# US 11,909,657 B2 · Route processing method, device, and system

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- Number: US 11,909,657 B2
- Document ID: US11909657B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/672,002
- Filed: 2022-02-15
- Published: 2022-06-02
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-16
- Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Qiandeng Liang; Shunwan Zhuang; Jianjie You
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909657B2

## CPC

- H04L 47/28: in relation to timing considerations
- H04L 45/033: by updating distance vector protocols
- H04L 45/38: {Flow based routing}
- H04L 47/10: Flow control; Congestion control
- H04L 47/2483: involving identification of individual flows
- H04L 63/1441: {Countermeasures against malicious traffic (countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002)}
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A route processing method includes obtaining, by a first network device, a flow effective time parameter and a route related to the flow effective time parameter, processing, by the first network device in the specified time interval, service traffic corresponding to the route related to the flow effective time parameter, generating a route control message, where the route control message carries the flow effective time parameter and the route, and sending, by the first network device, the route control message to a second network device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, implemented by a first network device, wherein the method comprises:
obtaining a flow effective time parameter and a route related to the flow effective time parameter, wherein the flow effective time parameter comprises a start time value and a duration value, and wherein the flow effective time parameter indicates that the route is effective in a time interval specified by the flow effective time parameter;
generating a message carrying the flow effective time parameter and the route, wherein the message indicates a second network device to process service traffic corresponding to the route in the time interval, and wherein the message is an extended Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message; and
sending the message to the second network device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a start time type and a delay value, wherein the start time type comprises at least one of an immediate type, a delayed type, or a scheduled type, wherein a start moment of the time interval comprises a moment at which the first network device starts processing the message when the start time type comprises the immediate type, wherein the start moment comprises the start time value plus the delay value when the start time type comprises the delayed type, and wherein the start moment comprises the start time value when the start time type comprises the scheduled type.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a duration type comprising at least one of a keeping effective type, an absolutely becoming invalid type, or a becoming invalid during idle time type, wherein the duration value comprises an invalid value when the duration type comprises the keeping effective type, wherein an end moment of the time interval comprises a start moment of the time interval plus the duration value when the duration type comprises the absolutely becoming invalid type, and wherein the end moment comprises a moment when time at which the first network device does not process the service traffic reaches the duration value when the duration type comprises the becoming invalid during idle time type.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a duration type and a period value, wherein the duration type comprises an absolutely becoming invalid type, wherein the period value indicates that the route periodically becomes effective and a length of a period, wherein the period value is greater than or equal to the duration value, wherein a first start moment of periodically becoming effective comprises the start time value or a moment at which the first network device starts processing the message, wherein each period interval of periodically becoming effective comprises the time interval, wherein a second start moment of the time interval comprises a third start moment of each period interval, and wherein a duration of the time interval comprises the duration value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the extended BGP update message comprises a flow extension attribute, wherein the flow extension attribute comprises a flow effective time field, wherein the flow effective time field carries the flow effective time parameter, wherein the flow effective time field comprises a flow effective time type field, a first length field, a start time value field, and a duration value field, wherein the flow effective time type field indicates a first type of the flow effective time field, wherein the first length field indicates a first length of the flow effective time field, wherein the start time value field carries the start time value, and wherein the duration value field carries the duration value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the flow effective time field further comprises a start time type field, a duration type field, and a delay value field, wherein the start time type field indicates at least one of an immediate type, a delayed type, or a scheduled type, wherein the duration type field indicates at least one of a keeping effective type, an absolutely becoming invalid type, or a becoming invalid during idle time type, and wherein the delay value field carries a delay value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the flow effective time field further comprises a period value field, and wherein the period value field carries a period value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the flow extension attribute further comprises a flow identifier (ID) field, wherein the flow ID field comprises a flow ID type field, a second length field, an autonomous system (AS) ID field, a router ID field, and a flow ID value field, wherein the flow ID type field indicates a second type of the flow ID field, wherein the second length field indicates a second length of the flow ID field, wherein the AS ID field indicates an AS in which the first network device is located, wherein the router ID field identifies the first network device, and wherein the flow ID value field carries a flow ID.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the flow extension attribute further comprises a flow description field, wherein the flow description field comprises a flow description type field, a second length field, and a flow description value field, wherein the flow description type field indicates a second type of the flow description field, wherein the second length field indicates a second length of the flow description field, and wherein the flow description value field carries a flow description.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the flow extension attribute further comprises a flag field instructing whether to cancel an invalid route.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising processing, in the time interval, service traffic corresponding to the route.

