Patent US6674760B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6674760B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for implementing end-to-end QoS in packet-switched networks
Assignee: Extreme Networks Inc
•
Filing: 1999-09-28
•
Granted: 2004-01-06
•
Expires: 2019-09-28
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed herein is a system and method to implement end-to-end QoS for connections in IP-based networks, even when the communications are between different subnetworks. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, QoS is provided between subnet routers that are attached to the network through a network backbone. An embodiment of the invention can differentiate connections between routers and can classify data streams for both inter-subnet and intra-subnet connections using only information provided in the IP headers and without requiring any special tags or other identifiers to be added to the packet.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Walrand
- 👤 Rajarshi Gupta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:45
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L45/00; H04L45/02; H04L45/04; H04L45/302
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
In a network including a plurality of subnetworks, a method of providing quality of service for packets transmitted inter-subnetwork and for packets transmitted intra-subnetwork, comprising: receiving a packet at a first subnetwork of the plurality of subnetworks; determining whether the received packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the received packet into one of a plurality of quality of service classes based upon whether the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication and based upon the packet's header information; allocating resources necessary to provide a quality of service corresponding to the classified quality of service class; and forwarding the packet to a next destination according to the packet's classified quality of service class.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
In a network including a plurality of subnetworks, a method of providing quality of service for packets transmitted inter-subnetwork and for packets transmitted intra-subnetwork, comprising: receiving a packet at a first subnetwork of the plurality of subnetworks; determining whether the received packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the received packet into one of a plurality of quality of service classes based upon whether the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication and based upon the packet's header information; allocating resources necessary to provide a quality of service corresponding to the classified quality of service class; and forwarding the packet to a next destination according to the packet's classified quality of service class.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the header information includes a source address, a destination address, and class of service bits.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the destination address is represented by a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the packet's header information is included in an Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) tag.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of classifying packets in a network including a plurality of subnetworks, comprising: receiving a packet at a first subnetwork of the plurality of subnetworks; determining whether the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's destination address and class of service identifier if the packet is an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's source address, class of service identifier, and destination address if the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication; and allocating resources necessary to provide the appropriate level of quality of service.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of classifying packets in a network including a plurality of subnetworks, comprising: receiving a packet at a first subnetwork of the plurality of subnetworks; determining whether the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's destination address and class of service identifier if the packet is an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's source address, class of service identifier, and destination address if the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication; and allocating resources necessary to provide the appropriate level of quality of service.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's source address, class of service identifier, and destination address if the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication comprises classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's source address, class of service identifier, and a Virtual Local Area Network identifier (VLAN-ID) if the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the destination address and said class of service identifier are represented in an Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) tag.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of classifying packets in a network including a plurality of subnetworks comprising: receiving a packet at a first subnetwork of the plurality subnetworks; determining whether the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's class of service identifier and an incoming port at which the packet was received if the packet is an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's class of service identifier, an incoming port at which the packet was received, and a Virtual Local Area Network identifier (VLAN-ID) if the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication; and allocating resources necessary to provide the appropriate level of quality of service.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of classifying packets in a network including a plurality of subnetworks comprising: receiving a packet at a first subnetwork of the plurality subnetworks; determining whether the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's class of service identifier and an incoming port at which the packet was received if the packet is an intra-subnetwork communication; classifying the packet to provide an appropriate level of quality of service based on the packet's class of service identifier, an incoming port at which the packet was received, and a Virtual Local Area Network identifier (VLAN-ID) if the packet is an inter-subnetwork communication; and allocating resources necessary to provide the appropriate level of quality of service.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
117 words
A network, comprising: a backbone; a plurality of border routers; a plurality of user routers; and a plurality of subnetworks, wherein each subnetwork includes a plurality of subnetwork nodes, wherein each subnetwork node communicates with the backbone via a one or more of the plurality of border routers, wherein each subnetwork node communicates with one or more Local Area Networks (LANs) or Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) via one or more of the plurality of user routers, wherein each subnetwork node includes a classifier to classify packets for quality of service based on whether the packets are received from a border router or a user router and whether the received packets are intra-subnetwork communications or inter-network communications.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
117 words
A network, comprising: a backbone; a plurality of border routers; a plurality of user routers; and a plurality of subnetworks, wherein each subnetwork includes a plurality of subnetwork nodes, wherein each subnetwork node communicates with the backbone via a one or more of the plurality of border routers, wherein each subnetwork node communicates with one or more Local Area Networks (LANs) or Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) via one or more of the plurality of user routers, wherein each subnetwork node includes a classifier to classify packets for quality of service based on whether the packets are received from a border router or a user router and whether the received packets are intra-subnetwork communications or inter-network communications.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The network of claim 9 , wherein the classifier to classify intra-subnetwork packets received at the node from a border router based on the packet's destination address and class of service identifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The network of claim 10 , wherein the classifier to further classify inter-subnetwork packets received at the node from a user router based on the packet's destination address, class of service identifier, and an incoming port of the node at which the packet was received.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The network of claim 11 , wherein the classifier to further classify intra-subnetwork packets received at the node from a user router based on the packet's class of service identifier and an incoming port of the node at which the packet was received.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The network of claim 12 , wherein the classifier to further classify inter-subnetwork packets received at the node from a border router based on the packet's source address, destination address, and class of service.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The network of claim 12 , wherein the classifier to further classify inter-subnetwork packets received at the node from a border router based on the packet's source address, class of service, and a VLAN identifier (ID).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
118 words
An article of manufacture comprising a machine accessible medium including content that when accessed by a machine causes the machine to: receive a data packet at a first subnetwork in a network including a plurality of subnetworks; determine whether the data packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication; classify the data packet into a quality of service class based on whether the data packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication and based on the data packet's header information; allocate resources necessary to provide a quality of service corresponding to the classified quality of service class; and forward the data packet to a next destination according to the data packet's classified quality of service class.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
118 words
An article of manufacture comprising a machine accessible medium including content that when accessed by a machine causes the machine to: receive a data packet at a first subnetwork in a network including a plurality of subnetworks; determine whether the data packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication; classify the data packet into a quality of service class based on whether the data packet is an inter-subnetwork communication or an intra-subnetwork communication and based on the data packet's header information; allocate resources necessary to provide a quality of service corresponding to the classified quality of service class; and forward the data packet to a next destination according to the data packet's classified quality of service class.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the header information includes a source address, a destination address, and class of service bits.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of manufacture of claim 16 , wherein the destination address is represented by a Virtual Local Area Network identifier (VLAN ID).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5361255A
Cited
US5313454A
Cited
US5519698A
Cited
US5440549A
Cited
US5526352A
Cited
US5485455A
Cited
US5491694A
Cited
US5790546A
Cited
US5734486A
Cited
US5675576A
Cited
US5742772A
Cited
US6502131B1
Cited
US6307837B1
Cited
US6295296B1
Cited
US6507577B1
Cited
US6286052B1
Cited
US6493317B1
Cited
US6490632B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-01-05 | 2007-07-07 | 2008-01-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-01-05 | 2011-07-07 | 2012-01-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-01-05 | 2015-07-07 | 2016-01-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |