Method and apparatus for internet protocol transaction routing

• US 7,330,429 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Electronics Commerce Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Hodson, Jeff, Dezonno, Anthony, Beckstrom, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung; Min
• Application Number:
  US10/974,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20060088024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/235, 370/412, 370/415, 370/416, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 709/226, 709/240
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/283 in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for providing optimal transaction routing for data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes includes assigning each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, with each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level, and associating a numerical priority-usage level to each of the data packets. The method then includes establishing a threshold return-time-out (RTO) amount for each logical pipe, and transmitting data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced. The method further includes transitioning to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical bandwidth-usage levels for the delivered data packets has equaled or exceeded the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced or once that the current estimate of the round trip times for the delivered packets has equaled or exceeded the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

Claims

1. A method for providing optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, comprising:

assigning each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level;

associating a numerical priority-usage level to each of the assigned data packets;

establishing a numerical threshold return-time-out (RTO) for each logical pipe;

transmitting data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced; and

transitioning to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical priority-usage levels for the delivered data packets has at least equaled the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced, or once a current estimate of the RTT for the delivered packets has at least equaled the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

2. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising modifying the numerical service level of one of the logical pipes.

3. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising modifying the numerical priority-usage level of an assigned data packet.

4. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the data packets on a FIFO basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

5. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the data packets on a priority-usage basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

6. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising evaluating a running estimate of the current RTT for the transmitted data packets from a sequence of RTT samples, wherein each sample is associated with a particular transmitted data packet from the logical pipe being serviced.

7. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 wherein a predetermined numerical threshold RTO is selected to be equal to or greater than an RTT scaled by a constant B, where B is greater than 1 chosen such that there is an acceptably small probability that the RTT for the transmitted data packet may exceed the selected RTO.

8. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 7 wherein the RTO has different values for different logical pipes.

9. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 7 wherein the data packet is retransmitted when a time interval greater than the chosen RTO for the logical pipe being serviced has elapsed before an acknowledgment is received.

10. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 9 wherein an RTT value for the current data packet continues to accrue during its retransmission.

11. A system for providing optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, comprising:

means for assigning each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level;

means for associating a numerical priority-usage level to each of the assigned data packets;

means for establishing a numerical threshold return-time-out (RTO) for each logical pipe;

means for transmitting data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced; and

means for transitioning to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical priority-usage levels for the delivered data packets has at least equaled the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced or once a current estimate of the RTT for the delivered packets has at least equaled the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

12. The system for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 11 further comprising means for modifying the numerical priority-usage level of an assigned data packet.

13. The system for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 11 further comprising means for transmitting the data packets on a priority-usage basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

14. The system for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 11 further comprising means for evaluating a running estimate of the current RTT for the transmitted data packets from a sequence of RTT samples, wherein each sample is associated with a particular transmitted data packet from the logical pipe being serviced.

15. A computer-readable medium having encoded therein computer-executable instructions for performing a method providing optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, the method comprising:

assigning each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level;

associating a numerical priority-usage level to each of the assigned data packets;

establishing a numerical threshold return-time-out (RTO) for each logical pipe;

transmitting data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced; and

transitioning to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical priority-usage levels for the delivered data packets has equaled or exceeded the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced or once that the current estimate of the RTT for the delivered packets has equaled or exceeded the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

16. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising modifying the numerical service level of one of the logical pipes.

17. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising modifying the numerical priority-usage level of an assigned data packet.

18. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising transmitting the data packets on a FIFO basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

19. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising transmitting the data packets on a priority-usage basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

20. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising evaluating a running estimate of the current RTT for the transmitted data packets from a sequence of RTT samples, wherein each sample is associated with a particular transmitted data packet from the logical pipe being serviced.

21. A system for performing optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, the system comprising:

at least one processor programmed to assign each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level;

associate a numerical priority-usage level to each of the assigned data packets;

establish a numerical threshold return-time-out (RTO) for each logical pipe;

transmit data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced; and

transition to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical priority-usage levels for the delivered data packets has equaled or exceeded the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced or once that the current estimate of the RTT for the delivered packets has equaled or exceeded the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

22. The system for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 21 further comprising:

at least one processor programmed to modify the numerical service level of one of the logical pipes.

23. The system for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 21 further comprising:

at least one processor programmed to transmit the data packets on a priority-usage basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

24. The system for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 21 further comprising:

at least one processor programmed to evaluate a running estimate of the current RTT for the transmitted data packets from a sequence of RTT samples, wherein each sample is associated with a particular transmitted data packet from the logical pipe being serviced.