System and method for controlling data transfer rates on a network

• US 7,142,508 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications Management LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Radiance Technologies, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Tobagi, Fouad A., Lemke, David, Subramanian, Srikanth
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Man U.
• Application Number:
  US09/853,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 370/223, 370229-236, 370241-252, 370/338, 370/349, 370391-395, 370400-468, 709/219, 709/224, 709232-244, 709226-228, 710/29, 710/52, 710/57, 710/56, 710/5, 710/6, 710/21
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/263 Rate modification at the source after receiving feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/30 in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• 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 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Data transfer rates on a network are controlled in conjunction with TCP/IP protocols by limiting the available space in a receive buffer located on the receiver. Limits are generated by either moderating the rate that data is removed from the receive buffer or changing the receive buffer'"'"'s size. Transfer rates are reduced to decrease the impact large transfers have on other network traffic and to reduce the total number of lost data packets. Reduced rates and priorities can be managed by scheduling systems.

Claims

1. A method of regulating an average rate of transmission on a computer network employing TCP wherein the average rate of transmission is regulated to an extent sufficient to reduce the effect that a transmission has on another transmission the computer network, the method comprising:

determining an amount of available space in a receive buffer at a receiver;

reading data from the receive buffer such that the amount of available space in the receive buffer is maintained at a regulated value; and

regulating a rate at which data is delivered to the receive buffer based on a priority of the data, such that the priority of the data results in an absolute transfer rate of the data, wherein the priority of the data is a function of the identity the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein reading data comprises regulating a frequency at which data is read from the receive buffer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein reading data comprises regulating an amount of data read during each read from the receive buffer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a receiver measures an actual transfer rate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an amount of available space in a receive buffer is performed by a rate control module located on a receiver.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the rate control module operates above a TCP layer and communicates with the TCP layer via a TCP application programming interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein removing data comprises using a determined frequency of lost packets.

8. A method of regulating an average rate of transmission on a computer network employing TCP wherein the average rate of transmission is reduced, the reduction in average rate of transmission being sufficient to reduce an effect that a transmission has on another transmission in the computer network, the method comprising:

determining an amount of available space in a receive buffer at a receiver;

regulating an available space in the receive buffer by regulating a size of the receive buffer; and

regulating a rate at which data is delivered to the receive buffer based on a priority of the data, such that the priority of the data results in an absolute transfer rate of the data, wherein the priority of the data is a function of the identity of the receiver.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a receiver determines an actual transfer rate.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining an amount of available space in a receive buffer is performed by a rate control module located on a receiver.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the rate control module operates above a TCP layer and communicates with the TCP layer via a standard TCP application programming interface.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein reducing the receive buffer size comprises using a determined frequency of lost packets.

13. A system for regulating an average rate of transmission on a computer network wherein the average rate of transmission is reduced, the reduction in average rate of transmission being sufficient to reduce an effect that a transmission has on another transmission, the system comprising:

a receive buffer located on a receiver;

a rate control module coupled to the receiver, the rate control module configured to determine available space in the receive buffer and to regulate a rate at which data is read from the receive buffer, such that the amount of available space in the receive buffer is maintained at a regulated value and;

a transfer management module configured to regulate the rate at which data is delivered to the receive buffer based on a priority of the data, wherein the priority of the data results in an absolute transfer rate of the data, wherein the priority of the data is a function of the identity of the receiver.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the rate control module regulates the rate at which data is read by varying a frequency at which data is read from the receive buffer.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the rate control module regulates the rate at which data is read by varying an amount of data read during each read from the receive buffer.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the rate control module operates above a TCP layer and communicates with the TCP layer via a standard TCP application programming interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the rate control module operates between the TCP layer and an FTP/HTTP layer.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the rate control module is integrated into an FTP/HTTP layer.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the regulation of a rate at which data is removed is a function of a determined frequency of lost packets.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the priority of the data is associated with a transmission rate and proportion of utilized bandwidth at which the data is delivered to the receive buffer.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the priority of the data is further responsive to traffic at the receiver.

22. A system for transmitting data over a computer network employing TCP wherein the average rate of transmission is reduced, the reduction in average rate of transmission being sufficient to reduce an effect that a transmission has on another transmission the system comprising:

a sender;

a receiver;

a receive buffer coupled to the receiver;

a rate control module configured to regulate an amount of space available in the receive buffer to influence an average rate that data is read from the receive buffer and transferred from the sender to the receiver; and

a transfer management module configured to regulate communication between the sender and receiver based on a priority of the data, wherein the priority of the data results in art absolute transfer rate of the data and the priority of the data is a function of the identity of the receiver.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the rate control module regulates the amount of space available in the receive buffer by varying a frequency at which data is read from the receive buffer.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the rate control module regulates the amount of space available in the receive buffer by varying an amount of data read during each read from the receive buffer.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the rate control module operates above a TCP layer and communicates with the TCP layer via a standard TCP application programming interface.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the rate control module operates between the TCP layer and an FTP/HTTP layer.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the rate control module is integrated into an FTP/HTTP layer.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the rate control module regulates the amount of space using a determined frequency of lost packets.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the transfer management module further comprises a schedule manager.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the priority of the data is associated with a transmission rate and proportion of utilized bandwidth.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the priority of the data is further responsive to traffic at the receiver.