Hybrid access system employing data acknowledgement suppression

• US 6,862,264 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1996
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hybrid Patents Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hybrid Networks, Inc. (Iowave, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moura, Eduardo J., Gronski, Jan Maksvmilam
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US08/697,080
• Time in Patent Office: 3,115 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/231, 370/235, 370/236, 370/280, 370/282, 370/285, 370/389, 370/394, 370/401, 370/402, 370/412, 370/413, 370/428, 370/431, 370/463, 370/473
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18584 Arrangements for data networking, i.e. for data packet routing, for congestion control data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/81 combined with telephone network over which the broadcast is continuously available
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1682 Allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users, e.g. concentrated multiplexers, statistical multiplexers
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1694 Allocation of channels in TDM/TDMA networks, e.g. distributed multiplexers Passive Optical Networks H04Q11/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 : involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 : Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/266 : Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 : Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 : Control of the passage of the selected programme
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/911 : Bridge, e.g. brouter, bus extender

Abstract

A hybrid access system and method using a hybrid access system point of presence router and a remote link adapter to connect a user computer terminal to a network for fast downstream information transfer by high speed information broadcasting with lower speed upstream information transfer through an independent upstream channel to the hybrid access system point of presence router. High speed downstream information transfer passes through a cable TV headend or a TV transmitter or a cell station.

Claims

1. A method of improving data transmitting efficiency of a communication network that conveys acknowledgment packets and payload packets broadcast facility for controlling switching/routing functions in both said downstream and upstream communication channels, a method of transmitting data from a transmitter node of said network to a receiver node of said network, said method comprising:

transmitting a series of data packets from said transmitter node to said receiver node wherein respective ones of said data packets include sequence numbers indicative of a succession of data packets transmitted from said transmitter node,

generating acknowledgment packets that contain information indicative of successive ones of data packets successfully received at said receiver node, and

suppressing the return transmission of at least a portion of said acknowledgment packets from said receiver node to said transmitter node wherein at least one unsuppressed acknowledgment packet that is transmitted to said transmitter node has a sequence number embracing sequence numbers contained in suppressed ones of said acknowledgments.

2. In a two way asymmetric network communication system for transferring information between a server and a plurality of remote clients over a shared medium and wherein said remote clients include remote interfaces for receiving high speed downstream information from said server over said shared medium and for transmitting lower speed return information over an upstream channel, and wherein said network communication system includes a network management unit located at a headend of a broadcast facility for controlling switching/routing functions for both said downstream and upstream communication channels,

a method of transmitting data from an upstream transmit queue of an upstream transmitter node to a selected receiver node located at a receiving end of said network, said method comprising:

transmitting selected amounts of packet data from a transmit queue in said transmitter node to said receiver node wherein said receiver node includes a transmit queue for transmitting acknowledgments to a transmitter node,

generating acknowledgments of sequences of data packets received by said receiver node, said acknowledgments being indicative of the highest sequence number of successfully received data packets,

eliminating from the transmit queue of the receiver node acknowledgments which are embraced by other acknowledgments in the transmit queue of said receiver node, and

filling open transmit queue spaces with additional packet data.

3. In a two way asymmetric network communication system for transferring information between a host and a plurality of remote clients over a shared medium and wherein each of said remote clients includes interfaces for receiving high speed downstream information from said host server over said shared medium and for transmitting lower speed return information over an upstream channel and wherein said network communication system includes a network management unit located at a headend of a central information distribution facility for managing switching/routing functions of both said downstream and upstream communication channels,

a method of reducing upstream data transmission, the method comprising:

at a receiver node having a transmit queue,

(a) receiving a data packet from an upstream transmitter;

(b) generating an acknowledge packet indicating receipt of all data packets in a sequence of packets up to and including said received data packet;

(c) inserting said acknowledge packet into said transmit queue; and

(d) removing from said transmit queue acknowledge packets that indicate a sequence of receive packets which is embraced by other acknowledgment packets in said transmit queue.

4. The method as in claim 3 further comprising

(e) filling open transmit queue spaces with additional data packets.

