System and method for a context layer switch

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a network device has an input port for receiving input packets, and an output port for sending output packets, where the input packets and output packets have context layer information. The network device also includes a processor configured to process the input packets and output packets using a network protocol having a context layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for Context Label Switching (CLS) comprising:
 a network device including a context label layer for managing a context label for each content chunk of a plurality of content chunks, the context label comprising at least one of interested content information, location information, time stamp information, security information, and user ID information, the user ID information including a consumer ID, a supplier ID, and or a device ID, wherein the context label layer comprises the managing the context label comprising:
 a routing plane configured to determinedetermining a routing path for a content chunk in accordance with the context label; and  
 a service plane configured to processprocessing the content chunk; and, wherein the context label layer comprises:  
 a cache plane configured to store and manage the content chunk in association with the context label, 
 
 wherein the context label is carried in a layer above a data transport layer, and 
 wherein the managing the context label comprises creating and inserting the context label at a sender, modifying the context label at an intermediate relay node, and removing the context label at a receiver. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein managing the context label comprises creating and inserting the context label at a sender, modifying the context label at an intermediate relay node, and removing the context label at a receiver. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the context label layer further comprises a forwarding plane configured to guide managing the context label comprises:
 guiding content chunk delivery associating the routing plane routing path; and manage 
 managing content flow. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the forwarding plane managing the content flow comprises managing the content flow for load balancingand, traffic engineering, and prioritizing traffic scheduling. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the forwarding plane determines guiding the content chunk delivery comprises determining an egress interface for the content flow in accordance with a routing table from the routing plane for the routing path and an action list defined by the service plane for the processing the content chunk. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the routing table includes mapping between a profile defined by the context label and I/O interface of the system. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein processing the content chunk comprises content distillation, dissemination, mash up, content aggregation and content chunk customization. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the storing and managing the content chunk comprises storing the content chunk, updating the content chunk, retrieving the content chunk and synchronizing the content chunk with other CLS system, and removing duplicated content chunk. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the routing plane is further configured to guide managing the context label further comprises content search, to determine determining a next hop, and to manage managing a mobility anchoring and location service. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a management plane configured to provide wherein the managing the context label further comprises providing the an interface for operation, administration, maintenance and provisioning. 
     
     
       11. A system for Context Label Switching (CLS) comprising:
 a network device including a context label layer for managing a context label for each content chunk of a plurality of content chunks, the context label comprising at least one of user ID information, interested content information, and at least one of location information, time stamp information, and or security information, wherein the time stamp information comprises a time stamp when the a content chunk is requested, a time stamp when the content chunk is to be provided, and an indication as to how long the content chunk can exist in the system, wherein the context label layer comprises the managing the context label comprising:
 a routing plane configured to determinedetermining a routing path for the content chunk in accordance with the context label; and  
 a service plane configured to processprocessing the content chunk; and, wherein the context label layer comprises: 
 a cache plane configured to store and manage the content chunk in association with the context label, 
 
 wherein the context label is carried in a layer above a data transport layer, and 
 wherein the managing the context label comprises creating and inserting the context label at a sender, modifying the context label at an intermediate relay node, and removing the context label at a receiver. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processing the content chunk comprises content distillation, dissemination, mash up, content aggregation and content chunk customization. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the storing and managing the content chunk comprises storing the content chunk, updating the content chunk, retrieving the content chunk and synchronizing the content chunk with other CLS system, and removing duplicated content chunk. 
     
     
       14. A method for Context Label Switching (CLS) comprising: 
 determining, by a routing plane of a context label layer, a routing path for a content chunk in accordance with a context label, the context label being managed by the context label layer and comprising at least one of interested content information, location information, time stamp information, security information, and user ID information, the user ID information including a consumer ID, a supplier ID, and or a device ID, wherein the context label layer performs:
 processing, by a service plane of the context label layer, the content chunk, and 
 storing and managing, by a cache plane of the context label layer, the content chunk in association with the context label, 
 
 wherein the context label is carried in a layer above a data transport layer, and 
 wherein management of the context label by the context label layer comprises creating and inserting the context label at a sender, modifying the context label at an intermediate relay node, and removing the context label. at a receiver. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein management of the context label by the context label layer comprises creating and inserting the context label at a sender, modifying the context label at an intermediate relay node, and removing the context label at a receiver. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 guiding, by a forwarding plane of the context label layer, the content chunk delivery associating the routing plane; and 
 managing content flow. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining, by the forwarding plane of the context label layer, an egress interface for the content flow in accordance with a routing table from the routing plane and an action list defined by the service plane. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the routing table includes mapping between a profile defined by the context label and an I/O interface of a system. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the managing the content flow comprises managing the content flow for load balancingand, traffic engineering, and prioritizing traffic scheduling. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the storing and managing the content chunk comprises storing the content chunk, updating the content chunk, retrieving the content chunk and synchronizing the content chunk with other CLS system, and removing duplicated content chunk. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising guiding, by the routing plane, content search, determining a next hop, and managing a mobility anchoring and location service. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the processing the content chunk comprises content distillation, dissemination, mash up, content aggregation and content chunk customization. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the context label further comprises time stamp information, and wherein the time stamp information comprises a time stamp when the content chunk is requested, a time stamp when the content chunk is to be provided, and an indicator as to how long the content chunk can exist in a system. 
     
     
       24. The system of claim 1, wherein the context label is carried in the layer below an application layer, and wherein the interested content information and the user ID information exclude layer-2 information, layer-3 information, and layer-4 information.