# US 12,192,100 B2 · Centralized path computation for information-centric networking > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,192,100 B2 - Document ID: US12192100B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/972,545 - Filed: 2022-10-24 - Published: 2023-02-09 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-14 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Nagendra Kumar Nainar; Carlos M. Pignataro; Luca Muscariello - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192100B2 ## CPC - H04L 45/566: {Routing instructions carried by the data packet, e.g. active networks} - H04L 45/64: using an overlay routing layer - H04L 45/42: Centralised routing - H04L 45/742: {Route cache; Operation thereof} - H04L 67/63: Routing a service request depending on the request content or context - H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers - H04L 67/568: Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract This disclosure describes techniques for implementing centralized path computation for routing in hybrid information-centric networking protocols implemented as a virtual network overlay. A method includes receiving an interest packet header from a forwarding router node of a network overlay. The method further includes determining an interest path of the interest packet and one or more destination router nodes of the network overlay. The method further includes computing one or more paths over the network overlay. The method further includes determining an addressing method for the one or more computed paths over the network overlay. The method further includes performing at least one of encoding each computed path in a data packet header, and encoding each computed path as state entries of each router node of the network overlay on each respective path. The method further includes returning the computed path information to the forwarding router node. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller comprising: one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive an interest packet header from a forwarding router node of a network overlay; determine, without path computation, an interest path of the interest packet and one or more destination router nodes of the network overlay; compute one or more paths over the network overlay, wherein each destination router node of the one or more destination router nodes is included in only one path of the one or more paths; determine an addressing method for the one or more computed paths over the network overlay; perform at least one of: encoding each computed path in a data packet header; and encoding each computed path as state entries of each router node of the network overlay on each respective path; and return the computed path information to the forwarding router node. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the received interest packet header comprises one or more information entries regarding router nodes along the interest path of the interest packet, and comprises one or more information entries regarding caching interest of each such router node. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The controller of claim 2, wherein one or more destination router nodes comprises an originating router node of the network overlay from which the interest path originates, and comprises one or more other caching router nodes of the network overlay having caching interest for named content requested by the interest packet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the one or more paths are each no less optimal than the interest path according to at least topology of the network overlay. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The controller of claim 4, wherein the one or more paths are each no less optimal than the interest path according to topology of the network underlay. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein an addressing method is selected from among unicast addressing and multicast addressing. ### Claim 7 A method comprising: receiving, by a controller, an interest packet header from a forwarding router node of a network overlay; determining, by the controller, without path computation, an interest path of the interest packet and one or more destination router nodes of the network overlay; computing, by the controller, one or more paths over the network overlay, wherein each destination router node of the one or more destination router nodes is included in only one path of the one or more paths; determining, by the controller, an addressing method for the one or more computed paths over the network overlay; performing, by the controller, at least one of: encoding each computed path in a data packet header; and encoding each computed path as state entries of each router node of the network overlay on each respective path; and returning, by the controller, the computed path information to the forwarding router node. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the received interest packet header comprises one or more information entries regarding router nodes along the interest path of the interest packet, and comprises one or more information entries regarding caching interest of each such router node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein one or more destination router nodes comprises an originating router node of the network overlay from which the interest path originates, and comprises one or more other caching router nodes of the network overlay having caching interest for named content requested by the interest packet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more paths are each no less optimal than the interest path according to at least topology of the network overlay. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more paths are each no less optimal than the interest path according to topology of the network underlay. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein an addressing method is selected from among unicast addressing and multicast addressing. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by one or more processors of a controller, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors of the controller to perform operations comprising: receiving an interest packet header from a forwarding router node of a network overlay; determining, without path computation, an interest path of the interest packet and one or more destination router nodes of the network overlay; computing one or more paths over the network overlay, wherein each destination router node of the one or more destination router nodes is included in only one path of the one or more paths; determining an addressing method for the one or more computed paths over the network overlay; performing at least one of: encoding each computed path in a data packet header; and encoding each computed path as state entries of each router node of the network overlay on each respective path; and returning the computed path information to the forwarding router node. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the received interest packet header comprises one or more information entries regarding router nodes along the interest path of the interest packet, and comprises one or more information entries regarding caching interest of each such router node. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein one or more destination router nodes comprises an originating router node of the network overlay from which the interest path originates, and comprises one or more other caching router nodes of the network overlay having caching interest for named content requested by the interest packet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more paths are each no less optimal than the interest path according to at least topology of the network overlay. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more paths are each no less optimal than the interest path according to topology of the network underlay.