Multiple Pathway Session Setup to Support QOS Services

Abstract

A request from a user device is received for a service by a network management server via a communication network. The network management server determines multiple routes for delivering content associated with the requested service based on a provisioning profile for the user device. Content associated with the requested service is then delivered via the determined multiple routes. The provisioning profile is updated and includes preferred service types, desired QoS for one or more services, client account information, and/or client credit verification information. The network management server manages the delivery of the content associated with the requested service via the determined multiple routes. The content includes packets that are the same, which are communicated or delivered simultaneously via the determined multiple routes. The network management server allocates one or more of the determined multiple routes for delivering the content based on priorities associated with the routes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 at a network management server computer,
 receiving a connection session setup request from an originating user device; 
 identifying resources needed to satisfy the connection session setup request, including determining that a multipath connection is requested by the originating user device; 
 identifying resources of a core network for the requested multipath connection between the originating user device and a terminating user device; 
 selecting multiple routes for the requested multipath connection in the core network between the originating user device and the terminating user device; 
 generating a session identifier for the selected multiple routes; 
 communicating connection information including the session identifier to the originating user device and the terminating user device; and 
 delivering content associated with the connection session setup request between the originating user device and the terminating user device via the selected multiple routes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining whether the terminating user device will honor the connection setup request from the originating user device. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the connection session setup request from the originating user device comprises:
 receiving one or more of
 a client application quality of service (QoS) profile defining processing requirements of the originating user device, 
 identification information for the originating user device and the terminating user device, and 
 identification information for one or more access networks used by the originating user device. 
 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein identifying resources needed to satisfy the connection session setup request comprises:
 retrieving a client provisioning profile for the originating user device; and 
 evaluating information of the retrieved client provisioning profile for the originating user device to identify the resources needed to satisfy the connection setup session request. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein identifying resources needed to satisfy the connection session setup request comprises:
 retrieving a client provisioning profile for the terminating user device; and 
 evaluating information of the retrieved client provisioning profile for the originating user device and the retrieved client provisioning profile for the terminating user device to identify the resources needed to satisfy the connection setup session request. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the connection session setup request from the originating user device comprises
 receiving a client application quality of service (QoS) profile defining processing requirements of the originating user device, and 
 
       wherein identifying resources of a core network for the requested multipath connection comprises:
 determining resources of the core network required for a QoS guaranteed multipath connection setup. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 creating a session profile including QoS requirements, 
 
       and wherein communicating connection information comprises:
 communicating the session profile to the originating user device and the terminating user device. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 creating a session profile including one or more of 
 time stamp information, 
 QoS requirements, 
 information defining a type of service over the selected multiple routes, 
 information about a codec to be used for communication between the originating client device and the terminating client device, 
 identification information for the originating client device and the terminating client device or both, and 
 address information for routers of the core network to be used or the selected multiple routes. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein delivering content comprises:
 determining if the content is to be supplied simultaneously between the originating user device and the terminating user device via the selected multiple routes; 
 if the content is to be delivered simultaneously, managing access routers of the core network to communicate packets from the originating user device to the terminating user device; 
 if the content is not to be delivered simultaneously,
 queuing the selected multiple routes including a primary route for delivery of packets to the terminating user device; 
 forwarding packets to the terminating user device over the primary route; 
 monitoring quality of service (QoS) over the primary route; 
 if QoS over the primary route is degraded, handing off communication of subsequent packets from the primary route to a secondary route of the selected routes. 
 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein queuing the selected routes comprises ranking the selected multiple routes according to QoS. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 at a network management server,
 selecting multiple routes through a core network for delivery of content from a source to a terminating user device 
 setting up the selected multiple routes through the core network for delivery of the content to the terminating user device; 
 if simultaneous content routing is specified for delivery of the content to the terminating user device, delivering the content to the terminating user device simultaneously over the selected multiple routes; 
 else, queuing the selected multiple routes including a primary route for delivery of packets to the terminating user device; 
 forwarding packets to the terminating user device over the primary route; 
 monitoring quality of service (QoS) over the primary route; 
 if QoS over the primary route is degraded, handing off communication of subsequent packets from the primary route to a secondary route of the selected routes. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein queuing the selected routes comprises ranking the selected multiple routes according to QoS. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 subsequently, during communication of the packets to the terminating user device, updating ranking of the selected multiple routes. 
 
     
     
         14 . A communication system comprising:
 server connection management circuitry configured to access client provisioning information in response to a received request for a multipath communication service from a requesting user device and set up a multipath communication session over multiple selected routes through a core network for provision of the requested service to the requesting user device;   server mobility management circuitry in communication with the server connection management circuitry and configured to provide to the server connection management circuitry mobility information for user devices in communication with the core network including the requesting user device; and   processing circuitry in communication with the server connection management circuitry and configured to generate a session identifier for communicating packet streams of the requested service over the multiple selected routes to the requesting user device, the processing circuitry configured to communicate the session identifier to devices including the requesting user device for communication of the requested service, the processing circuitry further configured to receive packets having an indication that the received packets are associated with the generated session identifier and communicate the received packets over the multiple selected routes to the requesting user device.   
     
     
         15 . The communication system of  claim 14  further comprising:
 core resource management circuitry in communication with the server connection management circuitry and configured to determine multiple routes through the core network to support provision of the requested service over the multiple selected routes to the requesting user device and to provide multiple routes information to the server connection management circuitry. 
 
     
     
         16 . The communication system of  claim 15  wherein the core resource management circuitry is configured to receive quality of service (QoS) information for the requesting user device and to determine the multiple routes through the core network using the QoS information. 
     
     
         17 . The communication system of  claim 16  wherein the server connection management circuitry is configured to receive from the core resource management circuitry information about the multiple routes through the core network and to set up the multipath communication session over the multiple selected routes through a core network for provision of the requested service using in the received information from the core resource management circuitry. 
     
     
         18 . The communication system of  claim 17  wherein the server connection management circuitry is configured to receive from the requesting user device QoS requirements of the requested service and to set up the multipath communication session over the multiple selected routes through a core network for provision of the requested service in fulfillment of the QoS requirements. 
     
     
         19 . The communication system of  claim 14  further comprising:
 memory circuitry in communication with the processing circuitry wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine a session profile for the requested service, the session profile including information about the session identifier and type of service. 
 
     
     
         20 . The communication system of  claim 14  wherein the server connection management circuitry is configured to determine multiple routes through the core network to support provision of the requested service from an originating user device to the requesting user device.