Apparatus and method of minimizing delay of transmissions over a network

• US 6,735,195 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Mehta, Mehul
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): LY, ANH VU H
• Application Number:
  US09/575,266
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/356, 370/395.41, 370/492, 370/477, 370/493, 370/230.1, 710/6, 710/20, 710/25, 710/58, 709/102, 709/103
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks

Abstract

An apparatus and method of forwarding data from a sending node to a receiving node across a network first encapsulates non-time dependent data in specifically sized frames, and then transmits such encapsulated frames after frames with time dependent data are transmitted. More particularly, the data includes a set of time dependent data types and a set of non-time dependent data types. Each of the time dependent data types are specified (e.g., by their specific protocol specifications) to forward data in frames having a predefined frame size.

Claims

1. A method of forwarding data from a sending node to a receiving node across a network, the data including a set of time dependent data types and a set of non-time dependent data types, each of the set of time dependent data types specified to forward data in frames having a predefined frame size, the method comprising:

determining which data type of the set of time dependent data types has the largest predefined frame size;

encapsulating data of each of the set of non-time dependent data types in given frames having a size that is equal to the largest predefined frame size, each given frame having no more than one of the set of non-time dependent data types;

transmitting, during each of a plurality of cycles, at least one frame of data for each of the set of data types having time dependent data; and

transmitting, during each of the plurality of cycles, one given frame for each of the set of data types having the non-time dependent data, each given frame being transmitted, during each of the plurality of cycles, after at least one frame for each of the set of time dependent data types is transmitted.

2. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the set of time dependent data types ranges from one data type to a plurality of data types.

3. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the set of non-time dependent data types ranges from one data type to a plurality of data types.

4. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the set of time dependent data types includes at least one of an audio data type and a video data type.

5. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the set of time dependent data types includes G.723.1 voice data types.

6. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the set of non-time dependent data types includes fax data and modem data.

7. The method as defined by claim 6 wherein during each cycle, given frames having fax data are transmitted before given frames having modem data.

8. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein frames of time dependent data types are transmitted, during each cycle, in ascending order based upon the predefined size of frames of each such data type.

9. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein frames of time dependent data types are specified to tolerate a delay of greater than about 150 milliseconds.

10. An apparatus for forwarding data from a sending node to a receiving node across a network, the data including a set of time dependent data types and a set of non-time dependent data types, each of the set of time dependent data types specified to forward data in frames having a predetermined frame size, the apparatus comprising:

a processor that determines which data type of the set of time dependent data types has the largest predefined frame size;

a data encapsulator operatively coupled with the processor, the data encapsulator encapsulating data of each of the set of non-time dependent data types in given frames having a size that is equal to the largest predefined frame size, each given frame having no more than one of the set of non-time dependent data types;

an output module operatively coupled with the data encapsulator, the output module transmitting, during each of a plurality of cycles, at least one frame of data for each of the set of data types having time dependent data,

the output module transmitting, during each of the plurality of cycles, one given frame for each of the set of data types having the non-time dependent data,

each given frame being transmitted, during each of the plurality of cycles, after at least one frame for each of the set of time dependent data types is transmitted.

11. The apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the set of time dependent data types ranges from one data type to a plurality of data types.

12. The apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the set of non-time dependent data types ranges from one data type to a plurality of data types.

13. The apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the set of time dependent data types includes at least one of an audio data type and a video data type.

14. The apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the set of time dependent data types includes G.723.1 voice data types.

15. The apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the set of non-time dependent data types includes fax data and modem data.

16. The apparatus as defined by claim 15 wherein during each cycle, given frames having fax data are transmitted before given frames having modem data.

17. The apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein the output module transmits frames of time dependent data types, during each cycle, in ascending order based upon the predefined size of frames of each such data type.

18. The apparatus as defined by claim 10 wherein non-time dependent data types are specified to tolerate a delay of greater than about 150 milliseconds.

19. A computer program product for use on a computer system for forwarding data from a sending node to a receiving node across a network, the data including a set of time dependent data types and a set of non-time dependent data types, each of the set of time dependent data types specified to forward data in frames having a predefined frame size, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for determining which data type of the set of time dependent data types has the largest predefined frame size;

program code for encapsulating data of each of the set of non-time dependent data types in given frames having a size that is equal to the largest predefined frame size, each given frame having no more than one of the set of non-time dependent data types;

program code for transmitting, during each of a plurality of cycles, at least one frame of data for each of the set of data types having time dependent data; and

program code for transmitting, during each of the plurality of cycles, one given frame for each of the set of data types having the non-time dependent data, each given frame being transmitted, during each of the plurality of cycles, after at least one frame for each of the set of time dependent data types is transmitted.

20. The computer program product as defined by claim 19 wherein the set of time dependent data types ranges from one data type to a plurality of data types.

21. The computer program product as defined by claim 19 wherein the set of non-time dependent data types ranges from one data type to a plurality of data types.

22. The computer program product as defined by claim 19 wherein the set of time dependent data types includes at least one of an audio data type and a video data type.

23. The computer program product as defined by claim 19 wherein the set of time dependent data types includes G.723.2 voice data types.

24. The computer program product as defined by claim 19 wherein the set of non-time dependent data types includes fax data and modem data.

