exchangers coupled to one or more of the plurality of data exchanger interfaces and wherein the remote link manager is configured to poll the one or more data exchangers for the link status information.

17. The router device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of available data paths are data paths between the wide area network and one or more data exchangers coupled to one or more of the plurality of data exchanger interfaces and wherein the remote link manager is configured to parse a database for the link status information.

18. The router device of claim 17, wherein the remote link manager is configured to periodically poll the one or more data exchangers for updated link status information and to update the database with updated link status information received from the one or more data exchangers in response to the polling.

19. The router device of claim 15, wherein the selected one of the plurality of available data paths is a first one of the plurality of available data paths, the remote link manager being configured to:

obtain updated link status information for the available data paths;

process selection rules with the obtained updated link status information; and

select a second one of the plurality of available data paths according to the processing of the selection rules the updated obtained link status information.

20. The router device of claim 19, wherein the second one of the plurality of available data paths is different than the first one of the plurality of available data paths.