System and method for providing differentiated quality of service

• US 8,848,530 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koptiw, Michael, Michelson, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PHUC H
• Application Number:
  US11/260,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,260 Days
• Field of Search: 307/230, 307/235, 307/516
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/283 in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/206 Real Time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports

Abstract

Described is a system and method for providing differentiated service levels. The method comprising receiving a packet stream including a plurality of packets. A level of service to be provided to the packet stream is determined. An impairment to the packet stream is determined as a function of the level of service. The impaired packet stream is outputted.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a router, a packet stream including a plurality of packets;

determining, by the router, a level of service to be provided to the packet stream, wherein the determining the level of service to be provided to the packet stream comprises determining an address to which the packet stream is addressed, wherein the address is a destination internet protocol address;

selecting, by the router, an impairment from a plurality of impairments to introduce to the packet stream as a function of the level of service, wherein each of the plurality of impairments is an additional impairment over an ambient impairment experienced by the packet stream, wherein the plurality of impairments includes a delay, a jitter and a packet loss;

introducing, by the router, the impairment that is selected to the packet stream, wherein the impairment that is selected is introduced by a buffer of a plurality of buffers of the router, wherein the plurality of buffers of the router comprise;

a first buffer for introducing the delay;

a second buffer for introducing the jitter; and

a third buffer for introducing the packet loss; and

outputting, from the router, the packet stream that has been impaired.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a service metric for the packet stream.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the service metric indicates the level of service applied to the packet stream.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of packets includes voice over internet protocol packets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the level of service is defined in a service level agreement with a customer receiving the packet stream.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the level of service further comprises:

determining a port number for the packet stream.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the level of service further comprises:

determining a payload of the packet stream.

8. A device, comprising:

a packet classifier for receiving a packet stream including a plurality of data packets and classifying the packet stream based on a level of service to be provided to the packet stream, wherein the packet classifier classifies the level of service by determining an address to which the packet stream is addressed, wherein the address is a destination internet protocol address;

a plurality of buffers, where each buffer is for introducing a different impairment of a plurality of impairments to the packet stream as a function of the level of service to be provided to the packet stream, wherein each of the plurality of impairments is an additional impairment over an ambient impairment experienced by the packet stream, wherein the plurality of impairments includes a delay, a jitter and a packet loss, the plurality of buffers comprising;

a first buffer for introducing the delay;

a second buffer for introducing the jitter; and

a third buffer for introducing the packet loss; and

a buffer controller, coupled to the plurality of buffers, for selecting one of the plurality of impairments and for controlling a duration of the one of the plurality of impairments that is selected, wherein the device comprises a router.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a controller generating a service metric for the packet stream.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the service metric indicates the level of service applied to the packet stream.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of packets includes voice over internet protocol packets.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the level of service is defined in a service level agreement with a customer receiving the packet stream.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the device outputs the packet stream that has been impaired to a user device.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the packet classifier determines whether the packet stream has been previously impaired by another device.

15. A router comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a packet stream including a plurality of packets;

determining a level of service to be provided to the packet stream, wherein the determining the level of service to be provided to the packet stream comprises determining an address to which the packet stream is addressed, wherein the address is a destination internet protocol address;

selecting an impairment from a plurality of impairments to introduce to the packet stream as a function of the level of service, wherein each of the plurality of impairments is an additional impairment over an ambient impairment experienced by the packet stream, wherein the plurality of impairments includes a delay, a jitter and a packet loss;

introducing the impairment that is selected to the packet stream, wherein the impairment that is selected is introduced by a buffer of a plurality of buffers of the router, wherein the plurality of buffers of the router comprise;

a first buffer for introducing the delay;

a second buffer for introducing the jitter; and

a third buffer for introducing the packet loss; and

outputting, from the router, the packet stream that has been impaired.

16. The router of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a service metric for the packet stream.