JP2002185524A - Communication service condition control method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control communication service conditions adapted to contents or the actual contents of applications, and importance without any need for a user to perform any special operation by a large-scale wide-area IP network that is publicly provided. SOLUTION: With the clicking of a hyper link to contents by a user as a trigger, session connection parameters as well as information regarding the presence of contents are reported to a session control section in a user terminal. A session control section in the user terminal that has been notified of session connection parameters embeds the notified parameters in a session connection protocol for calling. A session control section in the IP network determines the control method of flow using the session in the IP network based on session connection parameters that have been notified by the session connection protocol, and controls the behavior of a transmission node in the IP network.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a communication service condition (Q) such as a communication speed and a delay time in a computer communication system for performing communication between computers via a communication line.
oS: Quality of Service).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a computer communication system for performing communication between computers via a communication line, various systems for performing communication under communication service conditions suitable for each content or application have been developed. Among computer communication, IP communication using IP (Internet Protocol) is widely used as the Internet, an intranet, or an extranet.

[0003] Conventionally, IP communication has generally used a communication mode called best effort, in which communication service conditions such as a communication speed and a delay time are not guaranteed. As a result, it has been applied to contents or applications that require the performance, and control of communication service conditions adapted to various contents and applications has been required.

In IP communication, typical methods for controlling communication service conditions include a method using Diffserve (priority control for each flow type) and an method using Intserve (setting of a guaranteed bandwidth connection). Diffserv
In the method according to e, the packets are classified into a plurality of groups using the value of a specific field in the header of the IP packet as a key, and the handling in the IP network is defined for each group, whereby a plurality of communication service conditions are used. It provides communication.

[0005] Rules for classifying packets into groups and how to handle packets belonging to each group are determined in advance by I
It is set in the transfer device in the P network. When a user performs communication under specific communication service conditions, an IP address is previously stored in a specific field in a header of a packet to be transmitted.
It is necessary to explicitly set a value that conforms to the rules set in the network. In addition, rules regarding communication service conditions that are generally set for transfer devices in a network cannot be changed by a user.

In the method by Intserve, RSV
A virtual connection is set from end to end using a connection setting protocol such as P (Resource Reservation Protocol).

The RSVP connection setting request packet transmitted from the user terminal is interpreted and transferred by a plurality of transfer devices in the IP network, and the IP network has a capacity or capability that satisfies the required communication service conditions. Only for the above, a virtual connection that satisfies the required communication service condition is set between the user terminal and the target server or the opposite terminal.

[0008] In order for the user to set communication service conditions for each content or application, it is necessary to set RSVP connection setting parameters before communication.

On the other hand, in providing and using contents and applications on an IP network, a WWW (World Wide Web) server device and a WWW browser application in a user terminal use HTML (Hypto).
er Text Markup Language)
A method based on a WWW system for exchanging by P (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) has been widely used. In the WWW system, a user uses a content or an application provided on an IP network by clicking a hyperlink displayed on a window of a browser application.

[0010]

Among the conventional communication service condition control methods described above, the method using the Intserve method allows a user to control a communication service condition method adapted to the content of the user or the content and importance of the application. It is a method that can be set arbitrarily, but typically requires a procedure for setting a connection prior to communication, and has a problem that it is difficult for a user to use because the operation is complicated. Also, a method of automating connection setting has been developed to reduce complexity, but this method requires modification of existing application software, and there is a problem that existing application software resources cannot be used effectively.

The use of RSVP, which is a typical example of the method based on Intserve, has a problem that the processing load of a transfer device in an IP network is high, and it is difficult to increase the size of the network. From these issues,
Publicly offered IP network services include I
ntserver is hardly widespread.

Therefore, as a method of controlling communication service conditions for each content or application in a large-scale wide area IP network, a method using Diffserver is relatively promising. In this method, handling of packets in an IP network is considered. It is generally specified for each protocol type used as a container for contents and applications in a network, and the contents specified by a hyperlink on the WWW system, or the actual contents of the application, There is no means for explicitly associating the importance with the handling in the IP network, and there is a problem that it is difficult to control communication service conditions adapted to the content, the content of the application, the importance, and the like.

The present invention has been made in such a background, and when a user uses a content or an application made into a menu by a hyperlink on a WWW system, the user does not need to perform a special operation without using an IP. Publicly provides control of communication service conditions such as communication speed and delay time that are appropriate for the content or the actual content of the application or its importance, which is difficult to distinguish only by the type of protocol that becomes a container in the network. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication service condition control method and apparatus which can be realized in a large-scale wide area IP network.

