Patent ID: 7796511
Filing Date: 2010-09-14
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a label-switched packet network having at least four nodes with at least two possible paths between a calling party and a called party, a method of exposing a path right-of-way comprising: a calling party causing to be transmitted a hunting packet into said network at an ingress port; receiving said hunting packet at a first node automatically storing in a memory associated with the received port, at said first node a portion of said hunting packet sufficient to mark the path right-of-way; automatically copying said hunting packet at said first node and transmitting at least two copies through at least two ports without relying on knowledge of the network; receiving said hunting packet at a second node; automatically storing in a memory associated with the received port at said second node to a portion of said hunting packet sufficient to mark the path right-of-way; automatically copying said hunting packet at said second node and transmitting at least two copies through at least two ports; receiving said hunting packet by a called party at an egress port; and using a portion of said hunting packet to identify a path right-of-way to the calling party; said method further comprising: causing a setup packet to be transmitted into the network at said egress port on said path right-of-way in response to the acceptance of said hunting packet by said called party; said setup packet containing data sufficient to associate it with said hunting packet; receiving a setup packet at said second node on said path right-of-way; using a portion of the data stored in said setup packet to identify a port on the second node; automatically modifying a portion of said data stored in the setup packet at said second node to identify a path on said right-of-way; transmitting said modified packet through said port on said path right-of-way; receiving a setup packet at said first node on said path right-of-way; using a portion of the data stored in said setup packet to identify a port on the first node; automatically modifying a portion of the data stored in said setup packet at said first node to identify a path on said right-of-way; transmitting said modified packet through said port on said path right-of-way; receiving a setup packet by said calling party at the ingress port; said calling party using a portion of data stored in said setup packet to identify a path on said path right-of-way to said called party; and transmitting data from said calling party to said called party on said path.