SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RETRANSMITTING PACKETS OVER A NETWORK OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

• US 20100246586A1
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Klein, Philippe, Ohana, Yitshak, Kliger, Avi
• Granted Patent: US 8,553,547 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1848 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1874 Buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/34 ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

Systems and methods for transmitting packets over a network of communication channels are provide. A system according to the invention may include first and second nodes in communication with a coax backbone. The first node may further include a retransmission buffer. The system may also include a network access coordinator operative to coordinate access of the nodes to the coax backbone. In a time period at least one first packet is transmitted by the first node to the second node. The first packet may include an indication that retransmission service is applied. The first packet may also include a indication of the length corresponding to the packet. If, during the first time period the packet is not received by the second node, the second node is operative to send a retransmission request to the network access coordinator.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting packets over a network of communication channels, the system comprising:

first and second nodes in communication with a coax backbone, said first node comprising a retransmission buffer; and

a network access coordinator operative to coordinate access of the nodes to the coax backbone;

wherein, in a first time period at least one first packet is transmitted by the first node to the second node, said first packet that comprises;

an indication that retransmission service is applied; and

a length corresponding to the packet; and

wherein, if, during the first time period the packet is not received by the second node, the second node is operative to send a retransmission request to the network access coordinator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network access coordinator is operative to:

receive the request; and

accede to the request,

wherein, when the time period is Media Access Plan (MAP) cycle n, the first node is operative to retransmit the packet in MAP cycle n+2.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein, following each successful reception of a packet, the second node is operative to increment a received sequence number by the number of data bytes in the packet.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein, if, during the first time period the packet is not received by the second node, the second node is further operative to send the retransmission request to the network access coordinator indicating a sequence number of the last correctly-received packet.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein, the second node is further operative to monitor a lowest sequence number that exists in the buffer.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein, if a lowest sequence number that exists in the buffer is higher than a sequence number of the last correctly-received packet, then the second node is operative to reset the sequence number of the last correctly-received packet to equal the lowest sequence number that exists in the buffer.

7. A system for transmitting packets over a network of communication channels, the system comprising:

first and second nodes in communication with a coax backbone; and

a network access coordinator operative to coordinate access of the nodes to the coax backbone;

wherein, if in a time period at least one first packet is transmitted by the first node to the second node, but is not received by the second node, the second node is operative to send a retransmission request to the network access coordinator, the request requesting packet retransmission;

wherein, the time period is a Media Access Plan (MAP) cycle;

the network access coordinator is operative to provide in a transmission cycle a slot for packet transmission requests; and

the first node is operative to utilize the slot to transmit to the coordinator;

an indication that retransmission service is applied; and

a length corresponding to the packet.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the network access coordinator is operative to:

receive the request; and

accede to the request,

wherein, when the time period is Media Access Plan (MAP) cycle n, the first node is operative to retransmit the packet in MAP cycle n+2.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein, following each successful reception of a packet, the second node is operative to increment a received sequence number by the number of data bytes stored in the packet.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein, if, during the first time period the packet is not received by the second node, the second node is further operative to send a retransmission request to the network access coordinator indicating a sequence number of the last correctly-received packet.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein, the second node is further operative to monitor a lowest sequence number that exists in the buffer.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein, if a lowest sequence number that exists in the buffer is higher than a sequence number of the last correctly-received packet, then the second node is operative to reset the sequence number of the last correctly-received packet to equal the lowest sequence number that exists in the buffer.

13. A method for transmitting packets over a network of communication channels, the method comprising:

using a network access coordinator to coordinate access of first and second nodes over the coax backbone, the first node comprising a retransmission buffer;

transmitting at least one first packet by the first node to the second node, said first packet that comprises;

an indication that retransmission service is applied; and

a length corresponding to the packet; and

if, during a first time period following the transmission of the first packet, the packet is not received by the second node, sending a retransmission request from the second to the network access coordinator.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising using the network access coordinator to receive the request and accede to the request.

15. The method of claim 13, when the time period is Media Access Plan (MAP) cycle n, further comprising using the first node to retransmit the packet in MAP cycle n+2.

16. The method of claim 13 furthering comprising, following each successful reception of a packet, increment a received sequence number stored at the second node by the number of data bytes stored in the packet.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein, if, during the first time period the packet is not received by the second node, sending a retransmission request from the second node to the network access coordinator, the retransmission request indicating the sequence number of the last correctly-received packet.

18. The method of claim 13 monitoring a lowest sequence number that exists in the retransmission buffer.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein, if a lowest sequence number that exists in the buffer is higher than a sequence number of the last correctly-received packet, then resetting the sequence number of the last correctly-received packet to equal the lowest sequence number that exists in the buffer.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising transmitting from the receiving node to the network controller an indication of the length of the packet to be transmitted.