[0014]

The present invention is characterized in that communication service conditions such as a communication speed and a delay time are changed in accordance with the contents of contents, contents of applications, importance of communication, and the like. That is, (A) To solve this problem, the following first method is proposed. That is, when a user clicks a hyperlink to a content on a portal site in the WWW system, the content management unit in the WWW server sends the session connection parameter to the session control unit in the user terminal together with the information on the location of the content. Suggest a way to notify. (B) In addition, the following second method is proposed. That is,
A method is proposed in which a session control unit in a user terminal notified of a session connection parameter embeds the notified parameter in a session connection protocol and makes a call. (C) The following third method is proposed. That is,
A session management unit in the IP network determines a control method of a flow using the session in the IP network based on the session connection parameter notified by the session connection protocol, and controls a behavior of the transfer node in the IP network. Suggest a way to do it. (D) The following fourth method is proposed. That is,
If the functional component of the session control unit in the user terminal does not exist or the version is outdated, the functional component is automatically activated when the user clicks a hyperlink to the content on the portal site. Proposes a method of downloading from a WWW server to a user terminal. (E) The following fifth method is proposed. That is,
PPP or PPPo for the session establishment protocol
A method is proposed in which verEthernet is used, and Username, Realm (domain), Password, and the line number of the line that has received the session establishment protocol are used as session connection authentication parameters. (F) In addition, the following sixth method is proposed. That is,
IP configured by a transfer device having a virtual router function
Using a network, a plurality of virtual networks corresponding to Realm (domain) information are set, traffic accommodation rates of the virtual networks are individually set, and relative priorities of traffic between the respective virtual networks are set. Alternatively, an IP network is set so that traffic interference does not occur between the respective virtual networks, a method of designating traffic priority for packets flowing into the virtual network is set, and priority control of packets based on the traffic priority in the virtual network is performed. By setting a method and establishing a new session, the session management unit connects the session to a preset virtual network based on the Realm information exchanged by the session connection protocol, so that the content We propose a method of providing communication service between the user terminal and the content server with multiple QoS grades in response separately. (G) The following seventh method is proposed. That is,
A bandwidth management device that manages bandwidth capacity for each virtual network is installed, and a session management unit in the IP network
After the session establishment is completed, a session establishment completion notification is transmitted to the band management unit in the band management device, and a session disconnection completion notification is transmitted to the band management unit in the band management device when the session disconnection is completed. Section proposes a method for managing the number of connection sessions for each virtual network. (H) Further, the following eighth method is proposed. That is,
At the time of session creation, the session management unit that has received the session establishment protocol sends a connection request notification to a certain virtual network to the band management unit, and the band management unit that received the connection request notification connects to the virtual network at that time. Determines whether to accept a new connection request based on the number of sessions in the middle, and sends a connection permission notification to the session management unit if accepting a connection, or rejects a connection if it does not accept a connection The notification is transmitted to the session management unit, and the session management unit that has received the notification proposes a method of connecting or rejecting the session according to the notification from the band management device.

That is, a first aspect of the present invention is a communication service condition control method, which is characterized in that the present invention is applied to an IP network service provided by a broadband always-on access line, In response to a click on a hyperlink to a content on a portal site in a WWW system, the content management unit in the WWW server sends the session connection parameter to the session in the user terminal together with information on the location of the content and a protocol for accessing the content. The session control unit in the user terminal, which has notified the control unit and notified of the session connection parameter, embeds the notified parameter in the session connection protocol and makes a call, and the session management unit in the IP network sets the session connection protocol. Based on the announced session connection parameters by, determine how to control the flow using the session in the IP network, IP
By controlling the behavior of the forwarding node in the network, a new session dedicated to the use of the content selected by clicking the hyperlink is newly generated, and the user terminal is controlled based on a control method suitable for the use of the content. And the content server.

At this time, if there is no functional component of the session control unit in the user terminal, or
If the version is out of date, the user can click on a hyperlink to the content on the portal site to automatically load the relevant functional component on the WWW.
It is desirable to download from the server to the user terminal.

Further, the session establishment protocol uses PP
Using P or PPPOverEthernet,
Username, as session connection parameters
It is desirable to use Realm (domain) and Password.

Further, for authentication at the time of establishing a session,
ername, Realm (domain), Passwo
In addition to rd, the line number that has received the session establishment protocol can also be used.

Further, using an IP network constituted by a transfer device having a virtual router function,
A plurality of virtual networks corresponding to the (domain) information are set, the traffic accommodating rates of the virtual networks are individually set, and the relative priority of traffic between the virtual networks is set, or each virtual network is set. The IP network is set so that no traffic interference occurs between them, the method of designating the traffic priority for packets flowing into the virtual network is set, and the method of controlling the priority of packets based on the traffic priority in the virtual network is set. When a new session is established, the session management unit connects the session to a preset virtual network based on the Realm information exchanged by the session connection protocol, thereby providing a plurality of qualities according to the type of content. gray In it may also provide communication services between the user terminal and the content server.

Alternatively, using an IP network constituted by a transfer device having a virtual router function,
The configuration information of a plurality of virtual networks corresponding to the m (domain) information is set in advance, the traffic accommodating rates of the virtual networks are individually set, and the relative priorities of traffic between the virtual networks are individually set. Set and set the relative priority of traffic between the virtual networks, or set the IP network so that traffic interference does not occur between the virtual networks, and set the traffic for packets flowing into the virtual network. Set the priority designation method, set the priority designation method of the packet based on the traffic priority in the virtual network, set the priority control method of the packet based on the traffic priority in the virtual network, and establish a new session. To the session tube The unit generates the virtual network in the IP network based on the configuration information of the virtual network set in advance, based on the Realm information exchanged by the session connection protocol, connects the session, and connects the session. By deleting the virtual network from the IP network, a communication service between the user terminal and the content server can be provided in a plurality of quality grades according to the type of the content.

Further, a bandwidth management device for managing the bandwidth capacity of each virtual network is installed, and the session management unit in the IP network transmits a session establishment completion notification to the bandwidth management unit in the bandwidth management device after the session establishment is completed. Also, by transmitting a session disconnection completion notification to the bandwidth management unit in the bandwidth management device when the session disconnection is completed, the bandwidth management unit can manage the number of connected sessions for each virtual network.

Further, at the time of creating a session, the session management unit which has received the session establishment protocol transmits a notification of a connection request to a certain virtual network to the band management unit, and the band management unit which has received the connection request notification changes the current state of the connection request. Based on the number of sessions connected to the virtual network, determine whether to accept a new connection request,
If the connection is accepted, a connection permission notification is sent to the session management unit, or if the connection is not accepted,
The connection rejection notification is transmitted to the session management unit, and the session management unit that has received the notification can connect or reject the session according to the notification from the band management device.

Further, a plurality of content servers for providing the same content are installed at physically separated locations,
Set up a separate virtual network for each content server, and the WWW server manages the location of each user, the grade of the subscription service, the bandwidth of each virtual network, the number of simultaneous sessions, or the simultaneous connection of each virtual network The number of sessions is obtained from the bandwidth management device, and when the user clicks a hyperlink on the portal site, the location of the user requesting the target content, the grade of the subscription service, the virtual network bandwidth, and the target content are Based on the number of connected sessions at the time of the request, select a content server that communicates with the user terminal from the plurality of installed content servers, and transmit the session connection parameter for communicating with the selected content server to the user terminal. notification Rukoto can also.

[0024] A second aspect of the present invention is a WWW server apparatus, which is characterized in that it is applied to an IP network service provided by a broadband always-on access line, and is used in a WWW system by a user. There is a content management unit that notifies a session control unit in a user terminal of a session connection parameter together with information on the location of the content when a hyperlink to the content on the portal site is clicked.

Further, if the functional component of the session control unit in the user terminal does not exist or the version is out of date, the functional component is activated when the user clicks a hyperlink to the content of the portal site. May be automatically downloaded from the WWW server to the user terminal.

Further, the location of each user, the grade of the subscription service, the bandwidth of each virtual network and the number of simultaneous connection sessions are managed, or the number of simultaneous connection sessions of each virtual network is acquired from the bandwidth management device, and the portal by the user is obtained. Clicking on a hyperlink on the site triggers the location of the user requesting the target content, the grade of the subscription service, the bandwidth of the virtual network, and the number of connected sessions at the time the target content was requested, There may be provided a means for selecting a content server that communicates with the user terminal from a plurality of installed content servers, and notifying the user terminal of session connection parameters for communicating with the selected content server.

A third aspect of the present invention is a user terminal device, which is characterized in that the present invention is applied to an IP network service provided by a broadband always-on access line, and a portal by a user in WWW. When the hyperlink to the content on the site is clicked, the session connection parameter notified from the content management unit in the WWW server is received together with the information on the location of the content, and the received session connection parameter is embedded in the session connection protocol. There is a means for making a call.

Further, when the functional component of the session control unit in the user terminal does not exist or the version is outdated, the functional component is activated when the user clicks a hyperlink to the content of the portal site. May be automatically downloaded from the WWW server to the user terminal.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is an IP transfer apparatus, which is characterized in that the present invention is applied to an IP network service provided by a broadband always-on access line and received from a content management unit. Based on the session connection parameters in the session connection protocol received from the user terminal device that makes the session connection request by embedding the session connection parameters thus set in the session connection protocol, a flow control method using the session in the IP network is determined. It has a session management means.

Further, the session connection protocol includes PP
Using P or PPPOverEthernet,
Usernam as the session connection authentication parameter
e, Realm (domain), Password, and a session management unit that determines a control method in the network of a flow using the session based on the Realm information, using the line number of the line that has received the session connection protocol. You can also.

Alternatively, a session establishment completion notification is transmitted to the band management unit in the band management device after the session establishment is completed, and a session disconnection notification is transmitted to the band management unit in the band management device when the session disconnection is completed. Means can also be provided.

Further, upon receiving the session establishment protocol, a connection request notification is transmitted to the bandwidth management unit in the bandwidth management device, and the corresponding session permission notification or connection rejection notification is received from the bandwidth management unit in response to the connection request notification. Means for controlling the connection between the network and the virtual network.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is a bandwidth management device, which is characterized in that the present invention is applied to an IP network service provided by a broadband always-on access line, and a session in the IP network. There is a means for receiving a session establishment completion notice and a session disconnection completion notice from the management unit and managing the number of connected sessions for each virtual network.

Further, in response to the connection request notification received from the session management unit in the IP network, based on the information on the number of sessions connected to the virtual network managed by itself,
There may be provided a means for estimating a resource consumption state in the virtual network, determining whether or not the requested session can be connected to the virtual network, and transmitting a connection permission notification or a connection rejection notification to the session management unit.

[0035]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a communication service condition control method according to the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows a functional block configuration relating to an embodiment of the communication service condition control method. The user terminal device 10 is connected to the session terminating device 150 in the IP network 100 via the broadband access line 200. The user terminal device 10 includes a WWW browser unit 11, a session control unit 12, a PPP control unit 13, and an application unit 14.

The session termination device 150 is provided with a session management unit 151 and a PPP control unit 153, and stores authentication information 152. In the authentication information 152 of the session terminating device 150, a set of Username, Password, which permits connection for each Realm, a line number, and identification information of a virtual network corresponding to the Realm are stored. Us in the authentication information 152
ername, Password, and line number are
Wildcards that mean that any value is allowed can also be set. IP network 100
Is constituted by a transfer device having a virtual router function, and includes a plurality of virtual networks 110, 120, 130, 140
Set. Each of the virtual networks sets an individual band and a relative priority, and selects a virtual network, thereby enabling selection of a plurality of quality grades.

The WWW server device 20 is connected to the virtual network 14 within the IP network 100 via the line 300.
Connected to 0. A WWW server unit 21 and a content management unit 22 are provided in the WWW server device 20, and an HTML document 23 for personal portal, portal authentication information 24,
It stores the PPP information 25 and provides the HTML document to the WWW browser section in the user terminal device.

The portal authentication information 24 includes, as authentication information for access to the personal portal 60 in the WWW server device 20, User-ID and Pa for each personal portal.
ssword is stored. The PPP information 25 includes, as PPP session information used in accessing content indicated by each hyperlink,
Userna for PPP session connection for each personal portal and for each hyperlink or content
me, Realm, and Password are stored.

The connection band management device 30 is connected to the session termination device 150 via a line 400. The bandwidth management device 30 is provided with a bandwidth management unit 31 and a reception determination unit 32, and stores bandwidth information 33, session information 34, and authentication information 35. The bandwidth information 33 stores information on the bandwidth resources of the virtual network. The information may be manually set by the network management device, or may be automatically collected by an autonomous distributed protocol such as IGP.

