Method and apparatus for selection of paths on a communication network
US6859842B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 9, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 22, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 31, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L45/00
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for selecting paths to route incoming traffic through a data communication network, which is capable of effectively dispersing the traffic load to the selected paths on the network and effectively optimizing the use of network resources. In a communication network, a plurality of label switched paths between an ingress node and an egress node are provided. Incoming traffic at the ingress node is labeled and delivered through the network to the egress node. In a method and apparatus for selecting paths to route the incoming traffic through the network, a plurality of forwarding equivalent class elements (FEC) of the incoming traffic at the ingress node are allocated for the plurality of label switched paths. The labeled traffic is delivered on the plurality of label switched paths on an FEC-element basis so as to route the labeled traffic through the network to the egress node. The traffic load on the respective label switched paths can be effectively dispersed and the sequence of data packets, sent by the same terminal, may be maintained.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.