Patent US6901048B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6901048B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Link-level protection of traffic in a packet-switched network
Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC
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Filing: 2000-06-26
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Granted: 2005-05-31
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Expires: 2020-06-26
Abstract
Abstract In a packet-switched network having a plurality of nodes interconnected by links, pre-defined protection paths provide protection of a selected plurality of links. Adjacent nodes connected by a protected link are adapted to detect a failure of the protected link, to encapsulate packets within tunnel packets, to differentiate between tunnel packets and non-tunnel packets and to exchange the tunnel packets via a protection path rather than via the failed link. This results in faster automatic protection switching of packet-based traffic. The invention is particularly suited to an Internet Protocol network.
Inventors
- 👤 Guo Qiang Q. Wang
- 👤 Kent E. Felske
- 👤 Wenfeng Chen
- 👤 Chenjiang Hu
- 👤 Liangyu L. Jia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:35
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L45/00; H04L45/28; H04L45/22; H04L69/00; H04L69/40; H04L45/02; H04L45/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of routing packets intended to be transmitted across a network link protected by a protection path defined by a closed loop of nodes and links through the network, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the protected link has failed; and if the protected link has not failed, sending the packets across the protected link; otherwise, encapsulating the packets within tunnel packets and sending the tunnel packets along the protection path; and wherein each packet comprises a header specifying the identity of a source node and a destination node associated with the packet and the source and destination nodes associated with each tunnel packet correspond to the nodes at either end of the protected link.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of routing packets intended to be transmitted across a network link protected by a protection path defined by a closed loop of nodes and links through the network, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the protected link has failed; and if the protected link has not failed, sending the packets across the protected link; otherwise, encapsulating the packets within tunnel packets and sending the tunnel packets along the protection path; and wherein each packet comprises a header specifying the identity of a source node and a destination node associated with the packet and the source and destination nodes associated with each tunnel packet correspond to the nodes at either end of the protected link.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the header of each packet further specifies the nature of the packet as a tunnel packet or a non-tunnel packet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the header of each tunnel packet specifies the identity of the protection path along which it is sent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein each tunnel packet further comprises a body and wherein the packet encapsulated by a tunnel packet is contained in the body of the tunnel packet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the encapsulated packet is itself a tunnel packet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the protected link has failed is performed at a physical electrical layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the protected link has failed is performed at a physical optical layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the protected link has failed is perform at a logical layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the logical layer is a SONET STS path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the logical layer is an ATM VCC or VPC.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein all packets are Internet protocol (IP) datagrams.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the trajectory of the protection path is updated dynamically.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of routing packets received along a network link by a node, each said received packet being associated with a source node and a destination node, the method comprising the steps of: determining the destination node associated with each received packet; determining whether the received packet is a tunnel packet encapsulating another packet within its body; and if the destination node associated with the received packet is the current node and if the received packet is not a tunnel packet, processing the received packet without further forwarding; if the destination node associated with the received packet is not the current node and if the received packet is not a tunnel packet, forwarding the received packet based on the destination node associated with the received packet; if the destination node associated with the received packet is the current node and if the received packet is a tunnel packet, retrieving the encapsulated packet from the received packet and forwarding it based on the destination node associated with the encapsulated packet; if the destination node associated with the received packet is not the current node and if the received packet is a tunnel packet, determining the identity of a protection path along which the tunnel packet was received and forwarding the received packet along a next link in that protection path.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of routing packets received along a network link by a node, each said received packet being associated with a source node and a destination node, the method comprising the steps of: determining the destination node associated with each received packet; determining whether the received packet is a tunnel packet encapsulating another packet within its body; and if the destination node associated with the received packet is the current node and if the received packet is not a tunnel packet, processing the received packet without further forwarding; if the destination node associated with the received packet is not the current node and if the received packet is not a tunnel packet, forwarding the received packet based on the destination node associated with the received packet; if the destination node associated with the received packet is the current node and if the received packet is a tunnel packet, retrieving the encapsulated packet from the received packet and forwarding it based on the destination node associated with the encapsulated packet; if the destination node associated with the received packet is not the current node and if the received packet is a tunnel packet, determining the identity of a protection path along which the tunnel packet was received and forwarding the received packet along a next link in that protection path.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein any step which involves forwarding a packet across a link protected by a protection path comprises: determining whether the protected link has failed; and if the protected link has not failed, sending the packet across the protected link; otherwise, encapsulating the packet within a tunnel packet and sending the tunnel packet along the protection path.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each packet comprises a header specifying the identity of a source node and a destination node associated with the packet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the ource and destination nodes associated with each tunnel packet correspond to the nodes at either end of the protected link.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the header of each packet further specifies the nature of the packet as a tunnel packet or a non-tunnel packet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the header of each tunnel packet specifies the identity of the protection path along which it is sent.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein all packets are Internet protocol (IP) datagrams.