Channel Bonding Synchronization

• US 20160119069A1
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Published: 04/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mamidwar, Rajesh, Chen, Xuemin, Hou, Victor, Zhou, Guangcai
• Granted Patent: US 10,079,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/062 Synchronisation of signals having the same nominal but fluctuating bit rates, e.g. using buffers pulse-stuffing H04J3/07; asynchronous-synchronous conversion H04L5/24; speed conversion H04L25/05; speed conversion in computers G06F5/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2863 Arrangements for combining access network resources elements, e.g. channel bonding modem pooling H04L25/14; routing of packets H04L45/00; multichannel or multilink protocols H04L69/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23655 Statistical multiplexing, e.g. by controlling the encoder to alter its bitrate to optimize the bandwidth utilization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Different data communication architectures deliver a wide variety of content, including audio and video content, to consumers. The architectures employ channel bonding to deliver more bandwidth than any single communication channel can carry. In some implementations, the communication architectures distribute data streams to bonded channels that are clocked independently. A system is provided for synchronizing the bonded channels.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an input interface;

output interfaces to communication channels; and

at least one buffer;

a processor in communication with the input interface and the output interfaces, the processor being configured to;

obtain source data from the input interface;

distribute the source data through the at least one buffer across the communication channels in a bonded channel group; and

monitor and adjust synchronization of the communication channels based on a fullness of the at least one buffer.

2. The system of claim 1, the processor being configured to monitor fullness of the at least one buffer and adjust an amount of data to distributed to each communication channel.

3. The system of claim 1, the processor being configured to assign the source data into communication units, distribute the communication units to the communication channels, monitor fullness of the at least one buffer, and adjust a number of the communication units to distribute to a communication channel based on the fullness of the at least one buffer.

4. The system of claim 1, the processor being configured to assign the source data into communication units, distribute the communication units to the communication channels, monitor fullness of the at least one buffer, and adjust a size of the communication units to distribute to a communication channel based on the fullness of the at least one buffer.

5. The system of claim 1, the processor being configured to monitor fullness of the at least one buffer and adjust a clock speed of a communication channel based on the fullness of the at least one buffer.

6. The system of claim 1, the processor being configured to monitor fullness of the at least one buffer and adjust an amount of data to distribute to a communication channel and a clock speed of the communication channel based on the fullness of the at least one buffer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive a feedback signal from a receiving device and control an amount of data to distribute to a communication channel or a clock speed of the communication channel based on the fullness of the at least one buffer.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to assign the source data to communication units, distribute the communication units to the communication channels, and adjust a size of the communication units or a number of communication units to distribute to a communication channel based on the feedback signal.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured synchronize a first clock of a first channel to a second clock of a second channel.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to distribute the data in a round-robin manner across the bonded channel group.

11. A method comprising:

obtaining a packet stream;

dividing the packet stream into communication units;

distributing the communication units across communication channels of a bonded channel group;

monitoring fullness of a buffer; and

adjusting synchronization of the communication channels based on the fullness of the buffer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting a number of the communication units to distribute to a communication channel based on the fullness of the buffer.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting a size of the communication units to distribute to a communication channel based on the fullness of the buffer.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising adjusting a clock speed of a communication channel based on the fullness of the buffer.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a feedback signal from a receiving device and controlling an amount of data to distributed to a communication channel or a clock speed of the communication channel based on the fullness of the buffer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting a size of the communication units or a number of communication units to distribute to a communication channel based on the feedback signal.

17. A system comprising:

program input sources;

a statistical multiplexer connected to the program input sources, the statistical multiplexer comprising a source transport stream output configured to carry a program packet stream of program packets obtained from the program input sources;

a distributor in communication with the statistical multiplexer, the distributor configured to;

read bonding configuration parameters that identify a bonded channel group of communication channels among a set of available communication channels;

break the packet stream into individual program packets;

distribute the individual program packets across the bonded channel group; and

monitor and adjust synchronization of the communication channels.

18. The system of claim 17, the distributor being configured to monitor a fullness of a buffer and adjust a size or number of the program packets to distribute to a communication channel based on the fullness of the buffer.

19. The system of claim 17, the distributor being configured to receive feedback from a receiving device and adjust a size or number of the program packets to distribute to a communication channel based on the feedback from the receiving device.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising the distributor being configured to monitor fullness of a buffer and adjust a clock speed of a communication channel based on the fullness of the buffer.