The session information 34 stores information such as the number of sessions connected at a certain point in time and service conditions required by the sessions for each virtual network. The authentication information 35 of the bandwidth management device 30 is set when the session terminating device 150 does not hold the authentication information 152, and is a virtual network corresponding to a set of Usrname, Password that permits connection for each Realm, a line number, and a Realm. Identification information is stored.

Username in the authentication information 35
For e, Password, and line number, it is also possible to set a wildcard meaning that any value is allowed. When the session termination device 150 does not hold the authentication information 152, the authentication information 35 of the band management device 30 is used for the authentication of the session establishment request originated by the user terminal. The bandwidth management device 30 uses the Use
It is assumed that authentication parameters such as rname, Realm, Password, and line number are transmitted and received by an authentication protocol such as a RADIUS protocol or COPS, or a policy setting protocol. The content server device 40 connects the virtual network 110
And provides the content 41 to the user terminal device 10.

When the user uses the desired content 41, the user terminal device 10 transmits the WWW in advance.
It is necessary to be able to access the personal portal 60 of the server device 20.

As an example, a procedure when the user terminal device 10 accesses the content 41 will be described with reference to FIG. The user terminal device 10 transmits a PPP connection request for connecting to the virtual network 140 to the session termination device 150 (S1). The session termination device 150 that has received the PPP connection request performs authentication based on the Username, Realm (domain), and Password information included in the PPP connection request packet, and the line number that has received the PPP connection request packet (S2). A PPP session 201 is established between the terminal device 150 and the user terminal device 10,
The session 201 and the virtual network 140 are connected (S3).

After the session is established, the session termination device 1
50 transfers the packet received from the PPP session 201 to the virtual network 140, and transmits the packet addressed to the IP address of the user terminal device 10 received from the virtual network 140 to the PPP session 201.

Next, the PPP session 201, the session termination device 150, the virtual network 140, and the
0, and communicates with the WWW server unit 21 of the WWW server device 20 by HTTP (S4), and the personal portal 6
0 is displayed (S5). When the user accesses the personal portal 60, the WWW server 20
Performs authentication using the ser-ID and Password.

When using the content, the user clicks the hyperlink 61 to the target content displayed on the personal portal 60 (S6). The hyperlink 61 represents the content 41 of the content server device 40. Information that the user has clicked on the hyperlink 61 is notified from the user terminal 10 to the server WWW device 20 by HTTP.

The WWW server device 20 that has detected the click on the hyperlink 61 uses the protocol for accessing the content 41 by the content management unit 22.
The IP address (or host name) of the content server device 40 in which the content 41 is stored, and the content 4
A virtual network 110 for notifying the user terminal device 10 of the path name and the file name storing “1” and accessing the contents 41 from the PPP information 25.
PPP parameters such as Username, Realm (domain), and Password information for connecting to the terminal are extracted, and the session control unit 1 of the user terminal device 10
2 is notified. At this time, if the session control unit 12 of the user terminal device 10 does not exist or the version is old, the session control unit program file is downloaded from the WWW server device 20 to the user terminal device 10 (S7).

P for accessing content 41
PP parameters (Username, Realm, Pa
ssword, etc.), protocol, content server IP
The session control unit 12 of the user terminal device 10 that has received the address (or host name), the path name, the file name, and the like activates the PPP control unit 13 and sends the session termination device 150 via the broadband access line 200. Request a PPP session connection to the PPP control unit 153 (S8).

The PPP control unit 153 of the session termination device 150 that has received the PPP connection request notifies the session management unit 151 of the received PPP parameters. The session management unit 151 uses Usename, Realm, P
The authentication is performed based on the password and the line number information of the line that has received the PPP connection connection request, and a connection request notification is transmitted to the band management unit 31 of the band management device 30 via the line 400 (S9).

The connection request notification embeds information about the realm requested to be connected or information about the virtual network corresponding to the realm information. The band management unit 31 that has received the connection request notification notifies the reception information or the virtual network information included in the connection request notification to the reception determination unit 32, and the reception determination unit 32 refers to the band information and the session information, A determination is made as to whether or not the connection can be accepted, and the session management unit 151 is notified of whether or not the connection can be accepted via the band management unit 31 and the line 400 (S1).
0).

