AVAILABLE BANDWIDTH SEARCH RANGE CONTROL METHOD AND AVAILABLE BANDWIDTH SEARCH RANGE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20150036534A1
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Oshiba, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 9,521,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/253
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0262 Arrangements for detecting the data rate of an incoming signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A first terminal 1000 includes: a local terminal transmission rate acquisition unit 100 for acquiring a transmission rate of an application in the first terminal 1000; a search range control unit 110 for deciding an upper limit of a search range of an available bandwidth of a communication line, using the transmission rate; and a probe packet transmission unit 120 for transmitting a probe packet to a second terminal 2000 in a bandwidth less than or equal to the upper limit. The second terminal 2000 includes: a probe packet receiving unit 200 for receiving the probe packet; and an available bandwidth estimation unit 210 for estimating the available bandwidth based on the received probe packet.

Claims

1. An available bandwidth search range control method comprising:

acquiring a transmission rate of an application in a local terminal;

deciding an upper limit of a search range of an available bandwidth of a communication line, using the transmission rate; and

estimating the available bandwidth in the search range less than or equal to the upper limit.

2. The available bandwidth search range control method according to claim 1, comprising

setting a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the local terminal from a link speed of the local terminal, as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

3. The available bandwidth search range control method according to claim 1, comprising:

acquiring a reception rate of an application in a remote terminal; and

comparing a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the local terminal from a link speed of the local terminal with a value obtained by subtracting the reception rate of the application in the remote terminal from a link speed of the remote terminal, and setting a smaller one of the values as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

4. The available bandwidth search range control method according to claim 1, comprising:

acquiring a reception rate of the application in the local terminal;

determining whether communication in a section of an access line of the local terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication; and

setting, in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the local terminal is determined as half-duplex communication, a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the local terminal and the reception rate of the application in the local terminal from a link speed of the local terminal, as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

5. The available bandwidth search range control method according to claim 1, comprising:

acquiring a reception rate of the application in the local terminal;

determining whether communication in a section of an access line of the local terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication;

acquiring a reception rate of an application in a remote terminal and a link speed of the remote terminal;

acquiring a transmission rate of the application in the remote terminal;

determining whether communication in a section of an access line of the remote terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication; and

comparing, in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the local terminal is determined as half-duplex communication and the communication in the section of the access line of the remote terminal is determined as half-duplex communication, a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the local terminal and the reception rate of the application in the local terminal from a link speed of the local terminal and a value obtained by subtracting the reception rate of the application in the remote terminal and the transmission rate of the application in the remote terminal from the link speed of the remote terminal, and setting a smaller one of the values as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

6. The available bandwidth search range control method according to claim 1, comprising:

acquiring a reception rate of the application in the local terminal;

determining whether communication in a section of an access line of the local terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication;

acquiring a reception rate of an application in a remote terminal and a link speed of the remote terminal;

determining whether communication in a section of an access line of the remote terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication; and

comparing, in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the local terminal is determined as half-duplex communication and the communication in the section of the access line of the remote terminal is determined as full-duplex communication, a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the local terminal and the reception rate of the application in the local terminal from a link speed of the local terminal with a value obtained by subtracting the reception rate of the application in the remote terminal from the link speed of the remote terminal, and setting a smaller one of the values as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

7. The available bandwidth search range control method according to claim 1, comprising:

determining whether communication in a section of an access line of the local terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication;

acquiring a reception rate of an application in a remote terminal and a link speed of the remote terminal;

acquiring a transmission rate of the application in the remote terminal;

determining whether communication in a section of an access line of the remote terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication; and

comparing, in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the local terminal is determined as full-duplex communication and the communication in the section of the access line of the remote terminal is determined as half-duplex communication, a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the local terminal from a link speed of the local terminal with a value obtained by subtracting the reception rate of the application in the remote terminal and the transmission rate of the application in the remote terminal from the link speed of the remote terminal, and setting a smaller one of the values as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

8. An available bandwidth search range control system comprising a first terminal and a second terminal that are connected to a network,

wherein the first terminal comprises:

a local terminal transmission rate acquisition unit which acquires a transmission rate of an application in the first terminal;

a search range control unit which decides an upper limit of a search range of an available bandwidth of a communication line, using the transmission rate; and

a probe packet transmission unit which transmits a probe packet to the second terminal in a bandwidth less than or equal to the upper limit, and

wherein the second terminal comprises;

a probe packet receiving unit which receives the probe packet; and

an available bandwidth estimation unit which estimates the available bandwidth based on the received probe packet.

