# US 12,224,925 B2 · SRv6-based data processing method and related network device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,925 B2 - Document ID: US12224925B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/500,142 - Filed: 2021-10-13 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-15 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Zongpeng Du; Jie Dong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224925B2 ## CPC - H04L 45/34: {Source routing} - H04L 45/02: Topology update or discovery - H04L 45/121: by minimising delays - H04L 45/50: using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS] - H04L 45/74: Address processing for routing - H04L 45/748: using longest matching prefix - H04L 47/365: {Dynamic adaptation of the packet size} - H04L 61/5007: Internet protocol [IP] addresses - H04L 2101/659: Internet protocol version 6 [IPv6] addresses - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A Segment Routing over Internet Protocol version 6 (SRv6)-based data processing method includes a first network device generating a slice locator, where the slice locator includes a target argument. The slice locator is used to identify an addressable destination address prefix in a slice supported by the first network device, and the target argument is used to indicate that the slice locator is associated with at least two slices supported by the first network device. The first network device sends the slice locator to a second network device, so that the second network device generates, based on the slice locator, at least two target slice locators corresponding to the at least two slices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A Segment Routing over Internet Protocol version 6 (SRv6)-based data processing method implemented by a first network device, wherein the SRv6-based data processing method comprises: generating a slice locator, wherein the slice locator comprises a target argument, wherein the slice locator identifies an addressable destination address prefix in slices supported by the first network device, and wherein the target argument indicates that the slice locator is associated with at least two slices supported by the first network device; sending the slice locator to a second network device; and sending a slice function corresponding to the slice locator to the second network device, wherein the slice function indicates an instruction set by the first network device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The SRv6-based data processing method of claim 1, wherein the target argument comprises slice information, and wherein the slice information comprises a quantity of slices supported by the first network device and identifiers of the slices. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The SRv6-based data processing method of claim 2, wherein a first format of the slice locator is first type-length-value (TLV), wherein a second format of the target argument comprises is first sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, and wherein the first sub-TLV indicates a size and a location of the target argument. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The SRv6-based data processing method of claim 3, wherein the second format further comprises a second sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, and wherein the second sub-TLV indicates the slice information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The SRv6-based data processing method of claim 1, further comprising sending a physical topology locator to the second network device, wherein the physical topology locator comprises the slice locator, and wherein the physical topology locator identifies an addressable destination address prefix in a physical topology. ### Claim 6 A Segment Routing over Internet Protocol version 6 (SRv6)-based data processing method implemented by a second network device, wherein the SRv6-based data processing method comprises: receiving a slice locator from a first network device, wherein the slice locator comprises a target argument, wherein the slice locator identifies an addressable destination address prefix in slices supported by the first network device, and wherein the target argument indicates that the slice locator is associated with at least two slices supported by the first network device; generating, based on the slice locator, at least two target slice locators corresponding to the at least two slices; generating X forwarding entries based on the at least two target slice locators, wherein X is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and wherein X is less than or equal to a quantity of target slice locators; and receiving a slice function from the first network device, wherein the slice function indicates an instruction from the first network device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The SRv6-based data processing method of claim 6, wherein a first format of the slice locator is first type-length-value (TLV), wherein a second format of the target argument is first sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, and wherein the first sub-TLV indicates a size and a location of the target argument. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The SRv6-based data processing method of claim 7, further comprising: obtaining slice information from slice topology information based on an indication of the target argument, wherein the slice information comprises a quantity of slices supported by the first network device and identifiers of the slices; and generating the at least two target slice locators based on the slice information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The SRv6-based data processing method of claim 7, wherein the second format further comprises a second sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, wherein the second sub-TLV indicates slice information, wherein the slice information comprises a quantity of slices supported by the first network device and identifiers of the slices, and wherein the SRv6-based data processing method further comprises generating the at least two target slice locators based on the slice information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The SRv6-based data processing method of claim 6, further comprising: obtaining, from the at least two slices corresponding to the at least two target slice locators, X slices to which the second network device belongs; and generating the X forwarding entries corresponding to the X slices. ### Claim 11 A first network device, comprising: at least one processor; one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one processor to cause the first network device to: generate a slice locator, wherein the slice locator comprises a target argument, wherein the slice locator identifies an addressable destination address prefix in slices supported by the first network device, and wherein the target argument indicates that the slice locator is associated with at least two slices supported by the first network device; send the slice locator to a second network device; and send a slice function corresponding to the slice locator to the second network device, wherein the slice function indicates an instruction set by the first network device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The first network device of claim 11, wherein the target argument comprises slice information, and wherein the slice information comprises a quantity of slices supported by the first network device and identifiers of the slices. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The first network device of claim 12, wherein a first format of the slice locator is first type-length-value (TLV), wherein a second format of the target argument is first sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, and wherein the first sub-TLV indicates a size and a location of the target argument. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The first network device of claim 13, wherein the second format is second sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, and wherein the second sub-TLV indicates the slice information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The first network device of claim 11, wherein the instructions further instruct the at least one processor to cause the first network device to send a physical topology locator to the second network device, wherein the physical topology locator comprises the slice locator, and wherein the physical topology locator identifies an addressable destination address prefix in a physical topology. ### Claim 16 A second network device, comprising: at least one processor; one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one processor to cause the second network device to: receive a slice locator from a first network device, wherein the slice locator comprises a target argument, wherein the slice locator identifies an addressable destination address prefix in slices supported by the first network device, and wherein the target argument indicates that the slice locator is associated with at least two slices supported by the first network device; generate, based on the slice locator, at least two target slice locators corresponding to the at least two slices; generate, based on the at least two target slice locators, X forwarding entries, wherein X is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and wherein X is less than or equal to a quantity of target slice locators; and receive a slice function from the first network device, wherein the slice function indicates an instruction from the first network device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The second network device of claim 16, wherein a first format of the slice locator is a first type-length-value (TLV), wherein a second format of the target argument is a first sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, and wherein the first sub-TLV indicates a size and a location of the target argument. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The second network device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further instruct the at least one processor to cause the second network device to: obtain slice information from slice topology information based on an indication of the target argument, wherein the slice information comprises a quantity of slices supported by the first network device and identifiers of the slices; and generate the at least two target slice locators based on the slice information. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The second network device of claim 17, wherein the second format further comprises a second sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, wherein the second sub-TLV indicates slice information, wherein the slice information comprises a quantity of slices supported by the first network device and identifiers of the slices, and wherein the instructions further instruct the at least one processor to cause the second network device to generate the at least two target slice locators based on the slice information. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The second network device of claim 16, wherein the instructions further instruct the at least one processor to cause the second network device to: obtain, from the at least two slices corresponding to the at least two target slice locators, X slices to which the second network device belongs; and generate the X forwarding entries corresponding to the X slices. ### Claim 21 A Segment Routing over Internet Protocol version 6 (SRv6)-based data processing system, comprising: a first network device configured to: generate a slice locator, wherein the slice locator comprises a target argument, wherein the slice locator identifies an addressable destination address prefix in slices supported by the first network device, and wherein the target argument indicates that the slice locator is associated with at least two slices supported by the first network device; send the slice locator; and send a slice function corresponding to the slice locator, wherein the slice function indicates an instruction set by the first network device, and a second network device configured to: receive the slice locator from the first network device; receive the slice function from the first network device; generate, based on the slice locator, at least two target slice locators corresponding to the at least two slices; and generate, based on the at least two target slice locators, X forwarding entries, wherein X is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and wherein X is less than or equal to a quantity of target slice locators. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The SRv6-based data processing system of claim 21, wherein a first format of the slice locator is first type-length-value (TLV), wherein a second format of the target argument is first sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, and wherein the first sub-TLV indicates a size and a location of the target argument. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The SRv6-based data processing system of claim 22, wherein the first network device is further configured to: obtain slice information from slice topology information based on an indication of the target argument, wherein the slice information comprises a quantity of slices supported by the first network device and identifiers of the slices; and generate the at least two target slice locators based on the slice information. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The SRv6-based data processing system of claim 22, wherein the second format further comprises a second sub-TLV belonging to the first TLV, wherein the second sub-TLV indicates slice information, wherein the slice information comprises a quantity of slices supported by the first network device and identifiers of the slices, and wherein the first network device is further configured to generate the at least two target slice locators based on the slice information. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The SRv6-based data processing system of claim 21, wherein the first network device is further configured to: obtain, from the at least two slices corresponding to the at least two target slice locators, X slices to which the second network device belongs; and generate the X forwarding entries corresponding to the X slices.