QoS information notification method, communication apparatus and inter-domain signaling apparatus for transmitting QoS information over a multi-domain network

Abstract

A QoS information notification method for transmitting QoS information over a multi-domain network includes steps of: (a) a first inter-domain signaling apparatus 11A transmitting QoS information to a first communication apparatus 13A; (b) the first communication apparatus 13A transmitting the received QoS information to a second communication apparatus 13B; (c) the second communication apparatus 13B transmitting to a second inter-domain signaling apparatus 11B the received QoS information and a route through which the received QoS information has passed; and (d) the second inter-domain signaling apparatus 11B associating the received QoS information with the received route.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows steps of guaranteeing QoS in accordance with a related art technology;

FIG. 2 shows a multi-domain network in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart for constructing a QoS route over the multi-domain network in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows an UPDATE message format used for BGP (Border Gateway Protocol);

FIG. 5 shows a first configuration of QoS Attributes (Path Attributes);

FIG. 6 shows a second configuration of QoS Attributes (Path Attributes);

FIG. 7 shows a message flow for constructing route information;

FIG. 8 shows a domain boundary router (BGP router) in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows an inter-domain signaling apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart for constructing a route in the inter-domain signaling apparatus;

FIG. 11 shows a structure of route information stored in the inter-domain signaling apparatus;

FIG. 12 shows an another structure of route information for each service class stored in the inter-domain signaling apparatus; and

FIG. 13 shows a configuration of QoS Attributes (Path Attributes) in the case of including an address of the inter-domain signaling apparatus.

Claims

1. A QoS information notification method for transmitting QoS information over a multi-domain network, the multi-domain network including a first domain and a second domain, the first domain including a first communication apparatus and a first inter-domain signaling apparatus, the second domain including a second communication apparatus and a second inter-domain signaling apparatus, comprising: (a) a first intra-domain transmitting step in which the first inter-domain signaling apparatus transmits QoS information to the first communication apparatus;(b) an inter-domain transmitting step in which the first communication apparatus transmits the received QoS information to the second communication apparatus;(c) a second intra-domain transmitting step in which the second communication apparatus transmits to the second inter-domain signaling apparatus the received QoS information and a route through which the received QoS information has passed; and(d) an inter-domain route constructing step in which the second inter-domain signaling apparatus associates the received QoS information with the received route.

2. The QoS information notification method as claimed in claim 1, wherein: in the inter-domain transmitting step (b), the first communication apparatus adds the received QoS information to a message used for a signaling protocol between the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus, and transmits the message to the second communication apparatus.

3. The QoS information notification method as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the QoS information comprises at least one of:an availability of a QoS service;a service class available for a QoS service;a maximum available bandwidth; anda maximum acceptable delay time.

4. The QoS information notification method as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the QoS information comprises an availability of a QoS service; andin the inter-domain route constructing step (d), the second inter-domain signaling apparatus extracts and stores the route including a domain which supports the QoS service.

5. The QoS information notification method as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the QoS information comprises a service class available for a QoS service; andin the inter-domain route constructing step (d), the second inter-domain signaling apparatus checks whether the route from the first domain to the second domain supports the service class or not, and classifies and stores the route according to the service class if the route supports the service class.

6. The QoS information notification method as claimed in claim 1, wherein: in the inter-domain transmitting step (b), the first communication apparatus further transmits an identifier for the first inter-domain signaling apparatus to the second communication apparatus;in the second intra-domain transmitting step (c), the second communication apparatus further transmits the identifier for the first inter-domain signaling apparatus to the second inter-domain signaling apparatus.

7. A communication apparatus connected to both a inter-domain signaling apparatus which manages QoS information on an internal domain and a communication apparatus in an external domain, comprising: an information receiving unit configured to receive the QoS information on the internal domain from the inter-domain signaling apparatus;an information message generating unit configured to add the QoS information on the internal domain to a message transmitted to the communication apparatus in the external domain;an information extracting unit configured to receive a message from the communication apparatus in the external domain, and extract QoS information on the external domain and a route through which the received message has passed; andan information transmitting unit configured to transmit the extracted QoS information and the route to the inter-domain signaling apparatus.

8. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the information message generating unit further adds the QoS information on the internal domain to a message used for a signaling protocol for the communication apparatus in the external domain.

9. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the QoS information comprises at least one of:an availability of a QoS service;a service class available for a QoS service;a maximum available bandwidth; anda maximum acceptable delay time.

10. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the information message generating unit further adds an identifier for the inter-domain signaling apparatus in the internal domain to the message transmitted to the communication apparatus in the external domain;the information extracting unit further extracts an identifier for the inter-domain signaling apparatus in the external domain from the message received from the communication apparatus in the external domain; andthe information transmitting unit further transmits the extracted identifier for the inter-domain signaling apparatus in the external domain to the inter-domain signaling apparatus.

11. An inter-domain signaling apparatus connected to a communication apparatus in an internal domain configured to transmit/receive a message to/from a communication apparatus in an external domain, comprising: an information receiving unit configured to receive QoS information on the external domain from the communication apparatus; andan inter-domain route constructing unit configured to associate the received QoS information with a route through which the received QoS information has passed.

12. The inter-domain signaling apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein: the QoS information comprises at least one of:an availability of a QoS service;a service class available for a QoS service;a maximum available bandwidth; anda maximum acceptable delay time.

13. The inter-domain signaling apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein: the QoS information comprises an availability of a QoS service; andthe inter-domain route constructing unit extracts and stores the route including a domain which supports the QoS service.

14. The inter-domain signaling apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein: the QoS information comprises a service class available for a QoS service; andthe inter-domain route constructing unit checks whether the route supports the service class or not, and classifies and stores the route according to the service class if the route supports the service class.

15. The inter-domain signaling apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein: the information receiving unit further receives an identifier for an inter-domain signaling apparatus in the external domain.