UTILIZING MULTIPLE INTERFACES WHEN SENDING DATA AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PACKETS

• US 20150026268A1
• Filed: 07/18/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hui, Jonathan W., Hong, Wei, Vasseur, Jean-Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 9,634,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

Utilizing multiple network interfaces when sending data and acknowledgement packages comprises, in a low power and lossy network (LLN) or other network, a sender device comprises two or more network interfaces for communicating with one or more recipient devices. The sender device assesses the transmission capabilities of the network interfaces to determine data rates available for each interface. The sender device specifies which network interface will be used to transfer data and which network interface will be used to receive an acknowledgement from the recipient device. The sender device selects the network interface with the larger data capacity for transmitting a data packet and the network interface with the smaller data capacity for receiving an acknowledgement. The data transmission and the acknowledgement transmission may be transmitted simultaneously. The recipient device uses transmission parameters received from the sender device to determine the data rate with which to transmit the acknowledgement.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a sender computing device in a multi-interface, low power and lossy network (LLN), an ability of each of two or more network interfaces of the sender device to transmit a data message and to receive an acknowledgement message;

in response to determining the ability of each of the two or more network interfaces of the sender device to transmit the data message and to receive the acknowledgement message, specifying, by the sender device, transmission parameters for a receiver computing device to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message to the sender device, wherein the transmission parameters assist the receiver device in determining which of two or more network interfaces of the receiver device to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message to the sender device, the two or more network interfaces of the receiver device corresponding to the two or more network interfaces of the sender device; and

receiving, by the sender device, the acknowledgement message from the receiver device, wherein the receiver device used the transmission parameters to determine which of the two or more network interfaces of the receiver device to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message to the sender device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the two or more network interfaces available for transmission of the data message and the acknowledgement message.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the data message by the sender device to the receiver device via one of the one or more network interfaces of the sender device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the network interface used for transmitting the acknowledgement message is different than the network interface used for transmitting the data message.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a second data message by the sender device to the receiver device, wherein the second data message is transmitted prior to receiving the acknowledgement message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a second data message by the sender device to the receiver device, wherein the second data message is transmitted simultaneously with receiving the acknowledgement message.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the transmission parameters comprise a specification of which network interface of the two or more network interfaces to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message to the sender device, and wherein the receiver device uses the specified network interface to transmit the acknowledgement message to the sender device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiver device determines which network interface of the two or more network interfaces to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message to the sender device based on the transmission parameters received by the receiver device from the sender device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the transmission parameters comprise one or more of a data rate, modulation, or a tone map of the network interfaces.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the transmission parameters for the receiver device to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message are specified in the data message transmitted by the sender device to the receiver device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the transmission parameters for the receiver device to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message are specified in a message other than the data message transmitted by the sender device to the receiver device.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more network interfaces to communicate with a low power and lossy network (LLN);

a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

identify two common network interfaces of a sender device and a receiver device that are available for transmission of a data message from the sender device to the receiver device and an acknowledgement message from the receiver device to the sender device;

determine an ability of the two network interfaces to transmit the data message and the acknowledgement message between the sender device and the receiver device;

in response to determining the ability of the two network interfaces to transmit the data message and the acknowledgement message between the sender device and the receiver device, specify by the sender device transmission parameters for the receiver device to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message, wherein the transmission parameters assist the receiver device in determining which of the two network interfaces to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message; and

receive by the sender device the acknowledgement message transmitted by the receiver device, wherein the receiver device used the transmission parameters to determine which of the two or more network interfaces to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message.

13. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the process when executed is further operable to transmit the data message by the sender device to the receiver device.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the network interface used for transmitting the acknowledgement message from the sender device to the receiver device is different than the network interface used for transmitting the data message from the receiver device to the sender device.

15. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the process when executed is further operable to transmit a second data message from the sender device to the receiver device, wherein the second data message is transmitted prior to receiving the acknowledgement message by the sender device from the receiver device.

16. The apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the process when executed is further operable to transmit a second data message from the sender device to the receiver device, wherein the second data message is transmitted simultaneously with receiving the acknowledgement message by the sender device from the receiver device.

17. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the transmission parameters comprise a specification of which network interface of the two network interfaces to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message to the sender device, and wherein the receiver device uses the specified network interface to transmit the acknowledgement message to the sender device.

18. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the receiver device determines which network interface of the two network interfaces to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message to the sender device based on the transmission parameters received by the receiver device from the sender device.

19. The apparatus as in claim 12, wherein the transmission parameters comprise one or more of a data rate, modulation, or a tone map of the network interfaces.

20. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media having software encoded thereon, the software when executed by a processor operable to:

identify two or more network interfaces in a multi-interface, low power and lossy network (LLN) available for transmission of a data message and an acknowledgement message;

determine an ability of each of two or more network interfaces to transmit the data message and the acknowledgement message;

in response to determining the ability of each of the two or more network interfaces to transmit the data message and the acknowledgement message, specify transmission parameters for a receiver device to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message, wherein the transmission parameters assist the receiver device in determining which of the two or more network interface to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message;

transmit the data message to the receiver device; and

receive the acknowledgement message, wherein the receiver device used the transmission parameters to determine which of the two or more network interfaces to use when transmitting the acknowledgement message.