Methods and apparatus for optimum file transfers in a time-varying network environment

• US 20060026296A1
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Nagaraj, Thadi M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/233
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0034 where the transmitter decides based on inferences, e.g. use of implicit signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1628 List acknowledgements, i.e. the acknowledgement message consisting of a list of identifiers, e.g. of sequence numbers H04L1/1614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for optimum file transfers in a time-varying network environment. A method is provided for transmitting content in a data network. The method includes transmitting content at a selected transmission rate, and receiving one or more acknowledgement signals. The method also includes estimating a network delivery rate from the one or more acknowledgment signals, and adjusting the selected transmission rate of the content based on the network delivery rate.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting content in a data network, the method comprising:

transmitting content at a selected transmission rate;

receiving one or more acknowledgement signals;

estimating a network delivery rate from the one or more acknowledgment signals; and

adjusting the selected transmission rate of the content based on the network delivery rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises one or more content packets, and the act of transmitting comprises:

assigning unique packet identifiers to the one or more content packets; and

transmitting the content packets at the selected transmission rate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the act of receiving comprises:

receiving an Ack signal for a content packet that has been received; and

receiving a Nack signal for a content packet that has not been received.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the act of estimating comprises estimating the network delivery rate from the received Ack signals.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising re-transmitting a selected content packet if one or more Nack signals are received for the selected content packet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of adjusting comprises decreasing the selected transmission rate if the selected transmission rate is higher than the network delivery rate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of adjusting comprises increasing the selected transmission rate if the network delivery is substantially the same as the selected transmission rate.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a selected time interval after selected content has been transmitted; and

re-transmitting the selected content if an acknowledgement signal is not received within the selected time interval.

9. Apparatus for transmitting content in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

transceiver logic configured to transmit content at a selected transmission rate and receive one or more acknowledgement signals;

estimator logic configured to estimate a network delivery rate from the one or more acknowledgment signals; and

rate controller logic configured to adjust the selected transmission rate of the content based on the network delivery rate.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content comprises one or more content packets, and the transceiver logic comprises:

logic to assign unique packet identifiers to the one or more content packets; and

logic to transmit the content packets at the selected transmission rate.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the transceiver logic comprises:

logic to receive an Ack signal for a content packet that has been received; and

logic to receive a Nack signal for a content packet that has not been received.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the estimator logic comprises logic to estimate the network delivery rate from the received Ack signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising logic to re-transmit a selected content packet if one or more Nack signals are received for the selected content packet.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rate controller logic operates to decrease the selected transmission rate if the selected transmission rate is higher than the network delivery rate.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rate controller logic operates to increase the selected transmission rate if the network delivery is substantially the same as the selected transmission rate.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising processing logic that operates to measure a selected time interval after selected content has been transmitted, and re-transmit the selected content if an acknowledgement signal is not received within the selected time interval.

17. Apparatus for transmitting content in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting content at a selected transmission rate;

means for receiving one or more acknowledgement signals;

means for estimating a network delivery rate from the one or more acknowledgment signals; and

means for adjusting the selected transmission rate of the content based on the network delivery rate.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the content comprises one or more content packets, and the means for transmitting comprises:

means for assigning unique packet identifiers to the one or more content packets; and

means for transmitting the content packets at the selected transmission rate.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for receiving comprises:

means for receiving an Ack signal for a content packet that has been received; and

means for receiving a Nack signal for a content packet that has not been received.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for estimating comprises means for estimating the network delivery rate from the received Ack signals.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for re-transmitting a selected content packet if one or more Nack signals are received for the selected content packet.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for adjusting comprises means for decreasing the selected transmission rate if the selected transmission rate is higher than the network delivery rate.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for adjusting comprises means for increasing the selected transmission rate if the network delivery is substantially the same as the selected transmission rate.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for measuring a selected time interval after selected content has been transmitted; and

means for re-transmitting the selected content if an acknowledgement signal is not received within the selected time interval.

25. A computer-readable media comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, operate to transmit content in a wireless data network, the computer-readable media comprising:

instructions for transmitting content at a selected transmission rate;

instructions for receiving one or more acknowledgement signals;

instructions for estimating a network delivery rate from the one or more acknowledgment signals; and

instructions for adjusting the selected transmission rate of the content based on the network delivery rate.

26. The computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein the content comprises one or more content packets, and the instructions for transmitting comprise:

instructions for assigning unique packet identifiers to the one or more content packets; and

instructions for transmitting the content packets at the selected transmission rate.

27. The computer-readable media of claim 26, wherein the instructions for receiving comprise:

instructions for receiving an Ack signal for a content packet that has been received; and

instructions for receiving a Nack signal for a content packet that has not been received.

28. The computer-readable media of claim 27, wherein the instructions for estimating comprise instructions for estimating the network delivery rate from the received Ack signals.

29. The computer-readable media of claim 27, further comprising instructions for re-transmitting a selected content packet if one or more Nack signals are received for the selected content packet.

30. The computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein the instructions for adjusting comprise instructions for decreasing the selected transmission rate if the selected transmission rate is higher than the network delivery rate.

31. The computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein the instructions for adjusting comprise instructions for increasing the selected transmission rate if the network delivery is substantially the same as the selected transmission rate.

32. The computer-readable media of claim 25, further comprising:

instructions for measuring a selected time interval after selected content has been transmitted; and

instructions for re-transmitting the selected content if an acknowledgement signal is not received within the selected time interval.

33. A processor comprising estimator logic and rate controller logic for transmitting content in a data network, the processor operable to perform a method comprising:

transmitting content at a selected transmission rate;

receiving one or more acknowledgement signals;

estimating a network delivery rate from the one or more acknowledgment signals; and

adjusting the selected transmission rate of the content based on the network delivery rate.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the content comprises one or more content packets, and the act of transmitting comprises:

assigning unique packet identifiers to the one or more content packets; and

transmitting the content packets at the selected transmission rate.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the act of receiving comprises:

receiving an Ack signal for a content packet that has been received; and

receiving a Nack signal for a content packet that has not been received.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the act of estimating comprises estimating the network delivery rate from the received Ack signals.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising re-transmitting a selected content packet if one or more Nack signals are received for the selected content packet.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of adjusting comprises decreasing the selected transmission rate if the selected transmission rate is higher than the network delivery rate.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of adjusting comprises increasing the selected transmission rate if the network delivery is substantially the same as the selected transmission rate.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

measuring a selected time interval after selected content has been transmitted; and

re-transmitting the selected content if an acknowledgement signal is not received within the selected time interval.