Dynamically delayed acknowledgement transmission system

• US 6,622,172 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2000
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kent Ridge Digital Labs
• Original Assignee: Kent Ridge Digital Labs
• Inventors: Tam, Ming-Chit
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US09/489,154
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 709/235, 709/238, 709/237, 709/234, 709/233, 709/232, 709/231, 370/230, 370/232, 370/229
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1635 Cumulative acknowledgement, i.e. the acknowledgement message applying to all previous messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1664 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with payload signals; piggybacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1678 where the control information is for timing, e.g. time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1806 Go-back-N protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1832 Details of sliding window management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/187 Details of sliding window management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0092 Error control systems characterised by the topology of the transmission link

Abstract

Conventional approaches or communications systems for data communications in an asymmetric network connection are disclosed. These approaches or systems relate to the problems posed by the difference in bandwidth between the downstream and upstream channels in the asymmetric network connection. In accordance with the invention, a method, a computer product and a communications system in relation to data communications in an asymmetric network connection are disclosed. The data communications is in accordance with a communications protocol wherein a receiver transmits acknowledgement packets for acknowledging data packets transmitted by a sender. The invention includes the step of measuring the interval between the transmission of data from one of the receiver and sender and the reception of a response thereto by the one of the receiver and sender. Additionally, the invention includes the step determining a window size indicative of the maximum number of the data packets transmittable by the sender for a duration absent any reception of the acknowledgement packets by the sender for the duration in accordance with the communications protocol, wherein the window size is determined using the measured interval. Further, the invention includes the step of regulating the frequency of transmission of the acknowledgement packets from the receiver, the regulation dependent on the determined window size.

Claims

1. A method of data communications in an asymmetric network connection according to a communications protocol wherein a receiver transmits acknowledgment packets for acknowledging data packets transmitted by a sender, said method including the steps of:

measuring the interval between the transmission of data from one of said receiver and sender and the reception of a response thereto by said one of said receiver and sender;

determining a window size indicative of the maximum number of said data packets transmittable by said sender for a duration absent any reception of said acknowledgment packets by said sender for said duration in accordance with said communications protocol, wherein said window size is determined using said measured interval; and

regulating the frequency of transmission of said acknowledgment packets from said receiver, said regulation dependent on said determined window size;

wherein

said measuring step includes measuring said interval periodically;

said determining step further includes counting the number of data packets arriving at said receiver for the duration of the last said measured interval and assigning said count to said window size; and

counting the number of data packets further includes analyzing the arrival pattern of said data packets wherein said arrival pattern is indicative of the congestion condition of said asymmetric network connection; and

further including the step of

computing the number of said data packets receivable by said receiver whereupon the transmission of an acknowledgment packet therefor is conditional, wherein said number is represented by a variable known as PPA.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said computing step includes computing said PPA using said determined window size and a preset number represented by a variable known as N indicative of the minimum number of acknowledgement packets transmittable by said receiver for the duration of said measured interval.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein said computing step includes computing said PPA by assigning said PPA the integer value of a value which is directly proportional to said determined window size factorized by the inverse of said N.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein said regulating step includes transmitting one acknowledgement packet for acknowledging a number of said data packets arriving at said receiver, said number being dependent on said analyzed arrival pattern indicative of said congestion condition and determined by scaling said PPA value.

5. A computer program product for data communications in an asymmetric network connection according to a communications protocol, including:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing data communications wherein a receiver transmits acknowledgments for acknowledging data packets transmitted by a sender, said computer program product having;

computer readable program code means for measuring the interval between the transmission of data from one of said receiver and sender and the reception of a response thereto by said one of said receiver and sender;

computer readable program code means for determining a window size indicative of the maximum number of said data packets transmittable by said sender for a duration absent any reception of said acknowledgment packets by said sender for said duration in accordance with said communications protocol, wherein said window size is determined using said measured interval; and

computer readable program code means for regulating the frequency of transmission of said acknowledgment packets from said receiver, said regulation dependent on said determined window size;

wherein

said computer readable program code means for measuring includes means for measuring said interval periodically;

said computer readable program code means for determining further includes means for counting the number of data packets arriving at said receiver for the duration of the last said measured interval and assigning said count to said window size; and

said means for counting further includes means for analyzing the arrival pattern of said data packets wherein said arrival pattern is indicative of the congestion condition of said asymmetric network connection; and

further including computer readable program code means for computing the number of said data packets receivable by said receiver whereupon the transmission of an acknowledgment packet therefor is conditional, wherein said number is represented by a variable known as PPA.

6. The computer program product according to claim 5, wherein said computer readable program code means for computing further includes means for computing said PPA using said determined window size and a preset number represented by a variable known as N indicative of the minimum number of acknowledgement packets transmittable by said receiver for the duration of said measured interval.

7. The computer program product according to claim 6, wherein said computer readable program code means for computing includes means for computing said PPA by assigning said PPA the integer value of a value which is directly proportional to said determined window size factorized by the inverse of said N.

8. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein said computer readable program code means for regulating further includes means for transmitting one acknowledgement packet for acknowledging a number of said data packets arriving at said receiver, said number being dependent on said analyzed arrival pattern indicative of said congestion condition and determined by scaling said PPA value.

9. A communications system in an asymmetric network connection according to a communications protocol wherein a receiver transmits acknowledgment packets for acknowledging data packets transmitted by a sender, said communications system including:

a timer for measuring the interval between the transmission of data from one of said receiver and sender and the reception of a response thereto by said one of said receiver and sender;

a counter for determining a window size indicative of the maximum number of said data packets transmittable by said sender for a duration absent any reception of said acknowledgment packets by said sender for said duration in accordance with said communications protocol, wherein said window size is determined using said measured interval; and

a generator for regulating the frequency of transmission of said acknowledgment packets from said receiver, said regulation dependent on said determined window size;

wherein

said timer further measures said interval periodically;

said counter further counts the number of data packets arriving at said receiver for the duration of the last said measured interval and assigning said count to said window size; and

said counter further analyzes the arrival pattern of said data packets wherein said arrival pattern is indicative of the congestion condition of said asymmetric network connection; and

further including

a computation means for computing the number of said data packets receivable by said receiver whereupon the transmission of an acknowledgment packet therefor is conditional, wherein said number is represented by a variable known as PPA.

10. The communications system as in claim 9, wherein said computation means computes said PPA using said determined window size and a preset number represented by a variable known as N indicative of the minimum number of acknowledgement packets transmittable by said receiver for the duration of said measured interval.

11. The communications system as in claim 10, wherein said computation means step computes said PPA by assigning said PPA the integer value of a value which is directly proportional to said determined window size factorized by the inverse of said N.

12. The communications system as in claim 11, wherein said regulator transmits one acknowledgement packet for acknowledging a number of said data packets arriving at said receiver, said number being dependent on said analyzed arrival pattern indicative of said congestion condition and determined by scaling said PPA value.