Claims
- 1. In a packet network communication system including a plurality of host devices logically connected by one or more paths, a method comprising:
requesting, by a first host device of the plurality of host devices on behalf of at least a second host device of the plurality of host devices, a reservation of one or more call units of bandwidth for a path of the plurality of paths; determining, by one or more network devices, an availability of the requested one or more call units of bandwidth for the path; and in response to a positive determination of availability, granting the reservation, yielding a reserved one or more call units of bandwidth for the path.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of requesting a reservation comprises asking for multiple call units of bandwidth for a path of the plurality of paths, further comprising:
in response to a negative determination of availability, requesting reservations for a smaller number of call units of bandwidth.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of requesting reservations for a smaller number of call units of bandwidth is repeated one or more times until a positive determination of availability is received.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of requesting reservations for a smaller number of call units of bandwidth is repeated one or more times until a negative determination of availability is received in response to a request for a single call unit.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of requesting a reservation comprises consecutively requesting single units of bandwidth for a path of the plurality of paths, until a negative determination of availability is received for one of the requests.
- 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the step of granting the reservation:
requesting, by the first host device, an additional one or more call units of bandwidth for the reservation.
- 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the step of granting the reservation:
receiving, from the one or more network devices, a downwardly adjusted availability of the reserved one or more call units of bandwidth; and decreasing the number of reserved call units.
- 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the step of granting the reservation:
receiving, from the one or more network devices, an upwardly adjusted availability of the reserved one or more call units of bandwidth; and increasing the number of reserved call units.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first host device comprises a zone controller in a first communication zone, the step of requesting a reservation being accomplished by the zone controller on behalf of a communication device in the first communication zone.
- 10. A method comprising:
reserving, by a first host device, one or more call units of bandwidth for a path of a packet network communication system; receiving a call request that requires use of the path; granting the call request if a number of units of bandwidth needed for the call does not exceed the one or more call units of bandwidth reserved by the first communication device; and sending, from a second host device, a message that is distributed over the number of units of bandwidth needed for the call.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first host device is a zone controller and the second host device is a repeater.
- 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the path comprises a path between routers in different communication zones.
- 13. A method comprising:
requesting, by a zone controller associated with a first communication zone, a reservation of one or more call units of bandwidth for a path of a packet network communication system; determining, by one or more network devices, an availability of the requested one or more call units of bandwidth for the path; in response to a positive determination of availability, granting the reservation, yielding a reserved one or more call units of bandwidth for the path that is available to support a call including participating host devices in at least the first communication zone.
- 14. The method of claim 13, comprising:
receiving, by the zone controller from a repeater in the first communication zone, a call request that requires use of the path; granting, by the zone controller, the call request if a number of units of bandwidth needed for the call does not exceed the reserved one or more call units of bandwidth; and sending, from the repeater to one or more participating devices for the call, a message distributed over the number of units needed for the call.
- 15. The method of claim 14 comprising, after the step of granting the call request, subtracting the number of units needed for the call from the reserved one or more call units of bandwidth, yielding an adjusted reservation of one or more call units of bandwidth.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. XX, titled “Method for Managing Bandwidth in a Packet-Based Communication System, filed concurrently herewith, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.