KR200331570Y1 - A network access device for supporting priority service - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a network access device for providing a network access to a user, and in particular, a network for determining whether or not a service that should be preferentially processed at a low cost with respect to a service to be preferentially processed, such as a real-time service. It relates to a connection device.

The present invention provides a storage unit for storing an IP address of a predetermined service server, a determination unit for determining whether a destination IP address of a packet received from a user terminal matches the IP address stored in the storage unit, and a priority order for the packets. Provided is a network connection device including a priority processing unit for assigning and processing.

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for determining whether a packet input at low cost is a packet requiring priority processing.

Description

A NETWORK ACCESS DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING PRIORITY SERVICE}

The present invention relates to a network access device for providing a network access to a user, and in particular, a network for determining whether or not a service that should be preferentially processed at a low cost with respect to a service to be preferentially processed, such as a real-time service. It relates to a connection device.

As the Internet spreads widely today, various services using the Internet have emerged. Among these services, a voice communication service using a packet-based network such as the Internet, instead of a Switched Circuit Network (SCN) including a conventional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), is also available. have. As one of voice communication services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service is a service for transmitting voice using an Internet Protocol (IP) network. As another service, the demand for a real-time video service such as watching a movie or watching news in real time is increasing rapidly. In such a real-time audio and video service, first of all, audio and video data must be transmitted to the user terminal quickly.

On the other hand, general data communication services such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) are less important for faster data transfer than real time audio and video services. For example, in the file transfer protocol, even if the file transfer is a few seconds later (for example, 5 seconds) than usual, the user does not suffer much, but for real-time audio and video services, the delay of several seconds is very high. It is a critical problem. When the user uses the Internet phone by using the VoIP service, if the voice from the other party's call arrives to the user a few seconds later from the actual talk, the normal voice call cannot be made.

Therefore, in order to support real-time audio and video services, real-time audio and video service packets are separated from network access devices, and priority is given to prioritized real-time audio and video service packets to ensure communication quality (QOS: Quality of It is necessary to provide a service function.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a protocol stack of the H.323 protocol.

H.323 is a component for providing multimedia communication such as audio, video, and data communication in real-time using a packet network including the Internet Protocol (IP); and Standard for protocols, established by ITU-T.

As shown in FIG. 1, the H.323 protocol stack 115 includes an RTP 105, an RTCP 108, an H.225 RAS 109, an H.225 call signaling 110, and an H.245. Control signaling 111, G.711, G.729, G.723.1 (106), H.261, H.263 (107), audio application 112, video application 113, and terminal call manager 114 ). Hereinafter, the function of each component in the H.323 protocol stack will be described in detail.

Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) 105 is a protocol for providing end-to-end real-time audio and video transmission services, and is defined in RFC 1889 by the IETF. RTP 105 provides transport protocol functionality with User Datagram Protocol (UDP) 103 beneath it. In addition, RTP 105 provides the functions of sequence numbering, timestamping, and delivery monitoring, and Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP) 108 relates to RTP. Provide control services.

G.711, G.729, and G.723.1 106 provide real time audio services, while H.261 and H.263 107 provide real time video services.

The H.225 Registration, Admission, and Status (RAS) 109 (Registration, Admission, and Status) 109 registers and permits control between an endpoint, such as a user terminal or gateway, and a gatekeeper. Admission control, bandwidth change, etc. are performed. H.225 call signaling 110 establishes a connection between terminals. H.245 Control Signaling 111 is used to exchange control signals between terminals.

The audio application 112 and the video application 113 are user applications using the H.323 protocol. The terminal call manager 114 manages Calls in the user terminal.

IP 102, UDP 103, and TCP 104 are protocols commonly used on the Internet.

As shown in FIG. 1, in order to know which packet is an H.323 packet, an IP packet should be analyzed to extract a UDP packet, and then a UDP packet should be analyzed to extract an RTP packet.

2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a network connection device supporting priority processing for a VoIP service according to the prior art.

The network access device 200 according to the prior art largely includes an internal network interface 201, a priority processing determining unit 202, a connection priority processing unit 203, and an external network interface 204.

The internal network interface 201 is an interface unit for connecting a network access device to a user terminal, and the external network interface 204 connects a network access device with an external network. Interface unit for

The access priority processing unit 203 performs a function of preferentially processing a predetermined service such as a real time audio and video service. While some delays are not severe for data communication services such as file transfer protocol (FTP), small delays are also severe for real-time audio and video services. Therefore, in the network connection apparatus, a more efficient communication service can be provided by preferentially processing a real time audio and video service over a normal data communication service. The priority processing method may always process real-time audio and video service communication packets first and then process normal data communication packets. Alternatively, when the network access device operates with time division multiplexing, more time slots may be allocated to real time audio and video service communication packets than normal data communication packets.

The priority processing determination unit 202 determines whether the packet input through the internal network interface 201 is a packet to be processed first. In order to know whether an arbitrary packet is an H.323 packet, an IP packet must be analyzed to extract a UDP packet, and then a UDP packet must be analyzed to extract an RTP packet and an RTP packet must be analyzed. Therefore, the priority processing determining unit 202 includes an IP packet investigating unit 205, a TCP packet investigating unit 206, a UDP packet investigating unit 207, and an RTP packet investigating unit 208 which perform this function. The IP packet inspecting unit 205 analyzes the IP packet and extracts the UDP packet, and the UDP packet inspecting unit 207 analyzes the UDP packet and extracts the RTP packet. The RTP packet inspection unit 208 examines the RTP packet to determine whether the packet is an H.323 packet. As a result of the investigation, if the input packet is an H.323 packet, the input packet is transmitted to the connection priority processing unit 203 so as to be preferentially processed. The TCP packet inspecting unit 206 examines the TCP packet to determine whether the input packet is an H.225 call signaling packet or an H.245 control signaling packet.

Therefore, according to the related art, in order to determine whether a predetermined packet is an H.323 packet in the network connection apparatus, many tasks must be performed in this manner, and thus a lot of software programming tasks and high-performance hardware are required. As a result, since a lot of software and hardware were additionally required, network connection devices supporting these functions became very expensive, and therefore, there was a tendency not to use network connection devices that actually support these functions.

Therefore, in order to support real-time audio and video services, it is necessary to determine whether a low-cost input packet is a real-time audio and video service packet and to give priority to these real-time audio and video service packets to ensure communication quality (QOS: There is a need for a network connection device that provides a Quality of Service (FQ) function.

In addition, according to the related art, since all input packets using H.323 are preferentially processed, priority processing can be performed only when using services of some VoIP service providers among all VoIP service providers. Differentiation service that could receive service was impossible.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for determining whether a packet input at a low cost is a packet requiring priority processing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a network access device that provides a communication quality guarantee function by determining whether a service that a user intends to use is a service requiring priority processing at a low cost and giving priority to the service. .

Another object of the present invention is to allow the user to take priority only when using the services of some VoIP service providers among the entire VoIP service providers, so that the user pays more for some VoIP service providers, It is to ensure better quality service.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a protocol stack of the H.323 protocol.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a network connection device supporting priority processing for VoIP service according to the prior art.

3 is a block diagram showing an entire network for a VoIP service according to the present invention.

4 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a network access device supporting priority processing for a VoIP service according to the present invention;

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

301, 302: desktop computer 303, 306: network connection device

304, 305: Notebook computer 307: Internet

308: VoIP Server 309: Gateway

310: telephone network 311: telephone

401: internal network interface 402: priority processing determination unit

403: connection priority processing unit 404: external network interface

405: IP packet inspection unit 406: server address storage unit

In order to achieve the above object and to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a storage unit for storing the IP address of a predetermined service server, the destination IP address of the packet received from the user terminal and the IP address stored in the storage unit; It provides a network connection device comprising a determination unit for determining whether to match, and a priority processing unit for giving priority to the packet processing. The service server is a server supporting a service to be processed first, and may be a real time service server providing a real time service or a VoIP server providing a VoIP service. According to an aspect of the present invention, the network connection apparatus further includes a priority processing service selection unit for selecting whether to perform the function of the priority processing unit.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a network connection, the method comprising: storing an IP address of a predetermined service server, extracting a destination IP address from a packet received from a user terminal, wherein the extracted destination IP address is Determining whether it matches the IP address of the stored service server, and prioritizing and processing the packet. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the network connection method.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a block diagram showing an entire network for a VoIP service according to the present invention.

In order for a user to use a VoIP service with a desktop computer 301 or 302 or a notebook computer 304 or 305, the user terminal must first be connected to a network access device 303 or 306. The network connection devices 303 and 306 may be connected to the user terminals 301 and 302 by wire or may be wirelessly connected to the user terminals 304 and 305. The user terminal connected to the network connection devices 303 and 306 may be various terminals for using VoIP services, such as PDAs and Internet phone terminals, in addition to the illustrated desktop computers 301 and 302 and notebook computers 304 and 305. .

The network connection devices 303 and 306 according to the present invention store IP addresses of one or more VoIP servers. When a communication packet is input from the user terminal, the network connection devices 303 and 306 check the destination IP address of the input packet. If the destination IP address matches a predetermined IP address already registered in the network connection device 303, 306, the network connection device 303, 306 preferentially processes the input packet. The internal configuration of the network connection device 303, 306 according to the present invention will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

The network connection devices 303 and 306 are connected to the VoIP server 308 via the Internet 307. VoIP server 308 provides VoIP services to the user terminal. The user connects to the VoIP server 308 using a program installed in the user terminal. Depending on the type of VoIP server, the user authentication procedure may or may not be performed. A user using the terminal 304 can use the VoIP server 308 with another user using the terminal 301 to perform voice communication.

