Method, apparatus and program for determining available bandwidth between multiple points in a communication system
First Claim
1. A method for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the method comprising the steps of:
- exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node;
exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second node of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least one direction; and
determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined amount of propagation delay.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, apparatus (22), and program are provided for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of at least one communication path (5, 3, 6, 7, 10-1, 9, 12, 13, 14, 24a, 24b) coupling a plurality of nodes (1, 15, 22) together. The communication path (5, 3, 6, 7, 10-1, 9, 12, 13, 14, 24a, 24b) is exercised using information signals, to determine the amount of time it takes for at least one of those information signals to traverse the communication path (5, 3, 6, 7, 10-1, 9, 12, 13, 14, 24a, 24b) in at least one direction, and the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the communication path (5, 3, 6, 7, 10-1, 9, 12, 13, 14, 24a, 24b) is determined, based on the amount of time determined in the exercising step. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the bandwidth available in both uplink and download directions of the communication path is determined by transferring a file between a test node (22) and a user communication terminal 1, by way of the communication path, and a router (15).
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A method for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the method comprising the steps of:
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exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node; exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second node of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least one direction; and determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined amount of propagation delay. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the method comprising the steps of:
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exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node; exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second one of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least one direction, determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determine amount of time and the determined amount of propagation delay, wherein the step of exercising the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path using the second information signals includes the steps of; forwarding at least one second information signal from a test node through the second, larger portion of the communication path to the second node, to cause that second node to transmit at least one third information signal back to the test node through the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path; and determining a minimum amount of time taken for the at least one third information signal to arrive at the test node, relative to a time when the at least one second information signal was forwarded from the test node, wherein the step of determining the amount of bandwidth available in the at least one communication path is performed based, at least in part, on that determined minimum amount of time; and wherein the step of determining the amount of bandwidth available in the at least one communication path is performed by executing a predetermined algorithm which is defined as follows;
BWPOP-CPE=(PS)/RTTT-CPE−
((PS)/BWT-POP)−
2*MQD)wherein BWPOP-CPE represents the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, RTTT-CPE represents the minimum the amount of time taken for the at least one third information signal to arrive at the test node, relative to the time when the at least one second information signal was forwarded from the test node, (PS) represents a predetermined size of an individual one of the second information signals, BWT-POP represents a predetermined bandwidth provided between the test node and the first node, and MQD represents a predetermined minimum queuing delay present in the first node.
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12. A method for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the method comprising the steps of:
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exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node; exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second one of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least one direction; determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined amount of propagation delay; wherein the step of exercising the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path using the second information signals includes the steps of; forwarding at least one second information signal from a test node through the second, larger portion of the communication path to the second node, to cause that second node to transmit at least one third information signal back to the test node through the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path; and determining a minimum amount of time taken for the at least one third information signal to arrive at the test node, relative to a time when the at least one second information signal was forwarded from the test node, wherein the step of determining the amount of bandwidth available in the at least one communication path is performed based, at least in part, on that determined minimum amount of time, and wherein the second information signals include information specifying a predetermined number of hop counts included in the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path, wherein, during the forwarding step, a step is performed of, reducing the predetermined number of hop counts specified by the information included in each second signal, based on a number of hops included in the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path, and wherein the second node responds to receiving each individual second signal by further reducing the predetermined number of hop counts specified by the information included in that second information signal, and by then transmitting a corresponding third information signal, based on a result obtained by further reducing that predetermined number of hop counts.
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13. An apparatus for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the apparatus comprising:
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means for exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node; means for exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second one of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least one direction; and means for determining the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined propagation delay.
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14. An apparatus for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory storing at least one program; at least one electronic interface circuit; and a controller coupled to said memory and to the at least one communication path through said electronic interface circuit, said controller operating under the control of the at least one program stored in said memory for performing (a) an exercising operation for exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node, (b) an exercising operation for exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second one of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least on direction, and (c) a determining operation of determining the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined propagation delay. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory storing at least one program; at least one electronic interface circuit; a controller coupled to said memory and to the at least one communication path through said electronic interface circuit, said controller operating under the control of the at least one program stored in said memory for performing (a) an exercising operation for exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node, (b) an exercising operation for exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second one of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least on direction, and (c) a determining operation of determining the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined propagation delay, wherein said controller performs the second determining operation by executing a predetermined algorithm defined as follows;
BWPOP-CPE=(PS)/RTTT-CPE−
((PS)/BWT-POP)−
2*MQD)wherein BWPOP-CPE represents the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, RTTT-CPE represents the minimum the amount of time taken for an error message transmitted by a second one of the nodes, to be received by said controller, relative to a time when an error-provoking second information signal was transmitted by said controller, (PS) represents a predetermined size of an individual one of the second information signals, BWT-POP represents a predetermined bandwidth provided in the first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path coupled between said electronic interface circuit and the first node, and MQD represents a predetermined minimum queuing delay present in the first node.