5. The method as in claim 3 wherein said received data packet is one of a plurality of data packets which comprise a stream of data items, wherein each data packet includes a consecutive sequence of some of said data items and wherein each data packet contains an indication of the last data item of said stream of data items which said data packet contains.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein said indication associated with each data packet is contained in a header for that data packet.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein said generating comprises:

obtaining the header from said received data packet, and wherein said removing redundant acknowledge packets comprises;

analyzing the header of the received data packet with headers of other data packets in the transmit queue to determine overlap acknowledgments of received packets.

8. A method as in claim 6 wherein said header is a TCP header.

9. In an asymmetric network communication system that includes a host computer, plural remote devices and a shared medium for conveying data among said host computer and said plural remote devices, said system including a network management unit centrally located at a data distribution facility for enabling said host computer to transmit data packets to said plural remote devices over a downstream channel that lies in said shared medium in accordance with a downstream channel protocol and for enabling said plural remote devices to transmit data packets to said host computer over plural upstream channels in accordance with an upstream channel protocol,

a method of transmitting data packets from a transmit queue at a transmitting end of the system to a selected receiver node located at a receiving end of the system, wherein said data packets include identifying indicia for uniquely identifying respective ones of said data packets and said receiver node including a return-transmit queue for returning to said transmitting end acknowledgment packets that specify sequences of data packets successfully received by said receiver node, said method comprising:

transmitting sequences of data packets from said transmit queue to said receiver node;

generating and queuing in said return-transmit queue of said receiver node acknowledgments of sequences of data packets successfully received by said receiver node;

eliminating from said return-transmit queue acknowledgments that contain information indicative of information inclusive of other acknowledgments in said return-transmit queue; and

filling with additional data packets open transmit queue spaces formed in said return-transmit queue by said step of eliminating.

10. The method as in claim 9 wherein

said downstream channel comprises a channel within a wireless broadcast network;

and

said upstream channels comprises a selected one of a wireless return network, a telephone network and a router return network that operates at lower speeds than said downstream channel.

11. An asymmetric communication system for enabling communication between a host computer and plural remote clients over a shared medium, said system comprising:

upstream and downstream channels that operate at one of different respective speeds and under different protocols;

said plural remote clients being in communication with the host computer over said shared medium wherein said host computer transmits data packets via a transmit queue to said plural remote clients over said downstream channel according to a downstream channel protocol and said plural remote clients transmit data packets to said host computer over said upstream channels according to upstream channel protocols; and

a system manager located at a central data distribution facility for managing both said upstream and downstream channels, said system manager being operable;

for effectuating transmission of data packets from said transmit queue at a transmitting end of the system to a selected receiver node located at a receiving end of the system, wherein said data packets include indicia for uniquely identifying respective data packets, and wherein said receiver node includes a return-transmit queue for holding acknowledgment packets for transmission to said transmitting end, said acknowledgment packets identifying data packets successfully received by said receiver node,

for effectuating generation and queuing in said return-transmit queue acknowledgments of data packets successfully received by said receiver node,

for effectuating elimination from the return-transmit queue data packets acknowledgments that contain information indicative of information contained in other data packets acknowledgments in said return-transmit queue, and

for effectuating filling open return-transmit queue spaces with additional data packets.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein said shared medium of said downstream channel comprises one of a wireless broadcast network, a direct broadcast satellite network and a CATV network, and said upstream channel comprises one of a wireless return network, a PSTN, a return-on-cable network and a router return network.

13. A packet delivery system comprising:

at least one server;

upstream and downstream channels wherein said downstream channel includes a shared medium;

a plurality of remote devices in communication with said at least one server over the shared medium, wherein said at least one server transmits packets to said plural remote devices over said downstream channel according to a high-speed downstream channel protocol and said plural remote devices transmit packets to said at least one server over said upstream channels according to a lower-speed upstream channel protocol; and

a network manager located at a central facility for managing both said upstream and downstream channels in order

for effectuating transmission of data packets from a transmit queue at a transmitting end of the system to a selected receiver node located at a receiving end of the system, wherein said data packets include indicia for uniquely identifying respective data packets and wherein said receiver node includes a return-transmit queue for returning to said transmitting end acknowledgment packets that identify successfully received data packets, said network manager further being operable

for effectuating transmission of selected data packets from the transmit queue to said receiver node,

for effectuating generation of acknowledgments of data packets successfully received by said receiver node,

for queuing in said return-transmit queue said generated acknowledgments,

for effectuating elimination from the return-transmit queue of the receiver node data packet acknowledgments that contain information indicative of information contained in other data packets acknowledgments in said return-transmit queue, and

for effectuating filling open spaces in said return-transmit queue with additional data packets.

