Topology aggregation using parameter obtained by internodal negotiation

Claim 2

A network node for a communication network in which said node is one of a plurality of network nodes, the network node comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; link aggregating means for aggregating a plurality of physical links between the network node and a neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter; a database for storing resource data of said logical link; and means for exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node.

Claim 3

The network node of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of network nodes are divided into a plurality of peer groups, and said neighbor node shares one of said peer groups in common with said network node.

Claim 4

The network node of claim 1 , wherein each of said physical links is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a resource value of a different resource class, and wherein said logical link is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a sum of a maximum resource value, multiplied by the aggregation parameter, of the elements of the resource vectors of the physical links and a minimum resource value, multiplied by unity minus the aggregation parameter, of the elements of the resource vectors of the physical links.

Claim 5

The network node of claim 1 , wherein each of said physical links is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a quality-of-service value of a different class, and wherein said logical link is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a sum of a maximum quality-of-service value, multiplied by the aggregation parameter, of the elements of the resource vectors of the physical links and a minimum quality-of-service value, multiplied by unity minus the aggregation parameter, of the elements of the resource vectors of the physical links.

Claim 6

The network node of claim 1 , further comprising: link performance evaluation means for evaluating an operating performance of said logical link by using traffic data from the network; and update means for updating the negotiated aggregation parameter according to the detected operating performance, said negotiating means exchanging the updated aggregation parameter with said neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter, said link aggregating means aggregating said physical links into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of the logical link into said database.

Claim 7

The network node of claim 1 , further comprising means for organizing said physical links into a plurality of groups according to similarities of resource classes of said physical links, said aggregating means aggregating the physical links of each of said groups into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of the logical link into said database.

Claim 8

The network node of claim 6 , further comprising: link group performance evaluation means for detecting an operating performance of each of said groups of physical links; and update means for updating the negotiated aggregation parameter according to the detected operating performance, said negotiating means exchanging the updated aggregation parameter with said neighbor node to agree on a negotiated updated aggregation parameter, said link aggregating means aggregating said physical links of each of said groups into a logical link according to the negotiated updated aggregation parameter and storing resource data representing the logical link into said database.

Claim 9

A peer group leader node of a peer group in a communication network in which a plurality of interconnected nodes are divided into a plurality of peer groups, each peer group having border nodes via which the peer group is interconnected with other peer groups, comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated aggregation parameters; topology aggregating means for aggregating physical topology of the border nodes of said peer group into a logical star topology using said negotiated aggregation parameters; a database for storing resource data of said logical star topology; and routing means for exchanging the resource data with a neighbor peer group leader node and updating the database with resource data from the neighbor peer group leader node.

Claim 10

A peer group leader node of a peer group in a communication network in which a plurality of interconnected nodes are divided into a plurality of peer groups, each peer group having border nodes via which the peer group is interconnected with other peer groups, comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated aggregation parameters; topology aggregating means for aggregating physical topology of the border nodes of said peer group into a logical star topology using said negotiated aggregation parameters; a database for storing resource data of said logical star topology; and routing means for exchanging the resource data with a neighbor peer group leader node and updating the database with resource data from the neighbor peer group leader node.

Claim 11

The peer group leader node of claim 8 , further comprising: star topology performance evaluation means for evaluating an operating performance of the star topology by using traffic data from the network; update means for updating the negotiated aggregation parameters according to the evaluated operating performance, said negotiating means exchanging the updated aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated updated aggregation parameters, said topology aggregating means aggregating said physical topology using the negotiated updated aggregation parameters.

Claim 12

The peer group leader node of claim 8 , wherein said topology aggregating means is arranged to: a) organize the border nodes of the peer group into a predetermined topology, b) calculate initial least costs of links of the topology, c) organize said border nodes into a star topology in which the border nodes are represented as a nucleus and ports, d) determine aggregation parameters for links of the star topology using said initial least costs, e) recalculate second least costs of said predetermined topology using the aggregation parameters, f) aggregate physical links between said nucleus and said ports into logical links according to said aggregation parameter, g) determine a plurality of differences between the initial least costs and the second least costs, h) determine a link having a maximum value of said differences if said maximum value is greater than a convergence threshold value, and i) interconnect adjacent ones of said ports with said link bypassing the nucleus.

Claim 13

The peer group leader node of claim 10 , wherein said predetermined topology is a mesh topology.

Claim 14

The peer group leader node of claim 8 , wherein said topology aggregating means is arranged to: aggregate physical links between two peer groups into a logical link; and remove one of said ports from the star topology corresponding to one of said physical links.

