Patent ID: 7298700

Claim:
A method of resolving label contention in a label switched network comprising: (i) receiving a first label switched path setup message sent by a first node in the network; (ii) determining whether the first label switched path setup message contends for a same label assigned or suggested in a second label switched path setup message sent by a second node in the network; (iii) giving priority to the second label switched path setup message if the first label switched path setup message is a label request and if the second label switched path setup message is a label reply; (iv) giving priority to the second label switched path setup message if the first label switched path setup message is a setup message for a unidirectional label switched path and if the second label switched path setup message is a setup message for a bidirectional label switched path; and (v) giving priority in accordance with a first contention policy if both the first and second label switched path setup messages are setup messages for unidirectional label switched paths and in accordance with a second contention policy, different from the first contention policy, if both the first and second label switched path setup messages are setup messages for bidirectional label switched paths.