Reducing transmission time for data packets controlled by a link layer protocol comprising a fragmenting/defragmenting capability

• US 20050152355A1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Henriques, Bengt
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system, method and a router for enhancing performance for data (e.g. IP) packets when a link layer protocol (e.g. PPP), adapted to fragment said data packets at each hop, is used within the network. The fragments of the data packets are allowed to continue to a subsequent hop from a muter independent of if other fragments belonging to the same data packets have reached said router.

Claims

1. A communication system for reducing transmission time for data packets controlled by a link layer protocol includes a fragmenting/defragmenting capability, wherein a data packet is fragmented into fragments, wherein each fragment includes an identity for identifying the data packet, said system comprising:

means for transmitting the fragments from a transmitting router to a receiving router via at least one intermediate router, wherein the transmitting router comprising means for fragmenting said data packets according to the link layer protocol, wherein a first fragment of a data packet comprises a header portion of the data packet and the receiving router comprising means for defragmenting said fragments into data packets according to the link layer protocol;

at least one intermediate router comprising means for receiving a fragment comprising the header portion of the data packet, means for associating the identity of the data packet with an output port number of the intermediate router in accordance with a destination address indicated in the header portion of the data packet, and means for transmitting the received fragment to a subsequent router independent of if remaining fragments belonging to said data packet have reached said intermediate router by using said association;

means for transmitting the fragments into at least a first queue at the intermediate router; and

means for transmitting unfragmented data packets into at least a second queue at the intermediate router.

2. System, according to claim 1, wherein the packet switched network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network, that the data packets are IP packets fragmented into Multilink Point to Point Protocol (PPP) (MP) Multi-Class Extension (MCE) fragments, that the data packet is identified by using the multi-class extension and that the header portion comprises at least an IP header and a compressed PPP header.

3. Method in a packet switched network for reducing transmission time for data packets controlled by a link layer protocol comprising a fragmenting/defragmenting capability wherein a data packet is fragmented into fragments including an identity for identifying the data packet, wherein the method comprising the steps of:

fragmenting a data packet at a transmitting router into a plurality of fragments, wherein a first of said fragments includes a header portion of the data packet,

sending said fragments to an intermediate router comprising said fragment including the header portion of the data packet,

associating the identity of the data packet with an output port number of the intermediate router in accordance with the destination address indicated in the header portion of the data packet,

transmitting the received fragment at the intermediate router to a subsequent router independent of if remaining fragments belonging to said data packet have reached the intermediate router by using said association,

defragmenting said fragments into data packets according to the link layer protocol at a receiving router,

transmitting the fragments into at least a first queue at the intermediate router and

transmitting unfragmented data packets into at least a second queue at the intermediate router.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprises the further steps of:

transmitting further fragments comprising identical data packet identities as the first fragment to the associated port number at the intermediate router and

transmitting said further fragments to a second subsequent router independent of, if remaining fragments belonging to said data packet have reached the intermediate router.

5. Method, according to claim 3, wherein the packet switched network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network, that the data packets are IP packets fragmented into Multilink Point to Point Protocol (PPP) (MP) Multi-Class Extension (MCE) fragments, that the data packet is identified by using the multi-class extension and that the header portion comprises at least an IP header and a compressed PPP header.

6-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A router in a packet switched network including means for receiving a plurality of data packet fragments, including at least one fragment including a header portion of a data packet, and a header portion of each fragment includes an identity for identifying the data packet, the router comprises:

means for associating the data packet identity to an output port number of said router in accordance with the destination address indicated in the header portion of the data packet in order to transmit said fragment to a subsequent router, router;

means for transmitting arriving fragments having identical data packet identity as said fragment including the header portion to said port number in accordance with said association to a subsequent router independent of if remaining fragments belonging to said data packet have reached the router; and

means for receiving the fragments into at least a first queue and that it comprises means for receiving unfragmented data packets into at least a second queue.

9. Router according to claim 8, the packet switched network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network, that the data packets are IP packets fragmented into Multilink Point to Point Protocol (MP) Multi-Class Extension (MCE) fragments, that the data packet is identified by using the multi-class extension and that the header portion comprises at least an IP header and a compressed PPP header.