US 7,406,074 B2 · Bundling messages in communication networks

Abstract

Multiple requests to set up and/or tear down connections in a node of a communication network (or multiple failure notifications) are bundled together for transmission within the network. In an “inter-nodal” embodiment, multiple connection requests/failure notifications are bundled together as a single message for transmission between pairs of nodes in the network. In an “intra-nodal” embodiment, multiple connection requests/failure notifications received at one component of a node in the network are bundled together as a single group for forwarding to another component within the same node for implementation. In either case, the bundling of multiple connection requests/failure notifications can reduce the total amount of time required to communicate and implement the desired connection requests/restoration processing. This reduction in time can be critical to the ability of a network to satisfy requirements associated with restoration processing following a network fault.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A method for generating and transmitting messages in a communication network, comprising the steps of:

(a) combining, at a first component of the communication network, a plurality of messages into a bundled message, wherein:
the plurality of messages comprises one of (i) at least two connection requests, (ii) at least one connection request and at least one failure notification, and (iii) at least two failure notifications;
when the bundled message comprises a plurality of connection requests, each of the connection requests corresponds to a request to configure a first switch node of the communication network for a different connection;
and
when the bundled message comprises a plurality of failure notifications, each of the failure notifications corresponds to failure of a different connection in the communication network;
and
(b) transmitting the bundled message to a second component of the communication network, wherein:
the second component recovers the plurality of messages from the bundled message;
when the bundled message comprises a plurality of connection requests, the second component implements the plurality of connection requests to configure the first switch node for a plurality of connections;
when the bundled message comprises a plurality of failure notifications, the second component initiates restoration processing for a plurality of connections;
and
each of the first and second components is part of a switch node in the communication network.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Bundling messages in communication networks

Life of this patent

Bundling messages in communication networks

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29