US7082102B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Systems and methods for policy-enabled communications networks
Assignee: AT&T Delaware Intellectual Property Inc
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Filing: 2001-09-20
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Granted: 2006-07-25
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Expires: 2021-09-20
Abstract
Abstract Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for policy-based management of a multiprotocol label switching (“MPLS”) network. In an embodiment, a system includes a policy-based network administration system, and the policy-based network administration system includes a plurality of policies. The system also includes an MPLS network, which is coupled to the policy-based network administration system.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven A. Wright
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 13:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/22; H04M3/2254; H04M3/2263; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/08; H04L41/0894; H04L45/00; H04L45/50; H04L47/00; H04L47/10; H04L47/20; H04L12/00; H04L12/64; H04L12/6418; H04L2012/6443; H04L2012/6445; H04L41/02; H04L41/0213
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A system for policy-based control of a label switching network carrying one or more of voice and data traffic, the system comprising: a central office, the central office including a trunk gateway; the label switching network being coupled to the trunk gateway of the central office; a network administration system, the network administration system including a plurality of policies stored in a policy repository each policy of at least a subset of the plurality of policies controlling, at least in part, the operation of the label switching network wherein a policy is one of an admission policy and a life cycle policy wherein further an admission policy maps packet traffic flows onto one or more label switched paths within the label switching network and a life cycle policy creates, deletes and monitors the one or more label switched paths within the label switching network; and a call control complex, the call control complex coupled to the network administration system and the label switching network.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
164 words
A system for policy-based control of a label switching network carrying one or more of voice and data traffic, the system comprising: a central office, the central office including a trunk gateway; the label switching network being coupled to the trunk gateway of the central office; a network administration system, the network administration system including a plurality of policies stored in a policy repository each policy of at least a subset of the plurality of policies controlling, at least in part, the operation of the label switching network wherein a policy is one of an admission policy and a life cycle policy wherein further an admission policy maps packet traffic flows onto one or more label switched paths within the label switching network and a life cycle policy creates, deletes and monitors the one or more label switched paths within the label switching network; and a call control complex, the call control complex coupled to the network administration system and the label switching network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the gateway is one of a line gateway, a trunk gateway, and a service gateway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the central office includes class five central office equipment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the network administration system includes one or more of traffic management information and device provisioning information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of policies include a plurality of traffic management policies.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the call control complex is to send voice service traffic data to the network administration system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 6 , wherein the network administration system is to send voice service label switched path provisioning policies to the label switching network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 6 , wherein the network administration system is to send virtual private network provisioning policies to the label switching network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the label switching network is a multiprotocol label switching (“MPLS”), the system further comprising an SS7/AIN network coupled to the call control complex.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 9 , wherein the SS7/AIN network and the MPLS network are part of a regional telecommunications company network.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of operating a label switching network with policy based management, the method comprising: operating at least a portion of the label switching network based at least in part on a first policy, wherein a policy is one of an admission policy and a life cycle policy wherein further an admission policy maps packet traffic flows onto one or more label switched paths within the label switching network and a life cycle policy creates and deletes the one or more label switched paths within the label switching network; receiving a control input; selecting a second policy based at least in part on the control input, the second policy being different from the first policy; and operating at least the portion of the label switching network based at least in part on the second policy.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
135 words
A method of operating a label switching network with policy based management, the method comprising: operating at least a portion of the label switching network based at least in part on a first policy, wherein a policy is one of an admission policy and a life cycle policy wherein further an admission policy maps packet traffic flows onto one or more label switched paths within the label switching network and a life cycle policy creates and deletes the one or more label switched paths within the label switching network; receiving a control input; selecting a second policy based at least in part on the control input, the second policy being different from the first policy; and operating at least the portion of the label switching network based at least in part on the second policy.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein operating at least a portion of the label switching network based at least in part on a first policy includes operating at least a portion of the label switching network as one or more voice trunks based at least in part on a first voice traffic policy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving a control input includes receiving a voice traffic condition.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 13 , wherein the voice traffic condition is selected from the group consisting of time of day, measured voice traffic demand, estimated voice traffic demand, projected voice traffic demand, and a customer request.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein receiving the control input includes receiving network status information from a network device of the label switching network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein operating at least a portion of the label switching network based at least in part on a first policy includes operating at least a portion of the label switching network as one or more virtual private networks based at least in part on a first virtual network policy.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for policy-based management of a label switching network, the method comprising: a step for operating at least a portion of the label switching network based at least in part on a first policy, wherein a policy is one of an admission policy and a life cycle policy wherein further an admission policy maps packet traffic flows onto one or more label switched paths within the label switching network and a life cycle policy creates deletes and configures the one or more label switched paths within the label switching network; a step for receiving a control input; a step for selecting a second policy based at least in part on the control input, the second policy being different from the first policy; and a step for operating at least the portion of the label switching network based at least in part on the second policy.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for policy-based management of a label switching network, the method comprising: a step for operating at least a portion of the label switching network based at least in part on a first policy, wherein a policy is one of an admission policy and a life cycle policy wherein further an admission policy maps packet traffic flows onto one or more label switched paths within the label switching network and a life cycle policy creates deletes and configures the one or more label switched paths within the label switching network; a step for receiving a control input; a step for selecting a second policy based at least in part on the control input, the second policy being different from the first policy; and a step for operating at least the portion of the label switching network based at least in part on the second policy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein the first policy is selected from the group consisting of a voice traffic management policy, a virtual private network management policy, and a quality of service management policy.
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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) | 2009-07-24 | 2010-01-23 | 2010-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-07-24 | 2014-01-23 | 2014-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-07-24 | 2018-01-23 | 2018-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |