Real time mesh measurement system stream latency and jitter measurements

• US 20030065769A1
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infrastructure Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Infrastructure Innovations LLC
• Inventors: Kryskow, Joseph M. Jr., Hudnall, Richard E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps

Abstract

A method is described for measuring system latency and latency jitter on a near real-time basis regarding packets of information moving from sources to destination. The method for measuring system latency and latency jitter includes time-stamping packets of information as they pass through a plurality of locations between the source and destination of these packets, with the time-stamping being performed by real-time clocks set to a universal standard. The time-stamped packets are analyzed to determine latency and latency jitter. The measurements of system latency and latency jitter can be performed based upon packet types so as to obtain accurate information concerning different types of business bandwidths associated with an observed network.

Claims

1. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations, comprising the steps of:

1) time-stamping packets of information that pass through a plurality of locations between sources and destinations of packets, said time-stamping with a real-time clock set to a universal standard; and

2) analyzing the time-stamped packets to determine latency and latency jitter as said packets traverse from sources to destinations.

2. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations according to claim 1, wherein a real-time mesh view of latency and latency jitter is generated regarding the entire network.

3. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations according to claim 2, wherein only packets of information of a particular type or types are time-stamped.

4. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations according to claim 3, wherein only packets of information of a particular type or types are time-stamped.

5. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations according to claim 2, wherein tracer packets are generated and time-stamped as these tracer packets traverse the network.

6. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations according to claim 1, wherein tracer packets are generated and time-stamped as these tracer packets traverse the network.

7. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations according to claim 2, wherein the latency map can be tuned by a user based upon the latency measurements.

8. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations according to claim 1, wherein specific points? in the network are identified as of higher priority and are locations where packets of information are time-stamped.

9. A method of measuring system latency and latency jitter regarding packets of information from sources to destinations according to claim 1, wherein said time-stamping, time clock is et to a universal time standard.

10. A system for measuring system latency regarding packets of information from sources to destinations, comprising:

1) means for time-stamping packets of information that pass through a plurality of locations between sources and destinations of packets, said time-stamping with a real-time clock set to a universal standard; and

2) means for analyzing the time-stamped packets to determine latency and latency jitter as said packets traverse from sources to destinations.