Claim 15

The peer group leader node of claim 10 , wherein said negotiating means is further arranged to exchange the convergence threshold value with other peer group leader nodes to agree on a negotiated convergence threshold value, said topology aggregating means determining said link having a maximum value of said differences if said maximum value is greater than the negotiated convergence threshold value.

Claim 16

A communication network comprising: a plurality of network nodes organized into a plurality of interconnected peer groups, each of said peer groups having a peer group leader node and a plurality of border nodes through which the at least one peer group is connected to other peer groups; each network node comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node of the same peer group to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; link aggregating means for aggregating a plurality of physical links between the network node and a neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter; a database for storing resource data of said logical link; and means for exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node, each group leader node comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated aggregation parameters; topology aggregating means for aggregating physical topology of the border nodes of said peer group into a logical star topology using said negotiated aggregation parameters; a database for storing resource data of said logical star topology; and routing means for exchanging the resource data with a neighbor peer group leader node and updating the database with resource data from the neighbor peer group leader node.

Claim 17

A communication network comprising: a plurality of network nodes organized into a plurality of interconnected peer groups, each of said peer groups having a peer group leader node and a plurality of border nodes through which the at least one peer group is connected to other peer groups; each network node comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node of the same peer group to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; link aggregating means for aggregating a plurality of physical links between the network node and a neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter; a database for storing resource data of said logical link; and means for exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node, each group leader node comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated aggregation parameters; topology aggregating means for aggregating physical topology of the border nodes of said peer group into a logical star topology using said negotiated aggregation parameters; a database for storing resource data of said logical star topology; and routing means for exchanging the resource data with a neighbor peer group leader node and updating the database with resource data from the neighbor peer group leader node.

Claim 18

The communication network of claim 14 , wherein said plurality of network nodes are divided into a plurality of peer groups, and said neighbor node shares one of said peer groups in common with said network node.

Claim 19

The communication network of claim 14 , wherein each of said physical links is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a resource value of a different resource class, and wherein said logical link is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a sum of a maximum resource value, multiplied by the aggregation parameter, of the elements of the resource vectors of the physical links and a minimum resource value, multiplied by unity minus the aggregation parameter, of the elements of the resource vectors of the physical links.

Claim 20

The communication network of claim 14 , wherein each of said physical links is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a quality-of-service value of a different class, and wherein said logical link is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a sum of a maximum quality-of-service value, multiplied by the aggregation parameter, of the elements of the resource vectors of the physical links and a minimum quality-of-service value, multiplied by unity minus the aggregation parameter, of the elements of the resource vectors of the physical links.

Claim 21

The communication network of claim 14 , further comprising: link performance evaluation means for evaluating an operating performance of said logical link by using traffic data from the network; and update means for updating the negotiated aggregation parameter according to the detected operating performance, said negotiating means exchanging the updated aggregation parameter with said neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter, said link aggregating means aggregating said physical links into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of the logical link into said database.

Claim 22

The communication network of claim 14 , further comprising means for organizing said physical links into a plurality of groups according to similarities of resource classes of said physical links, said aggregating means aggregating the physical links of each of said groups into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of the logical link into said database.

Claim 23

The communication network of claim 19 , further comprising: link group performance evaluation means for detecting an operating performance of each of said groups of physical links; and update means for updating the negotiated aggregation parameter according to the detected operating performance, said negotiating means exchanging the updated aggregation parameter with said neighbor node to agree on a negotiated updated aggregation parameter, said link aggregating means aggregating said physical links of each of said groups into a logical link according to the negotiated updated aggregation parameter and storing resource data representing the logical link into said database.

Claim 24

The communication network of claim 14 , further comprising: star topology performance evaluation means for evaluating an operating performance of the star topology by using traffic data from the network; update means for updating the negotiated aggregation parameters according to the evaluated operating performance, said negotiating means exchanging the updated aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated updated aggregation parameters, said topology aggregating means aggregating said physical topology using the negotiated updated aggregation parameters.

Claim 25

The communication network of claim 14 , wherein said topology aggregating means is arranged to: a) organize the border nodes of the peer group into a predetermined topology, b) calculate initial least costs of links of the topology, c) organize said border nodes into a star topology in which the border nodes are represented as a nucleus and ports, d) determine aggregation parameters for links of the star topology using said initial least costs, e) recalculate second least costs of said predetermined topology using the aggregation parameters, f) aggregate physical links between said nucleus and said ports into logical links according to said aggregation parameter, g) determine a plurality of differences between the initial least costs and the second least costs, h) determine a link having a maximum value of said differences if said maximum value is greater than a convergence threshold value, and i) interconnect adjacent ones of said ports with said link bypassing the nucleus.

