DISTRIBUTING PATH DELAY DATA IN A CONNECTION-ORIENTED COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

摘要

A connection-oriented communications network comprises a plurality of interconnected nodes. A traffic path can be set up across the network. Path delay data is obtained for the traffic path by using control plane signalling messages (e.g. a Resource Reservation Protocol-Traffic Engineering, RSVP-TE signalling message) between nodes of the traffic path. The path delay data can be path delay asymmetry data indicative of an asymmetry in path delay between a forward transmission direction and a reverse transmission direction of the traffic path. Each intermediate node along the traffic path can form a signalling message for forwarding to the downstream node which includes one or more values of path delay incurred by that node, or an accumulated path delay value. The path delay can result from one or more of mapping delay, Forward Error Correction (FEC) coding and propagation delay.

主权项

1. A method of distributing path delay data across a connection-oriented communications network comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, the method comprising, at an intermediate node of a traffic path across the network:
receiving a signalling message from an upstream node of the traffic path which comprises path delay data indicative of path delay incurred by at least the upstream node of the traffic path; acquiring path delay data indicative of a path delay for the traffic path incurred by at least one of the intermediate node and a link connecting the intermediate node to another node; forming a signalling message comprising the path delay data indicative of a path delay incurred by at least one of the intermediate node and a link connecting the intermediate node to another node; and sending the signalling message to a downstream node of the traffic path.