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of switching traffic in a packet-switched network having a plurality of nodes interconnected by links, the method comprising the steps of: upon detection of a failure of a link connected a pair of adjacent nodes, encapsulating packets within the bodies of tunnel packets and forwarding the tunnel packets along a predefined protection path which bypasses the failed link, including upon receipt of a tunnel packet by one of the adjacent nodes along a protection path, the recipient node retrieving the encapsulated packet and routing it as a function of a destination specified in the header of the encapsulated packet.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of switching traffic in a packet-switched network having a plurality of nodes interconnected by links, the method comprising the steps of: upon detection of a failure of a link connected a pair of adjacent nodes, encapsulating packets within the bodies of tunnel packets and forwarding the tunnel packets along a predefined protection path which bypasses the failed link, including upon receipt of a tunnel packet by one of the adjacent nodes along a protection path, the recipient node retrieving the encapsulated packet and routing it as a function of a destination specified in the header of the encapsulated packet.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein each packet comprises a header specifying the identity of a source node and a destination node associated with the packet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the source and destination nodes associated with each tunnel packet correspond to the nodes at either end of the protected link.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the header of each packet further specifies the nature of the packet as a tunnel packet or a non-tunnel packet.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the header of each tunnel packet specifies the identity of the protection path along which it is sent.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein all packets are Internet protocol (IP) datagrams.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
111 words
A packet-switched network comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by links, wherein pre-defined protection paths provide protection of a selected plurality of links and wherein adjacent nodes connected by a protected link are adapted to detect a failure of the protected link, to encapsulate packets within tunnel packets, to differentiate between tunnel packets and non-tunnel packets and to exchange the tunnel packets via the protection paths; and wherein each packet comprises a header specifying the identity of a source node and a destination node associated with the packet and wherein the source and destination nodes associated with each tunnel packet correspond to the nodes at either end of the protected link.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
111 words
A packet-switched network comprising a plurality of nodes interconnected by links, wherein pre-defined protection paths provide protection of a selected plurality of links and wherein adjacent nodes connected by a protected link are adapted to detect a failure of the protected link, to encapsulate packets within tunnel packets, to differentiate between tunnel packets and non-tunnel packets and to exchange the tunnel packets via the protection paths; and wherein each packet comprises a header specifying the identity of a source node and a destination node associated with the packet and wherein the source and destination nodes associated with each tunnel packet correspond to the nodes at either end of the protected link.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
A packet-switched network as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the header of each packet further specifies the nature of the packet as a tunnel packet or a non-tunnel packet.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
A packet-switched network as claimed in claim 27 , wherein the header of each tunnel packet specifies the identity of the protection path along which it is sent.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
A packet-switched network as claimed in claim 26 , wherein all packets are Internet protocol (IP) datagrams.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
129 words
A data router for routing packets intended to be transacted across a network link protected by a protection path defined by a closed loop of nodes and links through the network, comprising; a data interface for packets to enter and exit the router; a protection cycle packet manager connected to the data interface, for: i. determining whether the protected link has failed; ii. sending the packets across the protected link if the protected link has not failed; and iii. encapsulating the packets within tunnel packets and sending the tunnel packets along the protection path if the protected link has failed; and a packeter that converts, in response to failure of a link, affected data packets muted over the failed link into protection cycle packets in the specific protection format.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
129 words
A data router for routing packets intended to be transacted across a network link protected by a protection path defined by a closed loop of nodes and links through the network, comprising; a data interface for packets to enter and exit the router; a protection cycle packet manager connected to the data interface, for: i. determining whether the protected link has failed; ii. sending the packets across the protected link if the protected link has not failed; and iii. encapsulating the packets within tunnel packets and sending the tunnel packets along the protection path if the protected link has failed; and a packeter that converts, in response to failure of a link, affected data packets muted over the failed link into protection cycle packets in the specific protection format.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
26 words
A data router as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the protection cycle manager further advertises a link failure to the network using a routing protocol.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
A data router as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the specific protection cycle format includes a label stack based on Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS).
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
A data router as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the label stack includes labels for the packet source and the packet destination.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
A data router as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the specific protection cycle format includes an IP-in-EP tunnel.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
35 words
A data router as claimed in claim 30 , wherein the IP-in-IP tunnel includes a header containing the packet source and the packet destination and an indication that the packet is a protection cycle packet.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
210 words
A data router as claimed in claim 30 , the protection cycle packet manager being adapted to determine the destination node associated with each received packet, to determine whether the received packet is a tunnel packet encapsulating another packet within its body and to i. process the received packet without further forwarding, if the destination node associated with the received packet is the current node and if the received packet is not a tunnel packet; ii. forward the received packet based on the destination node associated with the received packet, if the destination node associated with the received packet is not the current node and if the received packet is not a tunnel packet; iii. retrieve an encapsulated packet from the received packet and forward it based on the destination node associated with the encapsulated packet, if the destination node associated with the received packet is the current node and if the received packet is a tunnel packet; and iv. determine the identity of a protection path along which the received packet was received and forward the received packet along a next link in that protection path, if the destination node associated with the received packet is not the current node and if the received packet is a tunnel packet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-05-30 | 2008-11-29 | 2009-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-05-30 | 2012-11-29 | 2013-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-05-30 | 2016-11-29 | 2017-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |