Patent ID: 8693332
Filing Date: 2014-04-08
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a packet subnetwork comprising: a. partitioning of one or more physical links into a number of aggregates, where each aggregate is assigned an amount of capacity and one or several aggregates are assigned to one or more donor aggregates co-existing on the same said link or links as the said assigned aggregates, so that any one of the said aggregates may increase its capacity by borrowing capacity from one or more of its said donor aggregates, or may decrease its capacity by giving back capacity to one or more of the said donor aggregates; b. receiving one or more communication packets indicative of the commencement of a packet communication through said subnet, said packet communication comprising a flow consisting of a plurality of packets; c. responsive to recognition of the commencement of a new packet flow, storing a flow identifier, enabling identification of packets belonging to said commenced packet communication flow and associating that flow identifier with one or more of the said aggregates, including or excluding the said donor aggregates; d. responsive to recognition of the commencement of said new flow, retrieving policy information relating to any initial or sustained QoS treatment of the flow, wherein such policy information is derived from: i. packet header information at any level of encapsulation; ii. signaling information related to that flow identity; iii. policy attributes associated with the physical link on which the packet arrived or will depart; iv. measured rates applying to the flow rate of the said flow, or the measured jitter in flow rate; and v. measured rates applying to the total traffic on one or more of the said aggregates which the said new flow is associated with, or the measured jitter in such said rates, e. responsive to recognition of the commencement of said new flow, and to retrieved policy information, determining an initial or sustained discard probability from: vi. the associated stored policy information corresponding to the said new flow; and vii. packet counters, byte counters, or rate counters of any aggregate group of flows to which this flow belongs that are being monitored with respect to one or more traffic load criteria, f. responsive to said policy determination, and QoS treatment determination, related to flow identity, retrieving said policy determination and QoS treatment determination associated with the flow of the latest arriving packet, and determining if one or several pre-determined thresholds or limits have been reached, or will be reached if the latest arriving packet is transmitted, that provide indications of a change in the capacity requirements of aggregates associated with the flow of this said latest arriving packet, said pre-determined thresholds being based on at least: viii. flow rate or jitter in rate measured on any flow; ix. flow rate or jitter in flow rate measured on any aggregate; x. Flow count in any aggregates; xi. Flow discard probability on the flow of the latest arriving packet; xii. Policy information on any aggregates associated with the flow of the latest arriving packet; xiii. Packet discard measurements on any aggregate; xiv. Packet discard measurements on any flow; xv. Packet delay measurements on any flow or averaged on any aggregate; and xvi. Received signaling related to any flow, or received signaling related to any aggregate, g. responsive to said determination that one or more pre-determined thresholds or limits have been reached on said aggregate associated with the flow of the latest arriving packet, causing an indication to be observable that an increase or decrease in capacity is required for that aggregate and a corresponding decrease or increase of capacity is required of one or more donor aggregates associated with that aggregate; and h. enabling immediate transfer of said latest arriving packet subject only to said determination of the discard probability associated with the flow identity of said packet.