State machine for providing dynamic quality of service in a cable network
View Patent ↗A cable modem termination system includes a data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) subsystem that manages a flow associated with a gate and a gate manager (GM) that manages a state of the gate. When the flow is admitted by the DOCSIS subsystem, the DOCSIS subsystem signals to the GM to transition the state of the gate to a reserved state. The GM transitions the state of the gate to the reserved state when the DOCSIS subsystem signals to the GM to transition the state of the gate to the reserved state. When the flow is activated by the DOCSIS subsystem, the DOCSIS subsystem signals to the GM to transition the state of the gate to a committed state. The GM transitions the state of the gate to the committed state when the DOCSIS subsystem signals to the GM to transition the state of the gate to the committed state.
1. A cable modem termination system comprising:
a data over cable service interface specification subsystem that manages a flow associated with a gate; and
a gate manager that manages a state of the gate;
wherein when the flow is admitted by the data over cable service interface specification subsystem, the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to a reserved state;
wherein the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to the reserved state when the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to the reserved state;
wherein when the flow is activated by the data over cable service interface specification subsystem, the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to a committed state; and
wherein the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to the committed state when the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to the committed state.
2. The cable modem termination system of claim 1 , wherein when the flow is deleted by the data over cable service interface specification subsystem, the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to an end state.
3. The cable modem termination system of claim 1 , wherein when the gate manager receives a message from a common open policy service client executing on a route server that is derived from a GATE ALLOC common open policy service message received by the common open policy service, the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to an allocated state.
4. The cable modem termination system of claim 3 , wherein when the gate manager receives the message from the common open policy service client, the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to the allocated state if a gate limit associated with a subscriber is not exceeded.
5. The cable modem termination system of claim 1 , wherein when the gate manager receives a message from a common open policy service client executing on a route server that is derived from a GATE SET common open policy service message received by the common open policy service, the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to an authorized state.
6. The cable modem termination system of claim 1 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem includes a quality of service policy manager that performs admission control for the flow.
7. The cable modem termination system of claim 1 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem includes a quality of service signaling mechanism that receives dynamic service add and dynamic service change messages.
8. The cable modem termination system of claim 1 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem admits the flow after the quality of service signaling mechanism receives a dynamic service add message.
9. The cable modem termination system of claim 1 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem activates the flow after the quality of service signaling mechanism receives a dynamic service-change message.
10. A method of managing the state of a gate, comprising:
admitting a flow by a data over cable service interface specification subsystem, wherein the flow is associated with a gate;
signaling that the data over cable service interface specification subsystem has admitted the flow;
transitioning the state of the gate to a reserved state in response to signaling that the data over cable service interface specification subsystem has admitted the flow;
activating the flow by the data over cable service interface specification subsystem;
signaling that the data over cable service interface specification subsystem has activated the flow; and
transitioning the state of the gate to a committed state in response to signaling that the data over cable service interface specification subsystem has activated the flow.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
deleting the flow by the data over cable service interface specification subsystem;
signaling that the data over cable service interface specification subsystem has deleted the flow; and
transitioning the state of the gate to an end state in response to the signaling that the data over cable service interface specification subsystem has deleted the flow.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a message, from a common open policy service client executing on a route server, that is derived from a GATE ALLOC common open policy service message received by the common open policy service; and
transitioning the state of the gate an allocated state when the message is received.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein transitioning the state of the gate the allocated state when the message is received includes the state of the gate the allocated state if a gate limit associated with a subscriber is not exceeded.
14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving a message from a common open policy service client executing on a route server that is derived from a GATE SET common open policy service message received by the common open policy service; and
transitioning the state of the gate an authorized state when the message is received.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem admits the flow after a quality of service signaling mechanism receives a dynamic service add message.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem activates the flow after a quality of service signaling mechanism receives a dynamic service change message.
17. An access switch comprising:
at least one cable modem termination system, wherein the cable modem termination system, when coupled to a hybrid-fiber coaxial cable network, is in communication with a media terminal adapter, wherein the cable modem termination system includes a gate manager executing thereon;
a route server, in communication with the cable modem termination system, that includes a common open policy service client executing on the route server;
a network interface module, in communication with the cable modem termination system and the route server, that, when the network interface module is coupled to a network, communicates common open policy service messages between the common open policy service client and a call management server included in the network;
wherein the cable modem termination system includes:
a data over cable service interface specification subsystem that manages a flow associated with a gate; and
a gate manager that manages a state of the gate;
wherein when the flow is admitted by the data over cable service interface specification subsystem, the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to a reserved state;
wherein the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to the reserved state when the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to the reserved state;
wherein when the flow is activated by the data over cable service interface specification subsystem, the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to a committed state; and
wherein the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to the committed state when the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to the committed state.
18. The access switch of claim 17 , wherein when the flow is deleted by the data over cable service interface specification subsystem, the data over cable service interface specification subsystem signals to the gate manager to transition the state of the gate to an end state.
19. The access switch of claim 17 , wherein when the gate manager receives a message from a common open policy service client executing on a route server that is derived from a GATE ALLOC common open policy service message received by the common open policy service, the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to an allocated state.
20. The access switch of claim 19 , wherein when the gate manager receives the message from the common open policy service client, the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to the allocated state if a gate limit associated with a subscriber is not exceeded.
21. The access switch of claim 17 , wherein when the gate manager receives a message from a common open policy service client executing on a route server that is derived from a GATE SET common open policy service message received by the common open policy service, the gate manager transitions the state of the gate to an authorized state.
22. The access switch of claim 17 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem includes a quality of service policy manager that performs admission control for the flow.
23. The access switch of claim 17 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem includes a quality of service signaling mechanism that receives dynamic service add and dynamic service change messages.
24. The access switch of claim 17 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem admits the flow after the quality of service signaling mechanism receives a dynamic service add message.
25. The access switch of claim 17 , wherein the data over cable service interface specification subsystem activates the flow after the quality of service signaling mechanism receives a dynamic service change message.