Claim 26

The communication network of claim 22 , wherein said predetermined topology is a mesh topology.

Claim 27

The communication network of claim 14 , wherein said topology aggregating means is arranged to: aggregate physical links between two peer groups into a logical link; and remove one of said ports from the star topology corresponding to one of said physical links.

Claim 28

The communication network of claim 22 , wherein said negotiating means is further arranged to exchange the convergence threshold value with other peer group leader nodes to agree on a negotiated convergence threshold value, said topology aggregating means determining said link having a maximum value of said differences if said maximum value is greater than the negotiated convergence threshold value.

Claim 29

An aggregation method for each of a plurality of nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; b) aggregating a plurality of physical links from the node to the neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of said logical link into a database; and c) exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node.

Claim 30

An aggregation method for each of a plurality of nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; b) aggregating a plurality of physical links from the node to the neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of said logical link into a database; and c) exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node.

Claim 31

The method of claim 26 , wherein each of said physical links is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a resource value of a different resource class, wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of: b 1 ) detecting a maximum resource value and a minimum resource value of an element of the resource vectors of the physical links; b 2 ) multiplying the maximum resource value by the aggregation parameter and multiplying the minimum resource value by unity minus the aggregation parameter; and b 3 ) summing the multiplied maximum resource value and the multiplied minimum resource value; and b 4 ) repeating the steps (b 1 ) to (b 3 ) for each successive element of the resource vectors of the physical links.

Claim 32

The method of claim 26 , wherein each of said physical links is represented by a resource vector and each element of the vector is represented by a quality-of-service value of a different class, wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of: b 1 ) detecting a maximum quality-of-service value and a minimum quality-of-service value of an element of the resource vectors of the physical links; b 2 ) multiplying the maximum quality-of-service value by the aggregation parameter and multiplying the minimum quality-of-service value by unity minus the aggregation parameter; and b 3 ) summing the multiplied maximum quality-of-service value and the multiplied minimum quality-of-service value; and b 4 ) repeating the steps (b 1 ) to (b 3 ) for each successive element of the resource vectors of the physical links.

Claim 33

An aggregation method for each of a plurality of nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; b) aggregating a plurality of physical links from the node to the neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of said logical link into a database; c) exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node; d) evaluating an operating performance of said logical link by using traffic data from the network; e) updating the negotiated aggregation parameter according to the detected operating performance; f) exchanging the updated aggregation parameter with said neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; and g) repeating the steps (b) to (f) using the negotiated aggregation parameter.

Claim 34

An aggregation method for each of a plurality of nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; b) aggregating a plurality of physical links from the node to the neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of said logical link into a database; c) exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node; d) evaluating an operating performance of said logical link by using traffic data from the network; e) updating the negotiated aggregation parameter according to the detected operating performance; f) exchanging the updated aggregation parameter with said neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; and g) repeating the steps (b) to (f) using the negotiated aggregation parameter.

Claim 35

An aggregation method for each of a plurality of nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: a) organizing a plurality of physical links between the node and a neighbor node into a plurality of groups according to similarities of resource classes of said physical links; b) exchanging an aggregation parameter with the neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; c) aggregating said physical links into a plurality of said groups of logical links using the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of said logical link into a database; and d) exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node.

Claim 36

An aggregation method for each of a plurality of nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: a) organizing a plurality of physical links between the node and a neighbor node into a plurality of groups according to similarities of resource classes of said physical links; b) exchanging an aggregation parameter with the neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; c) aggregating said physical links into a plurality of said groups of logical links using the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of said logical link into a database; and d) exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node.

Claim 37

An aggregation method for each of a plurality of nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: a) organizing a plurality of physical links between the node and a neighbor node into a plurality of groups according to similarities of resource classes of said physical links; b) exchanging an aggregation parameter with the neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; c) aggregating said physical links into a plurality of said groups of logical links using the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of said logical link into a database; d) exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node; e) evaluating an operating performance of each of said groups of physical links from traffic data from the network; f) updating the negotiated aggregation parameter according to the evaluated operating performance; and g) repeating the steps (b) to (e) using the updated aggregation parameter as said aggregation parameter.