9. The available bandwidth search range control system according to claim 8, wherein the search range control unit sets a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the first terminal from a link speed of the first terminal, as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

10. The available bandwidth search range control system according to claim 8, wherein the second terminal further comprises:

a terminal reception rate notification unit which notifies the first terminal of a reception rate of an application in the second terminal and a link speed of the second terminal,

wherein the first terminal further comprises;

a remote terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires the reception rate of the application in the second terminal and the link speed of the second terminal, and

wherein the search range control unit compares a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the first terminal from a link speed of the first terminal with a value obtained by subtracting the reception rate of the application in the second terminal from the link speed of the second terminal, and sets a smaller one of the values as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

11. The available bandwidth search range control system according to claim 8, wherein the first terminal further comprises:

a local terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires a reception rate of the application and a link speed in the first terminal; and

a full-duplex/half-duplex determination unit which determines whether communication in a section of an access line of the first terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication, and

wherein in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the first terminal is determined as half-duplex communication, the search range control unit sets a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the first terminal and the reception rate of the application in the first terminal from a link speed of the first terminal, as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

12. The available bandwidth search range control system according to claim 8, wherein the second terminal further comprises:

a terminal reception rate notification unit which notifies the first terminal of a reception rate of an application in the second terminal and a link speed of the second terminal; and

a terminal transmission rate notification unit which notifies the first terminal of a transmission rate of the application in the second terminal,

wherein the first terminal further comprises;

a remote terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires the reception rate of the application in the second terminal and the link speed of the second terminal;

a remote terminal transmission rate acquisition unit which acquires a transmission rate of the application in the second terminal;

a local terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires a reception rate of an application in the first terminal and a link speed of the first terminal; and

a full-duplex/half-duplex determination unit which determines whether communication in a section of an access line of the first terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication, and

wherein in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the first terminal is determined as half-duplex communication and the communication in the section of the access line of the second terminal is determined as full-duplex communication, the search range control unit compares a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the first terminal and the reception rate of the application in the first terminal from a link speed of the first terminal with a value obtained by subtracting the reception rate of the application in the second terminal and the transmission rate of the application in the second terminal from the link speed of the second terminal, and sets a smaller one of the values as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

13. The available bandwidth search range control system according to claim 8, wherein the second terminal further comprises:

a terminal reception rate notification unit which notifies the first terminal of a reception rate of an application in the second terminal and a link speed of the second terminal,

wherein the first terminal further comprises;

a remote terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires the reception rate of the application in the second terminal and the link speed of the second terminal;

a local terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires a reception rate of an application in the first terminal and a link speed of the first terminal; and

a full-duplex/half-duplex determination unit which determines whether communication in a section of an access line of the first terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication, and

wherein in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the first terminal is determined as half-duplex communication and the communication in the section of the access line of the second terminal is determined as full-duplex communication, the search range control unit compares a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the first terminal and the reception rate of the application in the first terminal from a link speed of the first terminal with a value obtained by subtracting the reception rate of the application in the second terminal from the link speed of the second terminal, and sets a smaller one of the values as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

14. The available bandwidth search range control system according to claim 8, wherein the second terminal further comprises:

a terminal reception rate notification unit which notifies the first terminal of a reception rate of an application in the second terminal and a link speed of the second terminal;

a terminal transmission rate notification unit which notifies the first terminal of a transmission rate of the application in the second terminal; and

a full-duplex/half-duplex determination unit which determines whether communication in a section of an access line of the second terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication,

wherein the first terminal further comprises;

a remote terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires the reception rate of the application in the second terminal and the link speed of the second terminal;

a remote terminal transmission rate acquisition unit which acquires a transmission rate of the application in the second terminal;

a local terminal reception rate acquisition unit which acquires a reception rate of an application in the first terminal and a link speed of the first terminal; and

a full-duplex/half-duplex determination unit which determines whether communication in a section of an access line of the first terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication, and determines whether communication in a section of an access line of the second terminal is full-duplex communication or half-duplex communication, and

wherein in the case where the communication in the section of the access line of the first terminal is determined as full-duplex communication and the communication in the section of the access line of the second terminal is determined as half-duplex communication, the search range control unit compares a value obtained by subtracting the transmission rate of the application in the first terminal from a link speed of the first terminal with a value obtained by subtracting the reception rate of the application in the second terminal and the transmission rate of the application in the second terminal from the link speed of the second terminal, and sets a smaller one of the values as the upper limit of the search range of the available bandwidth.

15. An available bandwidth search range control system comprising a first terminal and a second terminal that are connected to a network,

wherein the first terminal comprises:

local terminal transmission rate acquisition means for acquiring a transmission rate of an application in the first terminal;

search range control means for deciding an upper limit of a search range of an available bandwidth of a communication line, using the transmission rate; and

probe packet transmission means for transmitting a probe packet to the second terminal in a bandwidth less than or equal to the upper limit, and

wherein the second terminal comprises;

probe packet receiving means for receiving the probe packet; and

available bandwidth estimation means for estimating the available bandwidth based on the received probe packet.