### Claim 12

A method, implemented by a second network device, wherein the method comprises:
receiving a message from a first network device, wherein the message carries a flow effective time parameter and a route related to the flow effective time parameter, wherein the flow effective time parameter comprises a start time value, a duration value, a first duration type, and a first period value, wherein the flow effective time parameter indicates that the route is effective in a time interval specified by the flow effective time parameter, and wherein the message is an extended Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message; and
processing, in the time interval, service traffic corresponding to the route according to the message.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a start time type and a delay value, wherein the start time type comprises at least one of an immediate type, a delayed type, or a scheduled type, wherein a start moment of the time interval comprises a moment at which the second network device starts processing the message when the start time type comprises the immediate type, wherein the start moment comprises the start time value plus the delay value when the start time type comprises the delayed type, and wherein the start moment comprises the start time value when the start time type comprises the scheduled type.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a second duration type, wherein the second duration type comprises a keeping effective type, an absolutely becoming invalid type, or a becoming invalid during idle time type, wherein the duration value comprises an invalid value when the second duration type comprises the keeping effective type, wherein an end moment of the time interval comprises a start moment of the time interval plus the duration value when the second duration type comprises the absolutely becoming invalid type, and wherein the end moment comprises a moment when time at which the second network device does not process the service traffic reaches the duration value when the second duration type comprises the becoming invalid during idle time type.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a second duration type and a second period value, wherein the second duration type comprises an absolutely becoming invalid type, wherein the second period value indicates that the route periodically becomes effective and a length of a period, wherein the second period value is greater than or equal to the duration value, wherein a first start moment of periodically becoming effective comprises the start time value or a moment at which the second network device starts processing the message, wherein each period interval of periodically becoming effective comprises the time interval, wherein a second start moment of the time interval comprises a third start moment of each period interval, and wherein a duration of the time interval comprises the duration value.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising sending the message to other network devices, wherein the other network devices do not comprise the first network device.

