# US 9,882,819 B2 · Method and apparatus for controlling service quality in communication system, and communication apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,819 B2 - Document ID: US9882819B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/897,603 - Filed: 2014-06-13 - Published: 2016-05-19 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-13 - Assignees: NEC Corporation - Applicants: NEC Corporation - Inventors: Ippei Akiyoshi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882819B2 ## CPC - H04L 47/2458: {Modification of priorities while in transit} - H04L 45/302: Route determination based on requested QoS - H04L 45/586: of virtual routers - H04W 28/24: Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service] - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A communication system, a method for controlling service quality, a control apparatus, and a communication apparatus are provided that enable flexible packet forward processing control based on service quality information. A communication system in which a logical path is established over a network to perform communication includes: a control apparatus that retains a policy indicating an association between a logical path and service quality information (QoS); and a communication apparatus that provides a packet with the service quality information (QoS) corresponding to the logical path to which the packet belongs, in accordance with a control message sent from the control apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication system which establishes a logical path over a network to perform communication, comprising: a first communication apparatus; a second communication apparatus connected to the first communication apparatus through the logical path; and a control apparatus that retains a control policy indicating an association between the logical path and service quality information, wherein the control apparatus sends a control policy change message to at least one of the first and second communication apparatuses, wherein the control policy change message indicates a change of the service quality information, wherein said at least one of the first and second communication apparatuses, when receiving the control policy change message, provides a packet to be transmitted with the changed service quality information corresponding to the logical path to which the packet belongs in accordance with the control policy change message. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the control policy change message indicates a direct change of the service quality information, wherein said at least one of the first and second communication apparatuses, when receiving the control policy change message, provides a packet to be transmitted with the directly changed service quality information corresponding to the logical path to which the packet belongs in accordance with the control policy change message. ### Claim 3 A control apparatus in a communication system in which a logical path is established over a network to perform communication, comprising: a storage section that retains a control policy indicating an association between the logical path and service quality information; and a controller that is configured to sends a control policy change message to a communication apparatus that establishes the logical path, wherein the control policy change message indicates a change of the service quality information corresponding to the logical path to which a packet belongs, wherein the communication apparatus provides a packet to be transmitted with the changed service quality information in accordance with the control policy change message. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control policy includes a plurality of pieces of service quality information corresponding to the logical path, and notifies the communication apparatus of the control policy change message to change the service quality information to one of the pieces of service quality information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller notifies the communication apparatus of the control policy including a criterion for identifying the logical path and an instruction to give the changed service quality information corresponding to the logical path to a packet that agrees with the criterion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the association between the logical path and the service quality information is updated, the controller changes the control policy used by the communication apparatus so as to reflect the update. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller, in response to an occurrence of congestion in the network, changes the service quality information corresponding to the logical path and notifies the communication apparatus of the control policy change message. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller, in response to a change of the service quality information identifiable within the network, changes the service quality information corresponding to the logical path and notifies the communication apparatus of the control policy change message. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller, in response to a change of the service quality information identifiable to a node that forwards packets in the network, changes the service quality information corresponding to the logical path and notifies the communication apparatus of the control policy change message. ### Claim 10 A communication apparatus in a communication system in which a logical path is established over a network to perform communication, comprising: a first section that is configured to receive a control policy change message from a control apparatus that retains a control policy indicating an association between the logical path and service quality information, wherein the control policy change message indicates a change of the service quality information; and a second section that is configured to provide a packet to be transmitted with the changed service quality information corresponding to the logical path to which the packet belongs in accordance with the control policy change message. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first section receives the control policy change message to change the service quality information to one of a plurality of pieces of service quality information corresponding to the logical path. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first section receives the control policy change message including a criterion for identifying the logical path and an instruction to give the changed service quality information corresponding to the logical path to a packet that agrees with the criterion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first section receives the control policy change message from the control apparatus, wherein the control apparatus changes the association between the logical path and the service quality information in response to an occurrence of congestion in the network, wherein the control policy change message indicates this change of the service quality information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first section receives the control policy change message from the control apparatus, wherein the control apparatus changes the association between the logical path and the service quality information in response to a change of the service quality information identifiable within the network, wherein the control policy change message indicates this change of the service quality information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first section receives the control policy change message from the control apparatus, wherein the control apparatus changes the association between the logical path and the service quality information in response to a change of the service quality information identifiable to a node that forwards packets in the network, wherein the control policy change message indicates this change of the service quality information. ### Claim 16 A method for controlling service quality in a communication system in which a logical path is established over a network to perform communication, comprising: retaining a control policy indicating an association between the logical path and service quality information; and sending a control policy change message to a communication apparatus that establishes the logical path, wherein the control policy change message indicates a change of the service quality information corresponding to the logical path to which a packet belongs, wherein the communication apparatus provides a packet to be transmitted with the changed service quality information in accordance with the control policy change message. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory medium storing a program causing a control apparatus in a communication system in which a logical path is established over a network to perform communication, to execute the processing of: retaining a control policy indicating an association between the logical path and service quality information; and sending a control policy change message to a communication apparatus that establishes the logical path, wherein the control policy change message indicates a change of the service quality information corresponding to the logical path to which a packet belongs, wherein the communication apparatus provides a packet to be transmitted with the changed service quality information in accordance with the control policy change message. ### Claim 18 A control method for a communication apparatus in a communication system in which a logical path is established over a network to perform communication, comprising: receiving a control policy change message from a control apparatus that retains a control policy indicating an association between the logical path and service quality information, wherein the control policy change message indicates a change of the service quality information; and providing a packet to be transmitted with the changed service quality information corresponding to the logical path to which the packet belongs in accordance with the control policy change message. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory medium storing a program causing a communication apparatus in a communication system in which a logical path is established over a network to perform communication, to execute the processing of: receiving a control policy change message from a control apparatus that retains a control policy indicating an association between the logical path and service quality information, wherein the control policy change message indicates a change of the service quality information; and providing a packet to be transmitted with the changed service quality information corresponding to the logical path to which the packet belongs in accordance with the control policy change message.