Method and device for controlling access to a communications network

Abstract

According to the invention, in order to control the access of traffic streams (VS) to the communications network (KN), an available capacity (VK), placed at the disposal of an access node (ZK) for transferring traffic streams (VS) to said communications network (KN), is determined from an access node (ZK) of the communications network (KN), taking into account the total transfer capacity (G) of the communications network (KN). The available capacity (VS) is notably redetermined whenever the routing information (RI) of the access node (ZK) is modified. An access control of this type guarantees the quality of service required in a connectionless communications network.

1 . A method for access control for a communications network (KN) having the following steps: 
 an available capacity (VK), which is available to at least one access node (ZK) for the transmission of traffic streams (VS) to the communications network (KN), is determined for said node by an access function (ZF) for the communications network (KN), taking into account the overall transmission capacity (G) of the communications network (KN),    the access function (ZF) reports the available capacity (VK) to the access node (ZK), and    the access node (ZK) controls the access of traffic streams (VS) to the communications network (KN) as a function of the available capacity (VK).    
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 ,  
       characterized 
 in that the available capacity (VK) is determined once again whenever the overall transmission capacity (G) changes.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in one of claims  1  or  2 ,  
       characterized 
 in that, in the case of a communications network (KN) having a number of transmission nodes (K) and paths (W), the available capacity (VK) is determined, at least partially, as a function of information (RI) which is available to the access node (ZK) for routing in the communications network (KN).  
 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 ,  
       characterized 
 in that the information (RI) is in the form of load information (LI) and/or cost information (KI) which identifies the transmission paths (UW).  
 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims,  
       characterized 
 in that, in the case of a communications network (KN) having a number of transmission nodes (K) and paths (W), whose overall transmission capacity (G) depends, at least partially, on the transmission capacities of the transmission paths (W), any change in the overall transmission capacity (G) is identified as a consequence of a change in the transmission capacity of one of the transmission paths (W).  
 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 5 ,  
       characterized 
 in that any change in the transmission capacity of one of the transmission paths (W) is reported to the access node (ZK) in accordance with the rules of a routing protocol (RP).  
 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims,  
       characterized 
 in that the access function (ZF) is provided in the access node (ZK) and determines only the capacity (VK) which is available for this access node (ZK).  
 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for carrying out a method as claimed in one of the preceding claims.