14. A method of improving date transmitting efficiency in a communication link In which acknowledgment packets and payload packets are conveyed to a first node from a second node of said link wherein said acknowledgment packets include information indicative of a sequence of successive payload packets successfully received at said first node, said method comprising:

transmitting a succession of payload packets from said second node to said first node,

generating acknowledgment packets at said first node that indicate a succession of payload packets successfully received at said first node, and

suppressing the return transmission of at least a portion of said acknowledgment packets generated in said generating step from said first node to said second node wherein at least one unsuppressed acknowledgment packet that is transmitted to said second node has a sequence number embracing a sequence number contained in suppressed ones of said acknowledgment packets.

19. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said downstream channel resides in said shared medium, and wherein said shared medium comprises one of a wireless broadcast network, a direct broadcast satellite network and a CATV network, and said upstream channel resides in one of a wireless return network, a PSTN, a return-on-cable network and a router return network.

15. In a two way asymmetric network communication system that transfers information between a host and a plurality of remote devices over a shared medium wherein said remote devices receive high speed downstream information from said host over a downstream channel of said shared medium and transmit lower speed return information over an upstream channel to said host, and wherein said network communication system includes a network management unit located at a head end of a broadcast facility for controlling switching/routing functions in both said downstream and upstream communication channels, a method of transmitting data from a transmitter node of said network to a receiver node of said network, said method comprising:

transmitting a series of data packets from said transmitter node to said receiver node wherein respective ones of said data packets include sequence numbers indicative of a succession of data packets transmitted from said transmitter node,

generating acknowledgment packets that contain information indicative of successive ones of data packets successfully received at said receiver node, and

suppressing the return transmission of at least a portion of said acknowledgment packets from said receiver node to said transmitter node wherein at least one unsuppressed acknowledgment packet that is transmitted to said transmitter node has a sequence number embracing sequence numbers contained in suppressed ones of said acknowledgments.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein said downstream channel resides in said shared medium, and wherein said shared medium comprises one of a wireless broadcast network, a direct broadcast satellite network and a CATV network, and said upstream channel resides in one of a wireless return network, a PSTN, a return-on-cable network and a router return network.

16. An asymmetric communication system for enabling communication between a host computer and plural remote clients over a shared medium, said system comprising:

upstream and downstream channels that operate at one of different respective speeds and different protocols;

said plural remote clients being operable for communication with the host computer over said shared medium wherein said host computer transmits data packets to said plural remote clients over said downstream channel according to a downstream channel protocol and said plural remote clients transmit data packets to said host computer over an upstream channel according to an upstream channel protocol; and

a network manager located at a head end facility for managing both said upstream and downstream channels, said network manager being operable;

for reffectuating generation acknowledgment packet of data packets successfully received by said receiver node,

for effectuating transmission of data packets from a transmitting end of the network to a receiver node located at a receiving end of said network wherein said data packets include indicia for identifying respective ones of said data packets, an wherein said receiver node includes a return-transmit buffer for holding at lest one acknowledgment packet for transmission to said transmitter node, said acknowledgment packet identifying a sequence of data packets successfully received by said receiver node, and

discarding acknowledgment packets that contain information indicative of information contained in other acknowledgment packets to be sent to said host computer.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein said downstream channel resides in said shared medium, and wherein said shared medium comprises one of a wireless broadcast network, a direct broadcast satellite network and a CATV network, and said upstream channel resides in one of a wireless return network, a PSTN, a return-on-cable network and a router return network.