Label switching (LS) is a data-carrying service for high-performance telecommunications networks. In LS, data is directed from one network node to the next one based on short path labels rather than Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. LS packets, such as multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) packets, can encapsulate packets of various network protocols by tagging the packets with identifiers called labels, and can support a range of access technologies, including T1/E1, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Frame Relay, and Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). An LS packet may have multiple labels arranged in a stack on top of a Layer 3 (L3) header, such as an IP header.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds