Parameterized quality of service in a network

Abstract

A method for managing data transmission comprising making a bandwidth on a network resource available to at least one requestor for transmitting or receiving data according to a first request of a first type, the first type have a prescribed quality of service guarantee; transmitting first data in accordance with the first type to or from the at least one requestor on the network resource using a first portion of the bandwidth, if the first data are available to be transferred to or from the at least one requestor; transmitting second data according to a second request of a second type on the network resource to or from the at least one requestor or a second requestor, the second data transmitted without a quality of service guarantee using a second portion of the bandwidth, if the first portion of the prescribed bandwidth is less than the entire bandwidth.

1 - 77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . A communication network node of a home communication network comprising: at least one module operable to, at least:
 receive from a first node of the home communication network a first request of a first request type for communication bandwidth for a first communication directly between the first node and a second node of the home communication network, the first request comprising first parameters defining a first requested guaranteed quality of service;   in response to at least the received first request, allocate a first amount of communication bandwidth for providing the first communication at the first requested guaranteed quality of service;   receive from a third node of the home communication network a second request of a second request type for communication bandwidth for a second communication, the second request comprising second parameters specifying a non-guaranteed quality of service; and   if the first communication does not utilize all of the allocated first amount of communication bandwidth, then reallocate a remaining portion of the first amount of communication bandwidth to the second communication.   
     
     
         79 . The communication network node of  claim 78 , wherein the first request type is for a parameterized quality of service (PQoS) flow, and the second request type is for a prioritized quality of service (QoS) flow. 
     
     
         80 . The communication network node of  claim 79 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, under particular circumstances, prioritize a portion of the second communication higher than a portion of the first communication. 
     
     
         81 . The communication network node of  claim 78 , wherein the at least one module is operable as a network controller node of the home communication network. 
     
     
         82 . The communication network node of  claim 78 , wherein the at least one module is operable to:
 receive another request of the first request type;   determine that there is not enough communication bandwidth remaining to accommodate the another request; and   deny the another request with a response message comprising information indicating an amount of bandwidth remaining.   
     
     
         83 . The communication network node of  claim 78 , wherein the first request comprises priority information prioritizing the first communication relative to other communications corresponding to other requests of the first request type. 
     
     
         84 . The communication network node of  claim 83 , wherein the second request comprises priority information prioritizing the second communication relative to other communications corresponding to other requests of the second request type. 
     
     
         85 . A communication network node of a home communication network comprising: at least one module operable to, at least:
 allocate a prescribed bandwidth on a network resource for data being communicated between at least two other network nodes of the home communication network in accordance with a prescribed quality of service guarantee identified in a request of a first request type;   schedule transmission of first data in accordance with the request of the first request type between the at least two other nodes on the network resource using a first portion of the prescribed bandwidth;   schedule transmission of second data according to a request of a second request type on the network resource between the at least two other nodes, the second data communicated without a quality of service guarantee using a second portion of the prescribed bandwidth if the first portion of the prescribed bandwidth is less than the prescribed bandwidth; and   transmit a message communicating a schedule for the scheduled transmissions over the home communication network.   
     
     
         86 . The communication network node of  claim 85 , wherein the first request type is for a parameterized quality of service (PQoS) flow, and the second request type is for a prioritized quality of service (QoS) flow. 
     
     
         87 . The communication network node of  claim 86 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, under particular circumstances, prioritize a portion of a communication corresponding to the second request type higher than a portion of a communication corresponding to the first request type. 
     
     
         88 . The communication network node of  claim 85 , wherein the at least one module is operable as a network controller node of the home communication network. 
     
     
         89 . The communication network node of  claim 85 , wherein the at least one module is operable to:
 receive another request of the first request type;   determine that there is not enough communication bandwidth remaining to accommodate the another request; and   deny the another request with a response message comprising information indicating an amount of bandwidth remaining.   
     
     
         90 . The communication network node of  claim 85 , wherein the first request comprises priority information prioritizing the first communication relative to other communications corresponding to other requests of the first request type. 
     
     
         91 . The communication network node of  claim 90 , wherein the second request type comprises priority information prioritizing the second communication relative to other communications corresponding to other requests of the second request type. 
     
     
         92 . A communication network node of a home communication network comprising: at least one module operable to, at least:
 receive from a first ingress node of the home communication network a first request of a first request type for communication bandwidth for a first communication directly between the first ingress node and an egress node for the first communication, the first request comprising first parameters defining a first requested guaranteed quality of service, wherein the first ingress node and the egress node for the first communication are peer nodes of the home communication network;   in response to at least the received first request:
 communicate with at least the first ingress node and the egress node; and 
 based on the communicating with at least the first ingress node and the egress node, allocate a first amount of communication bandwidth for providing the first communication at the first requested guaranteed quality of service; 
   receive a second request of a second request type for communication bandwidth for a second communication, the second request comprising second parameters specifying a non-guaranteed quality of service; and   if the first communication does not utilize all of the allocated first amount of communication bandwidth, then reallocate a remaining portion of the first amount of communication bandwidth to the second communication.   
     
     
         93 . The communication network node of  claim 92 , wherein the first request type is for a parameterized quality of service (PQoS) flow, and the second request type is for a prioritized quality of service (QoS) flow. 
     
     
         94 . The communication network node of  claim 93 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, under particular circumstances, prioritize a portion of the second communication higher than a portion of the first communication. 
     
     
         95 . The communication network node of  claim 92 , wherein the at least one module is operable as a network controller node of the home communication network. 
     
     
         96 . The communication network node of  claim 92 , wherein the at least one module is operable to:
 receive another request of the first request type;   determine that there is not enough communication bandwidth remaining to accommodate the another request; and   deny the another request with a response message comprising information indicating an amount of bandwidth remaining.   
     
     
         97 . The communication network node of  claim 92 , wherein the first request comprises priority information prioritizing the first communication relative to other communications corresponding to other requests of the first request type. 
     
     
         98 . The communication network node of  claim 97 , wherein the second request comprises priority information prioritizing the second communication relative to other communications corresponding to other requests of the second request type.