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22. A program product which includes computer-readable code for executing a method to determine an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the method comprising the steps of:
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exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node; exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second one of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least one direction; and determining the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined propagation delay. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A program product which includes computer-readable code for executing a method to determine an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the method comprising the steps of:
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exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals to determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node; exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second one of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of at least one communication path in at least one direction; determining the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined propagation delay, wherein the step of determining the amount of bandwidth available in the at least one communication path is performed by executing a predetermined algorithm which is defined as follows;
BWPOP-CPE=(PS)/RTTT-CPE−
((PS)/BWT-POP)−
2*MQD)wherein BWPOP-CPE represents the amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, RTTT-CPE represents the minimum the amount of time taken for the at least one third information signal to arrive at the test node, relative to a time when the at least one second information signal was forwarded from the test node, (PS) represents a predetermined size of an individual one of the second information signals, BWT-POP represents a predetermined bandwidth provided between the test node and the first node, and MQD represents a predetermined minimum queuing delay present in the first node.
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33. A communication system, comprising:
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a plurality of nodes; at least one communication path coupling the plurality of nodes together; and a test node coupled to a first one of said nodes coupled in said communication path, said test node for exercising a first, smaller portion of the at least one communication path that includes a first one of the plurality of nodes, using first information signals, for determine an amount of signal propagation delay present in the first node, for exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path that includes the first node and a second one of the plurality of nodes, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time it takes for at least one of the second information signals to traverse the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path in at least one direction and for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined propagation delay. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the method comprising the steps of:
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exercising a first portion of the at least one communication path in which a first one of the nodes is coupled, using first information signals, to determine an amount of time taken for at least one of those first information signals to traverse the first portion of the at least one communication path, in at least one direction; determining an amount of signal propagation delay experienced by the at least one first information signal while passing through the first node, based on the determined amount of time; exercising at least a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time taken for at least one of those second information signals to traverse the second portion of the at least one communication path, in at least one direction, wherein the first portion of the at least one communication path forms a portion of the second portion of the at least one communication path; and determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of signal propagation delay and the amount of time determined in the step of exercising the second, larger portion of the at least one communication path. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. An apparatus for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling a plurality of nodes together, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory storing at least one program; at least one electronic interface circuit; and a controller coupled to said memory and to the at least one communication path through said electronic interface circuit, said controller operating under the control of the at least one program stored in said memory for performing (a) a first exercising operation of exercising a first portion of the at least one communication path in which a first one of the nodes is coupled, using first information signals, to determine an amount time taken for at least one of those first information signals to traverse the first portion of the at least one communication path, in at least one direction, (b) a first determining operation to determine an amount of signal propagation delay experienced by the at least one first information signal while passing through the first node, based on the amount of time determined in the first exercising operation, (c) a second exercising operation of exercising a second, larger portion of the at least one communication path, using second information signals, to determine an amount of time taken for at least one of those second information signals to traverse the second portion of the at least one communication path, in at least one direction, and (d) a second determining operation for determining an amount of bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the amount of signal propagation delay determined in the first determining operation and the amount of time determined in the second exercising operation, wherein the first portion of the at least one communication path forms a portion of the second portion of the at least one communication path. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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45. A method for determining at least one bandwidth available in at least one communication path coupling together at least one router and a first node, the method comprising the steps of:
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coupling a second, test node to the at least one router; providing information from the second, test node to the first node, through the at least one router and the at least one communication path; determining an amount of time taken for the information to be received in the first node; determining an amount of the information received in the first node; and determining a first bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined amount of the information received in the first node. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An apparatus for communicating with a node through at least one router and at least one communication path, said apparatus comprising:
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a memory storing at least one program; at least one electronic interface circuit coupled to the at least one router; and a controller coupled to said memory and to the at least one communication path through said electronic interface circuit and the at least one router, said controller operating under the control of the at least one program stored in said memory, and being responsive to receiving information from the node through the at least one communication path, the at least one router, and the at least one electronic interface circuit for (a) determining an amount of time taken for the information to be received in the apparatus, (b) determining an amount of the information received in the apparatus, and (c) determining a bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined amount of the information. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A program product, for use in a computer coupled to a node through at least one router and at least one communication path, the program product including computer-readable code for executing a method to determine an amount of bandwidth available in the at least one communication path, the method comprising the steps of:
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at the computer, detecting the receipt of information forwarded to the computer from the node, through the at least one communication path and the at least one router; determining an amount of time taken for the information to be received in the computer; determining an amount of the information received in the computer; and determining a bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined amount of the information. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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63. A communication system, comprising:
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at least one router; at least one communication path; and a plurality of nodes coupled together through the at least one communication path and the at least one router, wherein a first one of said plurality of nodes provides information to a second one of the nodes through the at least one communication path and the at least one router, and wherein the first node is responsive to receiving the information for (a) determining an amount of time taken for the information to be received in the first node, (b) determining an amount of the information received in the first node, and (c) determining a first bandwidth available in at least a portion of the at least one communication path, based on the determined amount of time and the determined amount of the information. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
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Specification