The session management unit 151 that has received the notification
If the content of the notification is acceptable, a PPP session 202 is newly established between the user terminal device 10 and the session termination device 150, and the PPP session 2
02 and the virtual network 110 (S1
1).

After the session is established, the session termination device 1
50 transfers the packet received from the PPP session 202 to the virtual network 110 and transmits the packet addressed to the IP address of the user terminal device 10 received from the virtual network 110 to the PPP session 202.

The bandwidth management device 30 transmits the session connection notification to the bandwidth management device 30 (S12), and the bandwidth management device 30 that has received the session connection notification updates the session information 34 on the virtual network 110 and requests the next and subsequent session connection requests. Is used as the basic information for the acceptance decision in. However, in addition to the form in which the session termination device 150 authenticates the PPP connection, the bandwidth management device or the authentication device is connected by connecting the session termination device to the bandwidth management device or the authentication device using the RADIUS protocol or the COPS protocol. Is also one of the options of the embodiment.

On the other hand, after the session is established, the user terminal device 10 activates the application section 14 that uses the content 41 specified by the hyperlink 61, and
The application unit 14 includes a content server device 40
And PPP session 202, virtual network 110,
And communication via the line 500, and the content 4
1 is accessed (S13). The user who has finished using the content 41 disconnects the PPP session 202, or the session termination device 150
When the PP session 202 is forcibly disconnected (S
14), the session terminating device 150 which has detected the disconnection of the PPP session 202 (S15),
Then, a session disconnection notification is transmitted to (S16).

After the session is disconnected, the session termination device 1
50 stops transferring the packet received from the PPP session 202 to the virtual network 110, and stops the user terminal device 10 received from the virtual network 110.
Packet to the IP address of the PPP session 202
Stop sending to. Further, the band management device 30 that has received the session disconnection notification updates the session information 34 related to the virtual network 110 and uses the updated session information 34 as the basic information for accepting the next and subsequent session connection requests.

In this embodiment, the mode in which the WWW server device 20 for the personal portal is connected to the specific virtual network 140 has been described, but even when the user terminal device 20 is connected to a plurality of virtual networks, 2
A form in which the personal portal 60 can be accessed is also assumed as an embodiment of the present invention.

In addition, PPP is used as the session connection protocol.
Although the form using over Ethernet is shown, P
PPOver ATM, L2TP, PPTP, IPSec
Other embodiments using other protocols are also assumed to be embodiments of the present invention.

Although the method of setting a plurality of virtual networks by differentiating them by quality grade has been described, the method of setting by differentiating with other elements such as security or by a policy is also assumed as an embodiment of the present invention. It is.

Further, in this embodiment, the mode in which the session management unit is mounted in the session termination device has been described. However, the session management unit can be separated and deployed in another device such as an authentication server device, or the bandwidth can be changed. The arrangement in the management device is also a range assumed as an embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a method of setting a plurality of virtual networks in advance has been described. However, a method of dynamically generating a virtual network when the network receives a session connection request is also an embodiment of the present invention. This is the expected range.

The generation of the dynamic virtual network is performed by CR-
A method of generating a virtual network by a transfer device configuring an IP network using a signaling protocol such as LDP or RSVP-TE, or a method of notifying a management system of a generation request of the virtual network and generating the virtual network by automatic setting from the management system The method is assumed.

In this embodiment, a single content server is shown. However, a plurality of content servers providing the same content are installed at physically separated locations, and
When the user clicks on a hyperlink on the portal site, the content management unit of the WW server
Based on the location of the user requesting the target content, the grade of the subscribed service, the bandwidth of the virtual network, and the number of connected sessions at the time the target content was requested, the content server installed Selecting a content server that receives a request is also within the scope assumed as an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0065]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to control communication service conditions such as communication speed and delay time adapted to the contents of menus as hyperlinks in the WWW system or the actual contents of the application and the importance without requiring a special operation from the user. This can be realized in a publicly provided wide-area large-scale IP network.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a procedure when a user terminal device accesses content in the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 user terminal device 11 WWW browser unit 12 session control unit 13 PPP control unit 14 application unit 20 WWW server device 21 WWW server unit 22 content management unit 23 HTML document 24 portal authentication information 25 PPP information 30 band management unit 31 band management unit 32 Reception determination unit 33 Band information 34 Session information 35 Authentication information 40 Content server device 41 Content 60 Personal portal 61, 62 Hyperlink 100 IP network 110, 120, 130, 140 Virtual network 150 Session termination device 151 Session management unit 152 Authentication information 153 PPP controller 200 Broadband access line 201, 202 PPP session 300, 400, 500 lines

