US 8,014,411 B2 · Apparatus and methods for establishing virtual private networks in a broadband network

Abstract

Service providers can reduce multiple overlay networks by creating multiple logical service networks (LSNS) on the same physical or optical fiber network. The LSNs are established by the service provider and can be characterized by traffic type, bandwidth, delay, hop count, guaranteed information rates and/or restoration priorities. Once established, the LSNs allow the service provider to deliver a variety of services to customers depending on customer's traffic specifications. Different traffic specifications are serviced on different LSNS, depending on each LSN's characteristics. Such LSNS, once built within a broadband network, can be customized and sold to multiple customers.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for establishing logical service networks in a communication network, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of service locations within the communication network;
establishing a plurality of logical service paths between each service location;
associating each logical service path with a label;
configuring the service locations and the plurality of logical service paths into a plurality of logical service networks according to the labels;
assigning a unique customer identifier for each customer at the service location;
and
assigning a unique group identifier for each logical service network containing the unique customer identifier.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/019,012Filed 21 Dec 2004 · continuation

Priority

8 Mar 2001

Published

US 2005/0099947 A112 May 2005

Granted

6 Sep 2011

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

H04L 12/4604
Interconnection of networks: lAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
H04L 12/66
Data switching networks: arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
H04L 41/32
Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks: specific management…
H04L 45/50
Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks: using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]

Family

Application09/803,090Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Mar 2001

US 2005/0099947 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 May 2005

US 6,847,641 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2002/0126681 A1Published application

US 8,014,411 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Apparatus and methods for establishing virtual private networks in a broadband network

Life of this patent

Apparatus and methods for establishing virtual private networks in a broadband network

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21