IP Library Granted Patent US 8,681,621
Granted Patent B2
US 8,681,621 · App. 13/247,880 · Granted Mar 25, 2014

System and method for logging traffic flow

Inventor: Michael Bugenhagen (Olathe, KS)
Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,681,621
App. No.
13/247,880
Granted
Mar 25, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for monitoring user traffic. An observance window is established for a time period associated with the CIR rate. Incoming bits are measured to determine if the CIR rate plus a CBS rate is exceeded. A determination is made whether there is a threshold crossing during the observance window. A flag state is set indicating a user traffic flow is out of conformance in response to determining there is a threshold crossing.

Claims (28)

1. A method for monitoring user traffic, the method comprising:

establishing an observance window for a time period associated with a committed information rate (CIR);

measuring incoming bits during the observance window to determine if the CIR plus a committed burst size (CBS) rate is exceeded;

determining whether there is a threshold crossing of the CIR plus CBS rate during the observance window; and

setting a flag state indicating a user traffic flow is out of conformance in response to determining there is the threshold crossing the observance window.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by a shift register.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the observance window is a sliding window for measuring observed bits received during the time period between refreshes of a CIR burst allocation or a CBS burst allocation.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the burst allocation for the CIR or the CBS allocation rate is specified by a service level agreement.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the CIR and the CBS rate is converted from a frame per second rate to a bit rate utilizing frame size, sequential burst frames, and inter-frame gap.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the threshold crossing occurs when the CIR and the CBS rate in bits are exceeded during the observance window.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the observance window is reset in response to the threshold crossing not occurring.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the flag state indicates bursting violations are occurring.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the flag state activates one or more alarms indicating burst violations.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the observance window is reduced by a factor of a maximum communications rate, and wherein a determination of whether there is the threshold crossing of the CIR and the CBS rate is determined performed for the reduced observance window.

11. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the shift register is integrated with a customer premise equipment device in communication with a policer positioned at a core network of a service provider.

12. A user network interface (UNI) device for monitoring user traffic, the UNI comprising:

a traffic control function operable to establish an observance window for a time period associated with a CIR burst rate and measure incoming bits to determine if a CIR rate plus the CIR burst rate is exceeded; and

logging logic in communication with the monitor, the logging logic is operable to determine whether there is a threshold crossing of the CIR plus the CIR burst rate during the observance window, and set a flag state logging a user traffic flow is out of conformance in response to detecting the threshold crossing during the observance window.

13. The UNI device of claim 12 , wherein the traffic control function is a shift register or a policer, and wherein the CIR and CIR burst rate is converted from a frame per second rate to a bit rate utilizing frame size, sequential burst frames, and inter-frame gap.

14. The UNI device of claim 12 , wherein the CIR and the CIR burst rate is specified by a service level agreement.

15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

sending an alarm to a user sending the incoming bits of the user traffic flow in response to setting the flag state.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the observance window is associated with a burst rate refresh window set by a service level agreement.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold crossing occurs when the CIR and the CBS rate measured in bits are exceeded during the observance window.

18. The UNI device of claim 12 , further comprising:

sending an alarm to a user sending the incoming bits of the user traffic flow in response to setting the flag state.

19. The UNI device of claim 12 , wherein the observance window is associated with a burst rate refresh window set by a service level agreement.

20. The UNI device of claim 12 , wherein the threshold crossing occurs when the CIR and a CBS rate measured in bits are exceeded during the observance window.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2013
From: BUGENHAGEN, MICHAEL
To: EMBARQ HOLDINGS COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 031291/0719 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 26, 2013
From: EMBARQ HOLDINGS COMPANY, LLC
To: CENTURYLINK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC
Reel/Frame 031298/0883 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 12537603 · Aug 7, 2009
Provisional Application 61095506 · Sep 9, 2008
Related Publication 20120076044A1 · Mar 29, 2012