Gateway 309 connects two dissimilar networks. For example, a gateway connects an H.323 network with a non-H.323 network. In FIG. 3, the gateway 309 connects the H.323 network and the switched circuit network (SCN) 310. The gateway 309 connects different networks by converting protocols for call setup and release, converting media formats between different networks, and transmitting information between different networks. By connecting the H.323 network and the switching network (SCN) 310 using the gateway 309, the user terminal 301, 302, 304, 305 equipped with an Internet phone application program using the H.323 protocol is installed. A voice call can be made with a general landline phone 311 or a general mobile phone (not shown).

4 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a network access device supporting priority processing for a VoIP service according to the present invention.

The network connection device 400 according to the present invention largely includes an internal network interface 401, a priority processing determining unit 402, a connection priority processing unit 403, and an external network interface 404.

Since the functions of the internal network interface 401, the connection priority processing unit 403, and the external network interface 404 are the same as those described in FIG. 2, the description thereof is omitted here.

The priority processing determining unit 402 according to the present invention determines whether the packet input through the internal network interface 401 is a packet to be processed first. First, the processing decision unit 402 includes an IP packet inspection unit 405 and a server address storage unit 406.

The server address storage unit 406 stores an IP address of a server providing a service to be processed first. Services that must be handled preferentially include, but are not limited to, real time audio and video services. That is, the administrator of the network connection device can determine that a predetermined data communication service should also be preferentially processed. For example, an administrator of the network access device may determine that the network connection to access a specific portal service server should be processed first, and store the IP address of the specific portal service server in the server address storage 406. Then, communication made by accessing the specific portal service server through the network connection device is preferentially processed in the network connection device.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the server address storage 406 stores the IP address of the VoIP server 308. One or more VoIP addresses may be stored. This VoIP server may be selected by the administrator of the network connection device. The manager may receive a predetermined price from a predetermined VoIP service provider and store the IP address of the VoIP server of the VoIP service provider in the server address storage 406. Alternatively, the VoIP service provider may store the IP address of his VoIP server in the server address storage unit 406 of the network access device and then provide the same to others.

In the server address storage unit 406, an administrator may input and store a predetermined IP address directly at a terminal of a network access device, or may remotely input a program using a program such as Telnet through a network. .

The IP packet investigator 405 extracts a destination IP address from an input packet input from the user terminal through the internal network interface 401, and the destination IP address is an IP address of a predetermined server stored in the server address storage 406. Determine if If the destination IP address matches the IP address stored in the server address storage unit 406, the input packet is a packet to be processed first, and therefore, the priority processing determining unit 402 assigns the input packet to the connection priority processing unit 403. To be processed first.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the priority processing determining unit 402 and the connection priority processing unit 403 further include a priority processing service selection unit (not shown) for selecting whether to perform the function, the administrator first processing Through the service selection unit, priority processing can be turned off. Then, the network connection device does not process any input packet first. According to the present embodiment, the administrator can prevent the predetermined network connection device from supporting the priority processing function according to the present invention as needed.

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for determining whether a packet input at low cost is a packet requiring priority processing.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to determine whether a service that a user wants to use at a low cost is a service requiring priority processing, and provides a network access device for providing a communication quality guarantee function by giving priority to the service.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the user can be given priority only when using the services of some VoIP service providers among the entire VoIP service providers, the user pays more for some VoIP service providers, You can get better quality service.

Although the present invention as described above has been described by way of limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, which are those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs, various modifications and Modifications are possible. Accordingly, the present invention should be understood only by the claims set forth below, and all equivalent or equivalent modifications thereof will belong to the scope of the present invention. For example, an embodiment of the present invention has been described with a focus on VoIP services, but the present invention is applicable to all services that are considered to require preferential processing, including VoIP services.

Claims (3)

In the network connection device, An internal interface unit for connecting the network connection device with a user terminal; A determination unit which determines whether a destination IP address of a packet received from the user terminal matches an IP address of a predetermined service server; A priority processing unit for assigning and processing priorities for packets with matching IP addresses; And External interface unit for connecting the network connection device with an external network Including; The determination unit A storage unit for storing an IP address of a predetermined service server; And An investigation unit for inspecting a destination IP address of a packet received from the user terminal Network connection device comprising a. The method of claim 1, And the service server is a VoIP server for providing VoIP services. The method of claim 1, Priority processing service selection unit for selecting whether to perform the function of the priority processing unit Network connection device further comprising.