25. The computer program product as defined by claim 24 wherein during each cycle, the program code for transmitting one given frame includes program code for transmitting given frames having fax data before given frames having modem data.

26. The computer program product as defined by claim 19 further comprising program code for transmitting frames of time dependent data types, during each cycle, in ascending order based upon the predefined size of frames of each such data type.

27. The computer program product as defined by claim 19 wherein non-time dependent data types are specified to tolerate a delay of greater than about 150 milliseconds.

28. A method of transmitting data of a plurality of different data types from a sender to a receiver across a network, the method comprising:

determining if the data includes at least one time dependent data type and at least one non-time dependent data type;

if it is determined that the data includes at least one time dependent data type and at least one non-time dependent data type, then determining which of the at least one time dependent data types is specified to have the largest predefined frame size;

encapsulating the data of the at least one non-time dependent data types in given frames having a size that is equal to the largest predefined size, each given frame having data of no more than one data type; and

transmitting, during each of a plurality of cycles, at least one frame of each data type, at least one frame for each of the at least one time dependent data types being transmitted before any of the given frames are transmitted.

29. The method as defined by claim 28 wherein the at least one time dependent data type includes at least one of an audio data type and a video data type.

30. The method as defined by claim 28 wherein the at least one time dependent data type includes G.723.1 voice data types.

31. The method as defined by claim 28 wherein the at least one non-time dependent data type includes fax data and modem data.

32. The method as defined by claim 31 wherein during each cycle, given frames having fax data are transmitted before given frames having modem data.

33. The method as defined by claim 28 wherein frames of time dependent data types are transmitted, during each cycle, in ascending order based upon the predefined size of frames of each such data type.

34. A apparatus for transmitting data of a plurality of different data types from a sender to a receiver across a network, the apparatus comprising:

a processor for determining if the data includes at least one time dependent data type and at least one non-time dependent data type,

if it is determined that the data includes at least one time dependent data type and at least one non-time dependent data type, then the processor determines which of the at least one time dependent data types is specified to have the largest predefined frame size;

a data encapsulator operatively coupled with the processor, the data encapsulator encapsulating the data of the at least one non-time dependent data types in given frames having a size that is equal to the largest predefined size, each given frame having data of no more than one data type; and

an output module operatively coupled with the data encapsulator, the output module transmitting, during each of a plurality of cycles, at least one frame of each data type, at least one frame for each of the at least one time dependent data types being transmitted before any of the given frames are transmitted.

35. The apparatus as defined by claim 34 wherein the at least one time dependent data type includes at least one of an audio data type and a video data type.

36. The apparatus as defined by claim 34 wherein the at least one time dependent data type includes G.723.1 voice data types.

37. The apparatus as defined by claim 34 wherein the at least one non-time dependant data type includes fax data and modem data.

38. The apparatus as defined by claim 37 wherein during each cycle, the output module transmits given frames having fax data before transmitting given frames having modem data.

39. The apparatus as defined by claim 34 wherein the output module transmits frames of time dependent data types, during each cycle, in ascending order based upon the predefined size of frames of each such data type.

40. A computer program product for use on a computer system for transmitting data of a plurality of different data types from a sender to a receiver across a network, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for determining if the data includes at least one time dependent data type and at least one non-time dependent data type;

program code for determining which of the at least one time dependent data types is specified to have the largest predefined frame size if it is determined that the data includes at least one time dependent data type and at least one non-time dependent data type;

program code for encapsulating the data of the at least one non-time dependent data types in given frames having a size that is equal to the largest predefined size, each given frame having data of no more than one data type; and

program code for transmitting, during each of a plurality of cycles, at least one frame of each data type, at least one frame for each of the at least one time dependent data types being transmitted before any of given frames are transmitted.

41. The computer program product as defined by claim 40 wherein the at least one time dependent data type includes at least one of an audio data type and a video data type.

42. The computer program product as defined by claim 40 wherein the at least one time dependent data type includes G.723.1 voice data types.

43. The computer program product as defined by claim 40 wherein the at least one non-time dependent data type includes fax data and modem data.

44. The computer program product as defined by claim 43 further comprising program code for transmitting, during each cycle, given frames having fax data before transmitting given frames having modem data.

45. The computer program product as defined by claim 40 further comprising transmitting frames of time dependent data types, during each cycle, in ascending order based upon the predefined size of frames of each such data type.

46. A method of forwarding data from a sending node to a receiving node across a network, the data including a set of time dependent data types and a set of non-time dependent data types, each of the set of time dependent data types specified to forward data in frames having a predefined frame size, the method comprising:

determining which data type of the set of time dependent data types has the largest predefined frame size;

encapsulating data of each of the set of non-time dependent data types in given frames having a size that is equal to the largest predefined frame size, each given frame having no more than one of the set of non-time dependent data types;

transmitting across the network, during each of a plurality of cycles, at least one frame of data for each of the set of data types having time dependent data;

transmitting, during each of the plurality of cycles, one given frame for each of the set of data types having the non-time dependent data, each given frame being transmitted, during each of the plurality of cycles, after at least one frame for each of the set of time dependent data types is transmitted;

receiving the frames during each cycle; and

reconstructing the data from the received frames.

47. The method as defined by claim 46 wherein the frames are received in a jitter buffer.