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shinichi Kuribayashi F-term (reference) in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation 3-1, Otemachi 2-3-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 5B085 BC02 BG07 5K030 HA08 HB17 HB19 HC01 JT02 KA01 KA07 LA03 LB02 LC09

Claims (20)

[Claims] The present invention is applied to an IP (Internet Protocol) network service provided by a broadband always-on access line, and triggered by a user clicking a hyperlink to a content on a portal site in a WWW (World Wide Web) system. , Along with information on the location of the content and the protocol for accessing the content,
The content management unit in the server notifies the session connection parameter to the session control unit in the user terminal, and the session control unit in the user terminal notified of the session connection parameter embeds the notified parameter in the session connection protocol. Originates a call, and the session manager in the IP network, based on the session connection parameters notified by the session connection protocol,
Determine a flow control method using the session in the P network, and control the behavior of the forwarding node in the IP network to newly generate a session specialized for use of the content selected by clicking the hyperlink. And a communication service condition control method for performing communication between the user terminal and the content server based on a control method suitable for use of the content. 2. When a functional component of a session control unit in a user terminal does not exist or its version is outdated, the function is triggered by a user clicking a hyperlink to content on a portal site. 2. The communication service condition control method according to claim 1, wherein the component is automatically downloaded from the WWW server to the user terminal. 3. The session establishment protocol includes PPP (Poi
nt-to-Point Protocol) or PPPOverEt
hernet (Point-to-Point Protocol over Etherne
t), and as a session connection parameter, User
name, Realm (domain), Password
3. The communication service condition control method according to claim 2, wherein 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication at the time of establishing the session is performed by a user.
4. The communication service condition control method according to claim 3, wherein in addition to ame, Realm (domain), and Password, a line number having received a session establishment protocol is used. 5. A plurality of virtual networks corresponding to Realm (domain) information are set using an IP network configured by a transfer device having a virtual router function,
Either individually set the traffic capacity of the virtual network and set the relative priority of the traffic between the virtual networks, or set the IP network so that traffic interference does not occur between the virtual networks. , Set a method of designating traffic priority for packets flowing into the virtual network, and based on the traffic priority in the virtual network,
By setting a priority control method for packets and establishing a new session, the session management unit connects the session to a preset virtual network based on the Realm information exchanged by the session connection protocol, so that the content can be set. The communication service condition control method according to claim 4, wherein a communication service between the user terminal and the content server is provided in a plurality of quality grades according to the type of the communication service. 6. Using an IP network constituted by a transfer device having a virtual router function, preliminarily setting configuration information of a plurality of virtual networks corresponding to Realm (domain) information, and individually setting traffic accommodation rates of the virtual networks. To set the relative priority of the traffic between the virtual networks individually, and set the relative priority of the traffic between the virtual networks, or set the relative priority of the traffic between the virtual networks. The IP network is set so as not to cause interference, the method of designating the traffic priority for the packet flowing into the virtual network is set, the method of designating the priority of the packet based on the traffic priority in the virtual network is set, Traffic in the city A packet priority control method based on the packet priority is set, and at the time of establishing a new session, the session management unit updates the virtual network configuration information set in advance based on the Realm information exchanged by the session connection protocol. Originally, the virtual network is generated in the IP network, the session is connected, and when the session is disconnected, the virtual network is deleted from the IP network.
5. The communication service condition control method according to claim 4, wherein a communication service between the user terminal and the content server is provided in a plurality of quality grades according to the type of the content. 7. A bandwidth management device for managing bandwidth capacity of each virtual network is installed, and a session management unit in the IP network transmits a session establishment completion notification to the bandwidth management unit in the bandwidth management device after the session establishment is completed. By transmitting a session disconnection completion notification to the band management unit in the band management device when
The bandwidth management unit manages the number of connection sessions for each virtual network.
The communication service condition control method described in the above. 8. When a session is generated, a session management unit that has received a session establishment protocol transmits a notification of a connection request to a certain virtual network to a band management unit, and the band management unit that has received the connection request notification transmits a notification of the connection request. Based on the number of sessions connected to the virtual network,
Determine whether to accept a new connection request, if accepting a connection, send a connection permission notification to the session management unit, or, if not accepting a connection, send a connection rejection notification to the session management unit, The session management unit that has received the notification, according to the notification from the band management device,
