Method to regulate traffic congestion in a network
First Claim
14. A system for regulating traffic in a network having a plurality of components and peripheral nodes, the traffic being created as the network peripheral nodes exchange data and consume network resources, the system comprising:
- means for generating at least one congestion indicator at a network component responsive to an indication of traffic congestion in the network;
at least one network peripheral node responsive to the congestion indicator, wherein a threshold variable associated with the received congestion indicator is used to define a maximum amount of a specified type of network resources to be allocated for a use associated with the receiving network peripheral node including, a Feedback Mechanism configured to initiate a Back-Off Period at the receiving network node in response to receiving the congestion indicator, and performing a back off process by, initiating a back off time interval, if an additional valid congestion indicator associated with the threshold variable has been received within the back off time interval, adjusting the value of the threshold variable to reduce the maximum amount, and resetting the back off time interval, and if no additional valid congestion indicator associated with the threshold variable has been received within the back off time interval, adjusting the value of the threshold variable to increase the maximum amount, and terminating the Back-Off Period;
a Slow Advance Mechanism configured to adjust the value of the threshold variable to increase the maximum amount whenever the Back-Off Period is not active; and
means for controlling the flow of traffic across the network based at least in part on the value of the threshold variable.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for controlling traffic on a network. A congestion indicator is generated by network components in response to the flow of network traffic. The congestion indicator is received by a network peripheral node that has a threshold variable which controls the flow of traffic flowing from the network peripheral node. The threshold variable corresponding to the congestion indicator will be reduced in order to restrict the flow of traffic flowing from that network peripheral node. If more than one congestion indicator is received by the network peripheral node, then the threshold variable will continue to be reduced thereby further restricting network traffic. If no further congestion indicators are received, then the network peripheral node will terminate the Back-Off Period state of the threshold variable such that the threshold variable can then be increased and network traffic can increase.
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Citations
28 Claims
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14. A system for regulating traffic in a network having a plurality of components and peripheral nodes, the traffic being created as the network peripheral nodes exchange data and consume network resources, the system comprising:
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means for generating at least one congestion indicator at a network component responsive to an indication of traffic congestion in the network;
at least one network peripheral node responsive to the congestion indicator, wherein a threshold variable associated with the received congestion indicator is used to define a maximum amount of a specified type of network resources to be allocated for a use associated with the receiving network peripheral node including, a Feedback Mechanism configured to initiate a Back-Off Period at the receiving network node in response to receiving the congestion indicator, and performing a back off process by, initiating a back off time interval, if an additional valid congestion indicator associated with the threshold variable has been received within the back off time interval, adjusting the value of the threshold variable to reduce the maximum amount, and resetting the back off time interval, and if no additional valid congestion indicator associated with the threshold variable has been received within the back off time interval, adjusting the value of the threshold variable to increase the maximum amount, and terminating the Back-Off Period;
a Slow Advance Mechanism configured to adjust the value of the threshold variable to increase the maximum amount whenever the Back-Off Period is not active; and
means for controlling the flow of traffic across the network based at least in part on the value of the threshold variable. - View Dependent Claims (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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18-1. A system as recited in claim 17 wherein the Feedback Mechanism is further configured to decay the value of the Last Known Good Threshold Variable during the back off time period.
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27. A method of regulating traffic in a network including a plurality of inner network components and peripheral nodes, the traffic being created as peripheral nodes consume network resources, the method comprising:
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generating at least one congestion indicator at an inner network component;
receiving the congestion indicator at one or more network nodes, wherein a threshold variable associated with the received congestion indicator is used to define a maximum amount of a specified type of network resources to be allocated for a particular use;
initiating a Back-Off Period at the component in response to receiving the congestion indicator, and adjusting the value of the threshold variable to reduce the maximum amount of the specified type of network resources to be allocated for the particular use;
whenever the threshold variable is not in a backed off state, performing a Slow Advance process that includes adjusting the value of the threshold variable to increase the maximum amount of the specified type of network resources to be allocated for the particular use; and
controlling consumption of the specified type of network resources based at least in part on the value of the threshold variable.
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28. A computer readable medium embodying program instructions for regulating traffic in a network including a plurality of inner network components and peripheral nodes, the traffic being created as peripheral nodes consume network resources, comprising:
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code segments for generating at least one congestion indicator at one or more inner network components;
code segments for receiving the congestion indicator at one or more network nodes, wherein a threshold variable associated with the received congestion indicator is used to define a maximum amount of a specified type of network resources to be allocated for a particular use;
code segments for initiating a Back-Off Period at the component in response to receiving the congestion indicator, and adjusting the value of the threshold variable to reduce the maximum amount of the specified type of network resources to be allocated for the particular use;
code segments for, whenever the Back-Off Period associated with the threshold variable is not active, performing a Slow Advance process that includes adjusting the value of the threshold variable to increase the maximum amount of the specified type of network resources to be allocated for the particular use; and
code segments for controlling consumption of the specified type of network resources based at least in part on the value of the threshold variable.
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Specification