Node, network controller, and associated methods for routing data packets in a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016226758-A1
Application number	US-201514610608-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is disclosed a node for routing data packets in a flow. The node generally comprises a receiver which is configured to receive a command to reroute the flow from a first source route to a second source route. The node also includes a processor for determining that a period of time between first and second consecutive data packets of the flow exceeds a threshold value and a transmitter configured to transmit the second data packet on the second source route in response to the determination. Alternatively, the determination of a period of time between first and second consecutive data packets of the flow can be made by a network controller which can instruct a given node to perform the rerouting of the flow in a manner to route only the second and following consecutive data packets along the second source route.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A node for routing data packets in a flow, the node comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a command to reroute the flow from a first source route to a second source route; a processor for determining that a period of time between first and second consecutive data packets of the flow exceeds a threshold value; and a transmitter configured to transmit the second data packet on the second source route in response to the determination.

2 . The node of claim 1 , wherein the first source route has a first transmission delay, the second source route has a second transmission delay, and the threshold time value is based on a difference between the first transmission delay and the second transmission delay.

3 . The node of claim 2 , wherein the receiver is configured to receive information regarding the duration of at least one of the first transmission delay and the second transmission delay from an external source.

4 . The node of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the first data packet on the first source route prior to transmitting the second data packet.

5 . The node of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is configured to route the second data packet on the first source route if the period of time does not exceed the threshold value.

6 . The node of claim 1 , wherein said period of time is measured from the completion of the routing of the first data packet to the beginning of the routing of the second data packet.

7 . The node of claim 1 , wherein the node is at least one of a router and a switch.

8 . The node of claim 1 , wherein routing of the data packets involves multiprotocol label switching (MPLS).

9 . A method for routing data packets in a flow, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a command to reroute the flow from a first source route to a second source route, the first and the second source routes being different; determining that a period of time between first and second consecutive data packets of the flow exceeds a threshold value; and transmitting the second data packet on the second source route in response to the determination.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the threshold time value is based on a comparison between a first transmission delay associated with the first source route and a second transmission delay associated with the second source route.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said transmitting includes transmitting the second data packet on the first source route if the period of time does not exceed the threshold value.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein routing of the data packets involves multiprotocol label switching (MPLS).

13 . A network controller for controlling a flow of data packets through a network, the network controller configured to:
determine expected arrival time information for two or more consecutive data packets at a node in the network; determine that a period of time between first and second consecutive data packets of the flow exceeds a threshold value based on the expected arrival time information; and transmit, to one of the nodes, an instruction to reroute the flow from a first source route to a second source route in response to the determination, such that the one of the nodes transmits the first data packet along the first source route and transmits the second data packet along the second source route.

14 . The network controller of claim 13 , wherein the first source route has a first transmission delay, the second source route has a second transmission delay, and wherein the network controller is further configured to determine the threshold time value based on a difference between the first transmission delay and the second transmission delay.

15 . The network controller of claim 13 wherein the instructions to reroute include data packet information allowing the receiving node to determine the correct moment to perform the rerouting of the flow.

16 . The network controller of claim 15 wherein the data packet information includes an identity of the first and second consecutive data packets allowing the first and second consecutive data packets to be recognized by the receiving node.

17 . The network controller of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to determine a correct moment to perform the rerouting of the flow at the receiving node based on said estimated arrival times and wherein the transmitter transmits the instructions to reroute to the receiving node based on said determination of the correct moment.

18 . The network controller of claim 13 further comprising a network database having stored thereon a computer software product executable by the network module, the computer software product having computer code to install routing instructions on the receiving node of the network, the routing instructions being executable by a processor of the receiving node and instructing the receiving node to perform the following steps:
after receiving of the command to reroute the flow, determining that a period of time between first and second consecutive data packets of the flow exceeds a threshold value; and
transmitting the second data packet on the second source route in response to the determination.

19 . A method of routing a flow of data packets through a network, the method comprising:
determining expected arrival time information for two or more consecutive data packets at a node in the network; determining that a period of time between first and second consecutive data packets of the flow exceeds a threshold value based on the expected arrival time information; and transmitting, to one of the nodes, an instruction to reroute the flow from a first source route to a second source route in response to the determination, such that the one of the nodes transmits the first data packet along the first source route and transmits the second data packet along the second source route.

20 . The network controller of claim 19 , wherein the first source route has a first transmission delay, the second source route has a second transmission delay, further comprising determining the threshold time value based on a difference between the first transmission delay and the second transmission delay.

21 . The method of claim 19 wherein the instructions to reroute include data packet information allowing the receiving node to determine the correct moment to perform the rerouting of the flow.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the data packet information includes an identity of the first and second consecutive data packets allowing the first and second consecutive data packets to be recognized by the receiving node.

23 . The method of claim 21 wherein the transmitting of the instructions to reroute to the receiving node is done indirectly, via an intermediate one of the nodes.

24 . The method of claim 20 further comprising determining a correct moment to perform the rerouting of the flow at the receiving node based on said estimated arrival times and wherein said transmitting of the instructions to reroute to the receiving node is done based on said determination of the correct moment.

25 . The method of claim 19 further comprising installing routing instructions on the receiving node of the network, the routing instructions being executable by a processor of the receiving node and instructing the receiving node to perform the f

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ashwood-Smith Peter

Classifications

• H04L43/026

  using flow identification · CPC title

• H04L45/72 Primary

  Routing based on the source address · CPC title

• H04L43/16

  Threshold monitoring · CPC title

• H04L47/283

  in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT] · CPC title

• H04L43/0852

  Delays · CPC title