The communication service condition control method according to claim 7, wherein the session is connected or rejected. 9. A plurality of content servers that provide the same content are installed at physically separated locations, individual virtual networks are set for each content server, and the WWW server determines the location and location of each user. Manages the grade of the subscription service and the bandwidth and the number of simultaneous connection sessions of each virtual network, or obtains the number of simultaneous connection sessions of each virtual network from the bandwidth management device, and is triggered by a user clicking a hyperlink on the portal site Based on the location of the user requesting the target content, the grade of the subscribed service, the bandwidth of the virtual network, and the number of connected sessions at the time the target content is requested, the content server installed from multiple Content server that communicates with terminals 9. The communication service condition control method according to claim 8, wherein the communication service condition control method notifies the user terminal of a session connection parameter for communicating with the selected content server. 10. Applicable to an IP network service provided by a broadband always-on access line, and when a user clicks on a hyperlink to a content on a portal site in a WWW system, the information is transmitted along with information on the location of the content. A WWW server device comprising a content management unit for notifying a session control unit in a user terminal of connection parameters. 11. When a functional component of a session control unit in a user terminal does not exist or its version is outdated, the functional component is activated when a user clicks a hyperlink to content of a portal site. 2. A means for automatically downloading from a WWW server to a user terminal.
0 WWW server device. 12. Managing the location of each user, the grade of a subscription service, and the bandwidth and the number of simultaneous connection sessions of each virtual network, or acquiring the number of simultaneous connection sessions of each virtual network from a bandwidth management device,
When the user clicks on a hyperlink on the portal site, the location of the user requesting the target content, the grade of the subscription service, the bandwidth of the virtual network, and the number of connected sessions at the time the target content is requested Means for selecting a content server that communicates with the user terminal from the plurality of installed content servers, and notifying the user terminal of session connection parameters for communicating with the selected content server. The WWW server device according to claim 10, wherein 13. A WWW server, which is applied to an IP network service provided by a broadband always-on access line and is provided with information on the location of the content when a user clicks on a hyperlink to the content on a portal site on the WWW. A user terminal device, comprising: means for receiving a session connection parameter notified from the content management unit of (1), embedding the received session connection parameter in a session connection protocol, and making a call. 14. When a functional component of a session control unit in a user terminal does not exist or its version is outdated, the functional component is activated when a user clicks a hyperlink to content of a portal site. 2. A means for automatically downloading from a WWW server to a user terminal.
4. The user terminal device according to 3. 15. A session which is applied to an IP network service provided by a broadband always-on access line and which is embedded in a session connection parameter received from a content management unit into a session connection protocol and received from a user terminal device which issues a session connection request. An IP transfer apparatus, comprising: a session management unit that determines a control method of a flow using the session in an IP network based on a session connection parameter in a connection protocol. 16. The session connection protocol may be PPP,
Alternatively, PPPoverEthernet is used, and Username,
A session management unit that uses a Realm (domain), a Password, and a line number of a line that has received a session connection protocol, and determines a control method in the network of a flow using the session based on the Realm information; 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein
The IP transfer device according to the above. 17. After the session establishment is completed, a session establishment completion notification is transmitted to a band management unit in the band management device.
16. The IP transfer device according to claim 15, further comprising means for transmitting a session disconnection completion notification to a bandwidth management unit in the bandwidth management device when the session disconnection is completed. 18. Upon receiving a session establishment protocol,
Send a connection request notification to the bandwidth management unit in the bandwidth management device,
A connection permission notification received from the bandwidth management unit as a response,
18. The IP transfer apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising means for controlling connection between the session and the virtual network based on the connection rejection notification. 19. A connection session for each virtual network which is applied to an IP network service provided by a broadband constant connection type access line, receives a session establishment completion notification and a session disconnection completion notification from a session management unit in the IP network. A bandwidth management device comprising means for managing the number. 20. In response to a connection request notification received from a session management unit in an IP network, a resource consumption state in a virtual network is estimated based on information on the number of sessions connected to a virtual network managed by the connection management unit. 20. The bandwidth management device according to claim 19, further comprising: means for determining whether or not the session can be connected to the virtual network and transmitting a connection permission notification or a connection rejection notification to the session management unit.