Claim 38

An aggregation method for each of a plurality of nodes of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of: a) organizing a plurality of physical links between the node and a neighbor node into a plurality of groups according to similarities of resource classes of said physical links; b) exchanging an aggregation parameter with the neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter; c) aggregating said physical links into a plurality of said groups of logical links using the negotiated aggregation parameter and storing resource data of said logical link into a database; d) exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node; e) evaluating an operating performance of each of said groups of physical links from traffic data from the network; f) updating the negotiated aggregation parameter according to the evaluated operating performance; and g) repeating the steps (b) to (e) using the updated aggregation parameter as said aggregation parameter.

Claim 39

An aggregation method for a peer group leader node in a communication network formed by a plurality of interconnected nodes which are divided into a plurality of peer groups, each peer group having said peer group leader node and border nodes via which the peer group is interconnected with other peer groups, the method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated aggregation parameters; b) aggregating physical topology of the border nodes of said peer group into a logical star topology using said negotiated aggregation parameters and storing resource data of said logical star topology in a database; and c) exchanging the resource data with a neighbor peer group leader node and updating the database with resource data from the neighbor peer group leader node.

Claim 40

An aggregation method for a peer group leader node in a communication network formed by a plurality of interconnected nodes which are divided into a plurality of peer groups, each peer group having said peer group leader node and border nodes via which the peer group is interconnected with other peer groups, the method comprising the steps of: a) exchanging aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated aggregation parameters; b) aggregating physical topology of the border nodes of said peer group into a logical star topology using said negotiated aggregation parameters and storing resource data of said logical star topology in a database; and c) exchanging the resource data with a neighbor peer group leader node and updating the database with resource data from the neighbor peer group leader node.

Claim 41

The method of claim 32 , wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of: b 1 ) organizing the border nodes of said peer group into a predetermined topology; b 2 ) calculating initial least costs of links of the topology; b 3 ) organizing said border nodes into a star topology in which the border nodes are represented as a nucleus and ports; b 4 ) determining aggregation parameters for links of the star topology using said initial least costs; b 5 ) recalculating second least costs of said predetermined topology using the aggregation parameters; b 6 ) aggregating physical links from said nucleus to said ports into logical links according to said aggregation parameter; b 7 ) determining a plurality of differences between the initial least costs and the second least costs; b 8 ) determining a link having a maximum value of said differences if said maximum value is greater than a convergence threshold value; and b 9 ) interconnecting adjacent ones of said ports with the link bypassing the nucleus.

Claim 42

The method of claim 33 , wherein said predetermined topology is a mesh topology.

Claim 43

The method of claim 33 , further comprising the steps of: aggregating physical links between two peer groups into a logical link; and removing one of said ports of step (b 9 ) corresponding to one of said physical links.

Claim 44

The method of claim 33 , further comprising the steps of: following the step (b 9 ), recalculating the aggregation parameters and said second least costs of the links of the predetermined topology; and repeating the steps (b 7 ) to (b 9 ) until said maximum value becomes smaller than said convergence threshold value.

Claim 45

The method of claim 32 , further comprising the steps of: evaluating an operating performance of the logical star topology by using traffic data from the network; updating the negotiated aggregation parameters of the step (a) according to the evaluated operating performance; and repeating the steps (b) and (c).

Claim 46

The method of claim 33 , further comprising the steps of: evaluating an operating performance of the logical star topology by using traffic data from the network; updating the negotiated aggregation parameters of the step (a) according to the evaluated operating performance; exchanging the negotiated updated aggregation parameters with other peer group leader nodes to agree on negotiated updated aggregation; and repeating the steps (b 5 ) to (b 9 ).

Claim 47

A network node for a communication network in which said node is one of a plurality of network nodes, the network node comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter, said negotiated aggregation parameter having a value between 0 and 1 inclusive; link aggregating means for aggregating a plurality of physical links between the network node and a neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter; a database for storing resource data of said logical link; and means for exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node.

Claim 48

A network node for a communication network in which said node is one of a plurality of network nodes, the network node comprising: negotiating means for exchanging aggregation parameters with a neighbor node to agree on a negotiated aggregation parameter, said negotiated aggregation parameter having a value between 0 and 1 inclusive; link aggregating means for aggregating a plurality of physical links between the network node and a neighbor node into a logical link according to the negotiated aggregation parameter; a database for storing resource data of said logical link; and means for exchanging the resource data with said neighbor node and updating contents of said database with resource data of said neighbor node.