### Claim 17

A first network device, comprising:
a non-transitory memory configured to store instructions; and
one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory memory, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to be configured to:
obtain a flow effective time parameter and a route related to the flow effective time parameter, wherein the flow effective time parameter comprises a start time value and a duration value, and wherein the flow effective time parameter indicates that the route is effective in a time interval specified by the flow effective time parameter;
generate a message, wherein the message carries the flow effective time parameter and the route, wherein the message indicates a second network device to process service traffic corresponding to the route in the time interval, and wherein the message is an extended Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message; and
send the message to the second network device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The first network device of claim 17, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a start time type and a delay value, wherein the start time type comprises at least one of an immediate type, a delayed type, or a scheduled type, wherein a start moment of the time interval comprises a moment at which the one or more processors start processing the message when the start time type comprises the immediate type, wherein the start moment comprises the start time value plus the delay value when the start time type comprises the delayed type, and wherein the start moment comprises the start time value when the start time type comprises the scheduled type.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The first network device of claim 17, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a duration type, wherein the duration type comprises a keeping effective type, an absolutely becoming invalid type, or a becoming invalid during idle type, wherein the duration value comprises an invalid value when the duration type comprises the keeping effective type, wherein an end moment of the time interval comprises a start moment of the time interval plus the duration value when the duration type comprises the absolutely becoming invalid type, and wherein the end moment comprises a moment when time at which the one or more processors do not process the service traffic reaches the duration value when the duration type comprises the becoming invalid during idle type.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The first network device of claim 17, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a duration type and a period value, wherein the duration type comprises an absolutely becoming invalid type, wherein the period value indicates that the route periodically becomes effective and a length of a period, wherein the period value is greater than or equal to the duration value, wherein a first start moment of periodically becoming effective comprises the start time value or a moment at which the one or more processors start processing the message, wherein each period interval of periodically becoming effective comprises the time interval, wherein a second start moment of the time interval comprises a third start moment of each period interval, and wherein a duration of the time interval is the duration value.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The first network device of claim 17, wherein the extended BGP update message comprises a flow extension attribute, wherein the flow extension attribute comprises a flow effective time field, wherein the flow effective time field carries the flow effective time parameter, wherein the flow effective time field comprises a flow effective time type field, a first length field, a start time value field, and a duration value field, wherein the flow effective time type field indicates a first type of the flow effective time field, wherein the first length field indicates a first length of the flow effective time field, wherein the start time value field carries the start time value, and wherein the duration value field carries the duration value.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The first network device of claim 21, wherein the flow effective time field further comprises a start time type field, a duration type field, and a delay value field, wherein the start time type field indicates at least one of an immediate type, a delayed type, or a scheduled type, wherein the duration type field indicates a keeping effective type, an absolutely becoming invalid type, or a becoming invalid during idle time type, and wherein the delay value field carries a delay value.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The first network device of claim 21, wherein the flow extension attribute further comprises a flow identifier (ID) field, wherein the flow ID field comprises a flow ID type field, a second length field, an autonomous system (AS) ID field, a router ID field, and a flow ID value field, wherein the flow ID type field indicates a second type of the flow ID field, wherein the second length field indicates a second length of the flow ID field, wherein the AS ID field indicates an AS in which the first network device is located, wherein the router ID field identifies the first network device, and wherein the flow ID value field carries a flow ID.

### Claim 24

A second network device, comprising:
a non-transitory memory configured to store instructions; and
one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory memory, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to be configured to:
receive a message from a first network device, wherein the message carries a flow effective time parameter and a route related to the flow effective time parameter, wherein the flow effective time parameter comprises a start time value, a duration value, a first duration type, and a first period value, wherein the flow effective time parameter indicates that the route is effective in a time interval specified by the flow effective time parameter, and wherein the message is an extended Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message; and
process, in the time interval, service traffic corresponding to the route according to the message.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The second network device of claim 24, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a start time type and a delay value, wherein the start time type comprises at least one of an immediate type, a delayed type, or a scheduled type, wherein a start moment of the time interval comprises a moment at which the one or more processors start processing the message when the start time type comprises the immediate type, wherein the start moment comprises the start time value plus the delay value when the start time type comprises the delayed type, and wherein the start moment comprises the start time value when the start time type comprises the scheduled type.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The second network device of claim 24, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a second duration type, wherein the second duration type comprises a keeping effective type, an absolutely becoming invalid type, or a becoming invalid during idle time type, wherein the duration value comprises an invalid value when the second duration type comprises the keeping effective type, wherein an end moment of the time interval comprises a start moment of the time interval plus the duration value when the second duration type comprises the absolutely becoming invalid type, and wherein the end moment comprises a moment when time at which the one or more processors do not process the service traffic reaches the duration value when the second duration type comprises the becoming invalid during idle time type.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The second network device of claim 24, wherein the flow effective time parameter further comprises a second duration type and a second period value, wherein the second duration type comprises an absolutely becoming invalid type, wherein the second period value indicates that the route periodically becomes effective and a length of a period, wherein the second period value is greater than or equal to the duration value, wherein a first start moment of periodically becoming effective comprises the start time value or a moment at which the one or more processors start processing the message, wherein each period interval of periodically becoming effective comprises the time interval, wherein a second start moment of the time interval comprises a third start moment of each period interval, and wherein a duration of the time interval comprises the duration value.

### Claim 28 (depends on 24)

The second network device of claim 24, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to be configured to send the message to other network devices, and wherein the other network devices do not comprise the first network device.