Segmenting data packets for over-network transmission at adjustable fragment boundary

• US 20090028147A1
• Filed: 09/28/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul F. Russell
• Original Assignee: Paul F. Russell
• Inventors: Russell, Paul F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0083 Formatting with frames or packets; Protocol or part of protocol for error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/365 Dynamic adaptation of the packet size
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/43 Assembling or disassembling of packets, e.g. segmentation and reassembly [SAR]

Abstract

A computing system includes a communication mechanism and a data packet dividing mechanism. The communication mechanism is communicatively coupled to a network to send first data packet fragments over the network. The data packet dividing mechanism is to segment first data packets into the first packet fragments at a dynamically adjustable fragment boundary, such that the dynamically adjustable fragment boundary changes every time n-bit identifiers of the first data packets roll over.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising:

a communication mechanism communicatively coupled to a network to send first packet fragments over the network; and

,

a data packet dividing mechanism to segment first data packets into the first packet fragments at a dynamically adjustable fragment boundary, such that the dynamically adjustable fragment boundary changes every time n-bit identifiers of the first data packets roll over.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the data packet dividing mechanism is to embed an n-bit identifier into each first packet fragment.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the data packet dividing mechanism is to embed a fragment offset identifier into each first packet fragment, the fragment offset identifier specifying a location of the first packet fragment within a corresponding first data packet in relation to other of the first packet fragments located within the corresponding first data packet.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the communication mechanism is further to receive second packet fragments over the network, the computing system further comprising a data packet assembling mechanism to assemble second data packets from the second packet fragments.

5. The computing system of claim 4, wherein the data packet assembling mechanism is to insert each second packet fragment into one of the second data packets based on at least an n-bit identifier of the second packet fragment being equal to n-bit identifiers of other second packet fragments already inserted into the second data packet.

6. The computing system of claim 5, wherein the data packet assembling mechanism is to insert each second packet fragment into one of the second data packets further based on an amount of data of the second packet fragment and an amount of data needed within the second data packet,

such that where the amounts of data are equal, the second packet fragment is inserted within the second data packet, and

such that where the amount of data of the second packet fragment is greater than the amount of data needed within the second data packet, but an excess amount of data of the second packet fragment matches an overlapped amount of data already within the packet, the second packet fragment is also inserted within the second data packet.

7. An article of manufacture comprising:

a tangible computer-readable medium; and

,

means in the medium for segmenting first data packets into first packet fragments at a dynamically adjustable fragment boundary, such that the adjustable fragment boundary changes every time n-bit identifiers of the first data packets roll over.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the means is further for assembling second data packets from second packet fragments based on n-bit identifiers of the second packet fragments being equal to n-bit identifiers of other second packet fragments already inserted into the second data packets, and based on amounts of data of the second packet fragments compared to amounts of data needed within the second data packets.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the medium is a recordable data storage medium.