Assigning priority to network traffic at customer premises

• US 7,725,594 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Patka, Andrew F., Jia, Lujun R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barqadle; Yasin M
• Application Number:
  US11/617,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-206, 709217-219, 709/232, 709/238, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses

Abstract

A device may receive a message from a client device and determine whether the message includes particular data. The device may identify an address within a particular address group when the message includes the particular data. The traffic associated with addresses within the particular address group are assigned priority over traffic associated with addresses outside the particular address group. The device may provide the identified address to the client device so that traffic associated with the client device receives priority over other traffic

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) discover message from a client device;

determining whether the message includes particular data, including vendor class identifier data that indicates that the client device is a video device or an audio device, where if the message includes the particular data, the method further comprises;

identifying an address within a particular address group that has a first priority, and

assigning the first priority to traffic associated with addresses within the particular address group, or where

if the message does not include the particular data, the method further comprises;

identifying a second address within a second address group that is different than the particular address group, and that has a second priority that is lower than the first priority, and

assigning the second priority to traffic associated with addresses within the second group; and

providing the identified address or the identified second address to the client device, where if the identified address is provided, the client device gives the traffic, assigned the first priority, priority over other traffic.

2. The method of claim 1, where the discover message includes a suggested value for a duration of a lease associated with the client device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a list of video devices or audio devices; and

where determining whether the message includes the particular data includes determining whether the client device is a video device or an audio device on the list of video devices or audio devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning the identified address by generating an offer message that includes the identified address; and

where providing the identified address includes transmitting the offer message to the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving traffic associated with the client device;

determining whether an address associated with the traffic is included within the particular address group; and

processing the traffic to give the traffic priority over other traffic when the associated address is included within the particular address group.

6. The method of claim 5, where determining whether the address associated with the traffic is included within the particular address group includes:

identifying a source address or a destination address associated with the traffic, and

determining whether the source address or the destination address is an address included within the particular address group.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning priority to traffic associated with addresses within the particular address group over other traffic associated with addresses outside the particular address group, based on Quality of Service (QoS) policies.

8. A device, comprising:

a memory to store a pool of available addresses; and

a processor to;

receive a message, including a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) discover message, from a client device that is located on a same local network as the device;

determine whether the message includes particular data, including vendor class identifier data that indicates that the client device is a video device or an audio device, where if the message includes the particular data, the processor is further to;

identify an address within a particular group of addresses, in the pool of available addresses, that has first priority, and

assign the first priority to traffic associated with addresses within the particular group of addresses, or where

if the message does not include the particular data, the processor is further to;

identify a second address within a second group of addresses, in the pool of available addresses, that is different than the particular group of addresses, and that has a second priority that is lower than the first priority, and

assign a second priority to traffic associated with the second group of addresses; and

provide the identified address or the identified second address to the client device, where if the identified address is provided, the client device gives the traffic, assigned the first priority, priority over other traffic.

9. The device of claim 8, where the processor:

maintains a list of video devices or audio devices; and

determines whether the client device is a video device or an audio device on the list of video devices or audio devices.

10. The device of claim 8, where the processor:

generates an offer message that includes the identified address; and

transmits the offer message to the client device.

11. The device of claim 8, where the processor further:

receives traffic associated with the client devices;

determines whether an address associated with the traffic is included within the particular group of addresses; and

processes the traffic to give the traffic priority over other traffic when the associated address is included within the particular group of addresses.

12. The device of claim 11, where when determining whether the address associated with the traffic is included within the particular group of addresses, the processor:

identifies a source address or a destination address associated with the traffic; and

determines whether the source address or the destination address is an address included within the particular group of addresses.