System and method for controlling data transfer rates on a network

• US 20020080721A1
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Radiance Technologies, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Tobagi, Fouad A., Subramaniam, Srikanth, Lemke, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/263 Rate modification at the source after receiving feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/30 in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Data transfer rates on a network are controlled in conjunction with TCP/IP protocols by limiting the available space in a receive buffer located on the receiver. Limits are generated by either moderating the rate that data is removed from the receive buffer or changing the receive buffer'"'"'s size. Transfer rates are reduced to decrease the impact large transfers have on other network traffic and to reduce the total number of lost data packets. Reduced rates and priorities can be managed by scheduling systems.

Claims

1. A method of regulating an average rate of transmission on a computer network employing TCP, comprising the steps of:

determining an amount of available space in a receive buffer; and

removing data from the receive buffer such that the amount of available space in the receive buffer is maintained at a regulated value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of removing data includes regulating the frequency at which data is read from the receive buffer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of removing data includes regulating the amount of data read during each read from the receive buffer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a receiver measures an actual transfer rate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining an amount of available space in a receive buffer is performed by a rate control module located on a receiver.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the rate control module operates above a TCP layer and communicates with the TCP layer via a TCP application programming interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the average rate of transmission is regulated to an extent sufficient to reduce the effect that a transmission has on another transmission in the computer network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of removing data uses a determined frequency of lost packets.

9. A method of regulating an average rate of transmission on a computer network employing TCP, comprising the steps of:

determining an amount of available space in a receive buffer; and

regulating an available space in the receive buffer by regulating a size of the receive buffer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a receiver determines an actual transfer rate.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining an amount of available space in a receive buffer is performed by a rate control module located on a receiver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the rate control module operates above a TCP layer and communicates with the TCP layer via a standard TCP application programming interface.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the average rate of transmission is reduced.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reduction in average rate of transmission is sufficient to reduce the effect that a transmission has on an other transmission in the computer network.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of reducing the receive buffer size uses a determined frequency of lost packets.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the rate control module regulates the rate at which data is removed by varying the frequency at which data is read from the receive buffer.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the rate control module regulates the rate at which data is removed by varying the amount of data read during each read from the receive buffer.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the rate control module operates above a TCP layer and communicates with the TCP layer via a standard TCP application programming interface.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the rate control module operates between the TCP layer and an FTP/HTTP layer.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the rate control module is integrated into a FTP/HTTP layer.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the average rate of transmission is reduced.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the reduction in average rate of transmission is sufficient to reduce the effect that a transmission has on another transmission.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the regulation of a rate at which data is removed is a function of a determined frequency of lost packets.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the rate control module regulates the amount of space available in the receive buffer by varying the frequency at which data is read from the receive buffer.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the rate control module regulates the amount of space available in the receive buffer by varying the amount of data read during each read from the receive buffer.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the rate control module operates above a TCP layer and communicates with the TCP layer via a standard TCP application programming interface.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the rate control module operates between the TCP layer and an FTP/HTTP layer

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the rate control module is integrated into a FTP/HTTP layer.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the average rate of transmission is reduced.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the reduction in average rate of transmission is sufficient to reduce the effect that a transmission has on an other transmission.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the rate control module regulates the amount of space using a determined frequency of lost packets.

34. The system of claim 25, further comprising at least a transfer manager regulating communication between the sender and the receiver.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the transfer manager includes at least a schedule/priority manager.

16. A system for regulating an average rate of transmission on a computer network, comprising:

a receive buffer located on a receiver; and

a rate control module operable to determine available space in the receive buffer and to regulate a rate at which data is removed from the receive buffer, such that the amount of available space in the receive buffer is maintained at a regulated value.

25. A system for transmitting data over a computer network employing TCP, comprising:

a sender;

a receiver;

a receive buffer located on the receiver; and

a rate control module configured to regulate an amount of space available in the receive buffer to influence an average rate that data is transferred from the sender to the receiver.