Methods and apparatus for preventing head of line blocking for RTP over TCP

• US 10,129,163 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sonus Networks Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Asveren, Tolga
• Primary Examiner(s): Mian, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US15/262,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20160380901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/193 at the transport layer, e.g. TCP related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/34 ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6205 Arrangements for avoiding head of line blocking

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for processing and using TCP packets to communicate RTP packets are described. Head of line blocking is avoided by operating a TCP packet processing module to output RTP packet data to an application irrespective of whether or not a preceding TCP packet was received. Since output of packet data to an application using RTP packets is not delayed when there is a missing TCP packet, head of line blocking is avoided. RTP packet data is subjected to pattern matching in order to identify and process RTP packets in the case where RTP header information such as packet length information is missing due to the failure to receive a TCP packet. The methods are particularly well suited for the communication of audio and/or video by devices operating behind firewalls which block UDP or other types of packets other than TCP packets.

Claims

1. A method of an apparatus for communicating packets using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), the method comprising:

detecting a gap in a first TCP packet sequence;

switching from a first mode of processing TCP packets of the first TCP packet sequence to a second mode of processing TCP packets of the first TCP packet sequence when said gap is detected in the first TCP packet sequence;

wherein said first mode of processing TCP packets implements TCP stack with head of line blocking (HOLB);

wherein said second mode of processing TCP packets does not implement TCP stack with HOLB, said second mode of processing TCP packets includes;

receiving a first TCP packet which is part of the first TCP packet sequence;

extracting data from said first TCP packet;

providing said extracted data and a corresponding TCP packet sequence number to an RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) application irrespective of whether or not a preceding TCP packet in said first TCP packet sequence has been received;

determining if said corresponding TCP packet sequence number is higher than the highest previously received TCP packet sequence number corresponding to said first TCP packet sequence; and

when it is determined that the received TCP packet sequence number is higher than the highest previously received packet sequence number corresponding to said first TCP packet sequence;

incrementing a received TCP packet sequence counter to set a highest received packet sequence number of said TCP packet sequence counter to said corresponding TCP packet sequence number; and

when it is determined that the received TCP sequence number is not higher than the highest previously received packet sequence number corresponding to said TCP packet sequence;

receiving a second TCP packet which is part of the first TCP packet sequence without changing the received TCP packet sequence counter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second mode of processing TCP packets further includes:

adding said extracted data to a sequence of stored packet data at a location in said sequence of stored packet data, said location being a location determined based on the corresponding TCP packet sequence number associated with the extracted data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second mode of processing TCP packets further includes:

sending an acknowledgement indicating successful receipt of a TCP packet when said received first TCP packet causes incrementing of said received TCP packet sequence counter.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said second mode of processing TCP packets further includes:

extracting second data from said second TCP packet; and

providing said extracted second data and a corresponding second TCP packet sequence number to the RTP application irrespective of whether or not a preceding TCP packet in said packet sequence has been received.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said second mode of processing TCP packets further includes:

adding said extracted second data to the sequence of stored packet data at a location in said sequence of stored packet data, said location being a location determined based on a second TCP packet number associated with the extracted second data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said second mode of processing TCP packets further includes:

processing data in said sequence of packet data to identify RTP packet boundaries.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of processing data in said sequence of packet data to identify RTP packet boundaries includes:

performing a pattern matching operation to identify at least one RTP header field within said data; and

determining a location of a RTP packet boundary based on the location of the identified header field in said data and a known offset from the location of said header field to the start of an RTP packet which includes the at least one identified RTP header field.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein performing a pattern matching operation includes checking the data for expected patterns matching at least two of the following RTP header fields:

a version field, a payload type field, a sequence number field, a timestamp field, and an SSRC field.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said second mode of processing TCP packets further includes:

identifying a length field immediately preceding the start of an RTP packet header including the at least one identified RTP header field;

determining RTP packet length based on information included in the identified length field; and

determining the end of the RTP packet including the identified at least one RTP header field based on the determined RTP packet length.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prior to starting processing of TCP packets of the first TCP packet sequence determining whether or not the TCP packets of the first TCP packet sequence include RTP packets, and

when the first TCP packet sequence is determined to include RTP packets using the second mode of processing TCP packets when a gap is detected in the first TCP packet sequence.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

prior to starting processing of TCP packets of a second TCP packet sequence determining whether or not TCP packets of the second TCP packet sequence include RTP packets; and

when the second TCP packet sequence is determined not to include RTP packets using the first mode of processing TCP packets when a gap is detected in the second TCP packet sequence;

detecting a gap in the second TCP packet sequence;

subsequent to detecting a gap in the second TCP packet sequence using the first mode of processing TCP packets to process received TCP packets of the second TCP packet sequence.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein said step of processing data in said sequence of packet data to identify RTP packet boundaries includes:

performing a pattern matching operation to identify at least one potential RTP header field within said data;

identifying a potential length field for an RTP packet for which the at least one potential RTP header field within said data was identified based on the position of the potential RTP header field within said data;

determining a potential length value of the RTP packet for which the potential length field was identified; and

performing at least one reasonableness test on the determined potential length value of the RTP packet, said at least one reasonableness test including determining that the determined length value is within an expected reasonableness range.

