Method of coordinating a path switch and network elements associated therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016029251-A1
Application number	US-201414338841-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 23, 2014
Priority date	Jul 23, 2014
Publication date	Jan 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, the method includes instructing, by a controller, a switch to change from sending data via a first tunnel to sending data via a second tunnel. The first tunnel is between the switch and a first network element, and the second tunnel is between the switch and a second network element. The method further includes receiving, by the controller, acknowledgement from the switch, and notifying, by the controller, the second network element that packets will no longer be sent via the first tunnel in response to the received acknowledgement.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method of coordinating a path switch, comprising:
instructing, by a controller, a switch to change from sending data via a first tunnel to sending data via a second tunnel, the first tunnel being between the switch and a first network element, and the second tunnel being between the switch and a second network element; receiving, by the controller, acknowledgement from the switch; and notifying, by the controller, the second network element that packets will no longer be sent via the first tunnel in response to the received acknowledgement.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the notifying includes sending a message to the second network element, the message indicating that no further packets will be sent via the first tunnel.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
delaying the sending.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving receives a sequence number from the switch, the sequence number being for a last packet that the switch sent via the first tunnel.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the notifying includes sending the sequence number.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the sequence number is part of the acknowledgement.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
notifying, by the controller, the first network element that packets will no longer be sent via the first tunnel in response to the received acknowledgement.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the instructing instructs the switch to change from sending data via the first tunnel to sending data via the second tunnel in response to a serving base station for a mobile station changing from the first network element to the second network element

9 . A controller, comprising:
a memory storing a program module; at least one processor configured by executing the program routine to,
instruct a switch to change from sending data via a first tunnel to sending data via a second tunnel, the first tunnel being between the switch and a first network element, and the second tunnel being between the switch and a second network element;
receive acknowledgement from the switch; and
notify the second network element that packets will no longer be sent via the first tunnel in response to the received acknowledgement.

10 . The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the notifying by sending a message to the second network element, the message indicating that no further packets will be sent via the first tunnel.

11 . The controller of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to delay sending the message.

12 . The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a sequence number from the switch, the sequence number being for a last packet that the switch sent via the first tunnel.

13 . The controller of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the notifying by sending the sequence number.

14 . The controller of claim 12 , wherein the sequence number is part of the acknowledgement.

15 . The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to notify the first network element that packets will no longer be sent via the first tunnel in response to the received acknowledgement.

16 . The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to instruct the switch to change from sending data via the first tunnel to sending data via the second tunnel in response to a serving base station for a mobile station changing from the first network element to the second network element.

17 . A method of switching a data path, comprising:
receiving, by a switch, an instruction to change from sending data via a first tunnel to sending data via a second tunnel, the first tunnel being between the switch and a first network element, and the second tunnel being between the switch and a second network element; tearing down the first tunnel by the switch; and sending, by the switch, an acknowledgement signifying that no further data packets will be sent via the first tunnel after the first tunnel is torn down.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the sending includes sending a sequence number of a last data packet sent via the first tunnel.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first and second network elements are first and second base stations, respectively.

20 . A method of operating a network element, comprising:
receiving first packets from a first network element at a second network element; receiving, at the second network element, second packets from a switch; receiving, at the second network element, a notification from a controller that no more packets will be received from the first network element; and de-allocating, at the second base station, resources for receiving the first packets in response to the notification.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
managing, at the second network element, the first and second packets by eliminating duplicate packets and ordering the first and second packets.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the first and second network elements are first and second base stations, respectively.

Assignees

• Alcatel Lucent Usa Inc

Inventors

• Kahn Colin
• Viswanathan Harish

Classifications

• H04W76/22

  Manipulation of transport tunnels · CPC title

• H04W36/12 Primary

  Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04W36/08 Primary

  Reselecting an access point · CPC title

• H04W76/041

  Electricity · mapped topic