# US 7,466,694 B2 · Routing protocol with packet network attributes for improved route selection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,466,694 B2 - Document ID: US7466694B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/450,624 - Filed: 2006-06-10 - Published: 2007-12-13 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2006-06-10 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Xiaode Xu; Manjunath S. Bangalore; Dhaval Shah - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7466694B2 ## CPC - H04L 65/1069: Session establishment or de-establishment - H04L 45/10: {Routing in connection-oriented networks, e.g. X.25 or ATM} - H04L 45/304: {Route determination for signalling traffic} - H04L 45/306: {Route determination based on the nature of the carried application} - H04L 65/752: adapting media to network capabilities - H04L 65/80: Responding to QoS - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A node for routing of calls in a network has an interface coupled to the network and at least one processor operable to route a packet-based call to a telephony destination in accordance with a protocol that includes a set of attributes that describe packet-network routing characteristics of one or more Internet Protocol (IP)-IP gateway devices in the network. The attributes are used by the at least one processor to specify a call route through an IP-IP gateway device for the packet-based call. The set of attributes include a first attribute that identifies a total administratively provisioned bandwidth capacity available on a given call route to accommodate application traffic, and a second attribute that identifies a current bandwidth that is available on the given call route to accommodate the application traffic at a given point in time. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72 (b). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A node for routing of calls in a network comprising: an interface coupled to the network; at least one processor operable to route a packet-based call to a telephony destination in accordance with a protocol that includes a set of attributes that describe packet-network routing characteristics of one or more Internet Protocol (IP)-IP gateway devices in the network, the attributes being used by the at least one processor to specify a call route through an IP-IP gateway device for the packet-based call, the set of attributes including: a first attribute that identifies a total administratively provisioned bandwidth capacity available on a given call route to accommodate application traffic; a second attribute that identifies a current bandwidth that is available on the given call route to accommodate the application traffic at a given point in time; a third attribute that provides information about a number of packets lost on calls that have been connected through the given call route; a fourth attribute that provides information about a latency of packets traversing the given call route; and a fifth attribute that provides information about a total time it takes for a packet to traverse the network from a calling device to the telephony destination, and back again. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The node of claim 1 wherein the node comprises a Location Server. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The node of claim 1 wherein the application traffic includes call traffic. ### Claim 4 A method of operation for a location server (LS) of a telephony network, the method comprising: receiving information about available call routes through the telephony network advertised in accordance with a routing protocol that includes measurement attributes that identify quality of service (QoS) aspects of calls on a given call route, the measurement attributes including: a first attribute that identifies a total administratively provisioned bandwidth capacity available on the given call route through an IP-IP gateway device to accommodate application traffic; a second attribute that identifies a current bandwidth that is available on the given call route to accommodate the application traffic at a given point in time; a third attribute that provides information about a number of packets lost on calls that have been connected through the given call route; a fourth attribute that provides information about a latency of packets traversing the given call route; and a fifth attribute that provides information about a total time it takes for a packet to traverse the network from a calling device to the telephony destination, and back again; specifying a call route through the telephony network for a packet-based call based on information identified by the measurement attributes, including, the total administratively provisioned bandwidth capacity and the current bandwidth. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the information about the available call routes is advertised on a hop-by-hop basis between various nodes of the telephony network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the application traffic includes call traffic. ### Claim 7 A method of operation for a node of a telephony network, the method comprising: querying a next hop node to ask for call route information about available call routes through the telephony network to arrive at the destination based on a dialed number; receiving the call route information in accordance with a routing protocol that includes attributes that describe packet-network routing characteristics of one or more nodes in the telephony network, the attributes including: a first attribute that identifies a total administratively provisioned bandwidth capacity available on a given call route through an IP-IP gateway device to accommodate application traffic; and a second attribute that identifies a current bandwidth that is available on the given call route to accommodate the application traffic at a given point in time; and a third attribute that provides information about a number of packets lost on calls that have been connected through the given call route; a fourth attribute that provides information about a latency of packets traversing the given call route; and a fifth attribute that provides information about a total time it takes for a packet to traverse the network from a calling device to the telephony destination, and back again; selecting a call route from one of the available call routes for a packet-based call based on information identified by the attributes, including, the total administratively provisioned bandwidth capacity, the current bandwidth, and the number of packets lost. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the telephony network comprises a voice over IP (VoIP) network in which transfer of packets is achieved in accordance with the real-time transport protocol (RTP). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising: calculating the third, fourth, and fifth attributes using RTP control protocol (RTCP) reports across different RTP sessions over time.