10. An apparatus for communicating packets using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), comprising:

memory; and

a processor configured to control said apparatus to;

detect a gap in a first TCP packet sequence;

switch from a first mode of processing TCP packets of the first TCP packet sequence to a second mode of processing TCP packets of the first TCP packet sequence when said gap is detected in the first TCP packet sequence;

wherein said first mode of processing TCP packets implements TCP stack with head of line blocking (HOLB);

wherein said second mode of processing TCP packets does not implement TCP stack with HOLB, said second mode of processing TCP packets includes;

receiving a first TCP packet which is part of the first TCP packet sequence;

extracting data from said first TCP packet;

providing said extracted data and a corresponding TCP packet sequence number to an RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) application irrespective of whether or not a preceding TCP packet in said first TCP packet sequence has been received; and

determining if said corresponding TCP packet sequence number is higher than the highest previously received TCP packet sequence number corresponding to said first TCP packet sequence; and

when it is determined that the received TCP packet sequence number is higher than the highest previously received packet sequence number corresponding to said first TCP packet sequence;

incrementing a received TCP packet sequence counter to set a highest received packet sequence number of said TCP packet sequence counter to said corresponding TCP packet sequence number; and

when it is determined that the received TCP sequence number is not higher than the highest previously received packet sequence number corresponding to said TCP packet sequence;

receiving a second TCP packet which is part of the first TCP packet sequence without changing the received TCP packet sequence counter.

15. The wed apparatus of claim 10 wherein said processor if further configured to send an acknowledgement indicating successful receipt of a TCP packet when said received first TCP packet causes incrementing of said received TCP sequence counter and said apparatus is being operated in said second mode of processing TCP packets.

11. An apparatus for communicating packets using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), comprising:

a processor configured to control the apparatus to;

detect a gap in a first TCP packet sequence, and

switch from a first mode of processing TCP packets of the first TCP packet sequence to a second mode of processing TCP packets of the first TCP packet sequence when said gap is detected in the first TCP packet sequence, said first mode of processing TCP packets implementing TCP stack with head of line blocking (HOLB), said second mode of processing TCP packets not implementing TCP stack with HOLB;

an interface including a receiver configured to receive a TCP packet which is part of the TCP packet sequence;

a data extraction module configured to extract data from said TCP packet;

a communications module configured to provide said extracted data and a corresponding TCP packet sequence number to an RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) application irrespective of whether or not a preceding TCP packet in said packet sequence has been received when said apparatus is operating in said second mode of processing TCP packets;

a determination module configured to determine if said corresponding TCP packet sequence number is higher than the highest previously received TCP packet sequence number corresponding to said first TCP packet sequence; and

a sequence counter control module configured to increment a received TCP sequence counter to set a highest received packet sequence number of said TCP sequence counter to said corresponding TCP packet sequence number, when said determination module determines that the received TCP packet sequence number is higher than the highest previously received packet sequence number corresponding to said TCP packet sequence and said apparatus is being operated in said second mode of processing TCP packets.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an acknowledgement communications control module configured to send an acknowledgement indicating successful receipt of a TCP packet when said received TCP packet causes incrementing of said received TCP sequence counter and said apparatus is being operated in said second mode of processing TCP packets.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a processing module configured to process data in said sequence of packet data to identify RTP packet boundaries when said apparatus is being operated in said second mode of processing TCP packets.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said processing module is further configured, as part of being configured to process data in said sequence of packet data to identify RTP packet boundaries, to perform the following:

perform a pattern matching operation to identify at least one RTP header field within said data; and

determine a location of a RTP packet boundary based on the location of the identified header field in said data and a known offset from the location of said header field to the start of an RTP packet which includes the at least one identified RTP header field.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein performing a pattern matching operation includes checking the data for expected patterns matching at least two of the following RTP header fields:

a version field, a payload type field, a sequence number field, a timestamp field, and an SSRC field.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said processing module is further configured, as part of being configured to process data in said sequence of packet data to identify RTP packet boundaries, to perform the following:

perform a pattern matching operation to identify at least one potential RTP header field within said data;

identify a potential length field for an RTP packet for which the at least one potential RTP header field within said data was identified based on the position of the potential RTP header field within said data;

determine a potential length value of the RTP packet for which the potential length field was identified; and

perform at least one reasonableness test on the determined potential length value of the RTP packet, said at least one reasonableness test including determining that the determined length value is within an expected reasonableness range.