Patent ID: 6717913
Filing Date: 2004-04-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A resource allocating process in a switching device having a plurality of forwarding modules wherein each forwarding module has a plurality of interface lines, a connection manager and a resource manager; the resource allocating process comprising:(a) detecting, by a first connection manager of a first forwarding module via one of the plurality of interface lines, an incoming call making an incoming request for a connection and thereby requiring a resource allocation via at least one of the plurality of interface lines, wherein the incoming call has associated characteristics comprising a virtual routing identification; (b) notifying, by the first connection manager, a resource manager of the first forwarding module, now a receiving forwarding module, of the detected incoming call; (c) retrieving, by the resource manager of the receiving forwarding module, a call policy record from a call policy database having characteristics associable to the incoming call including: type of call, quality of access, and virtual routing identification; (d) deriving, by the resource manager of the receiving forwarding module, with quality of access and virtual routing identification of the call policy database, a resource requirement for the incoming call; (e) determining, by the resource manager of the receiving forwarding module, with quality of access and virtual routing identification of the call policy database, the resource availability of the first forwarding module; (f) if the receiving forwarding module has resources available; then: (i) allocating resources, by the resource manager, according to type of call; (ii) updating, by the resource manager, a routing table of the receiving forwarding module; (iii) broadcasting one or more routing table updates of the receiving forwarding module; and (iv) authenticating the incoming signal; (g) if the first forwarding module is without available resources; then: (i) broadcasting to the remaining members of the plurality of forwarding modules, by the resource manager of the receiving forwarding module, now a broadcasting forwarding module, a request wherein the request includes characteristics of the incoming call comprising the quality of access level and the virtual router identification; (ii) examining, by at least one resource manager of each of the remaining members of the plurality of forwarding modules, a local routing table; (iii) determining, by each resource manager of the remaining members of the plurality of forwarding modules, resource availability to the broadcasted quality of access level and virtual router identification associated with the incoming call; (iv) transmitting to the broadcasting forwarding module, by each of the remaining members of the plurality of forwarding modules, now responding forwarding modules, if a resource availability is determined; (v) assigning, by the broadcasting forwarding module, one of the responding forwarding modules to receive the incoming call; (vi) transmitting, by the broadcasting forwarding module, a connection request to the assigned responding forwarding module; and (vii) confirming, by the connection manager of the assigned responding forwarding module, the connection.