Method and system of data packet transmission timing for controlling bandwidth

• US 7,539,756 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Darby & Mohaine, LLC
• Inventors: La Cognata, Emanuele, Marchetto, Jarno
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nawaz; Asad M
• Application Number:
  US10/062,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20030145100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,672 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-206, 709219-226, 709238-247, 370/395, 370/412, 370229-236
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/28 in relation to timing considerations

Abstract

A method and system for determining a wait time (t_w) to be used between successive transmissions of packets of a content to achieve a selected target bandwidth B_T for the transmission. The wait time between successive packets of a content being transmitted is determined as a function of the selected target bandwidth (B_T) to be achieved during the transmission and the size (P) of the packets based on the algorithm

$t_w=\frac{P}{B_T}$
The invention provides bandwidth control at the source (the sending device) without relying on network Quality of Service (QoS) facilities.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the wait time (t_w) between the starting time of transmission of each of successive packets of known packet size (P) of a content to be transmitted to achieve a target bandwidth (B_T) during the transmission comprising:

selecting a target bandwidth (B_T) sought to be achieved during the transmission;

computing a wait time (t_w) between the starting time of the successive packets of the transmission using the algorithm

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the residual time t that is used is rounded to a time unit.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the rounding to the time unit is accomplished by a counter.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein controlling the transmission of the packets further comprises:

(a) determining a time used (t_used) in the transmission of a packet, and

(b) waiting the residual time t between the ending time of transmission of one packet to the starting time of transmission of the next packet.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the time t_used is determined by:

determining the starting time t₁ of transmission of a packet;

determining the ending time t₂ of transmission of the packet, and

determining the time used t_used in transmitting the packet as t₂−

t₁.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising repeating (a) determining a time used (t_used) in the transmission of a packet and (b) waiting the residual time t between the ending time of transmission of one packet to the starting time of transmission of the next packet for each packet transmitted.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the controlling of the transmission of the packets with a residual time t between successive packets is comprised of:

determining a value of starting time t_start, of transmitting a packet and a current time t_now;

performing a loop operation of;

(a) computing a time t_elapsed=t_now−

t_start,

(b) comparing t_elapsed to the residual time t and transmitting the next packet when the value of t_elapsed≧

t.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising computing an error value δ

=t_elapsed−

t and subtracting the value δ

from a later supplied value of t.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the known packet size (P) of the packets to be transmitted.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the known packet size (P) is provided by an application.

11. Apparatus for controlling the transmission of successive packets of known packet size (P) of a content to be transmitted to achieve a target bandwidth B_T during the transmission comprising:

a computer including

a program to control transmission of a content in packets of data;

means to input and receive parameters of the size (P) of each of the packets to be transmitted and of the desired target bandwidth (B_T); and

control means to successively transmit the packets to have a residual time (t) between the ending time of transmission of one packet and the starting of transmission of the next successive packet to achieve a wait time t_w between the packets such that

12. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said computer further comprises:

first means for determining the time used (t_used) in the transmission of a packet; and

wherein said control means operates based on the determined t_used to wait the residual time t between the ending time of transmission of one packet to the starting time of transmission of the next packet.

13. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said first means comprises:

means for determining the starting time (t₁) of transmission of a packet;

means for determining the ending time (t₂) of transmission of the packet, and

means for determining the time used (t_used) in transmitting the packet as (t₂−

t₁).

14. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said control means operates to wait the residual time t between the starting time of transmission of one packet to the starting time of transmission of the next packet based on computing t_w−

t_used.

15. Apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising means for controlling the residual time t by

determining a value of starting time t_start, and a current time t_now performing a loop operation of:

(a) computing a time t_elapsed=t_now−

t_start, and

(b) comparing t_elapsed to the residual time t and transmitting the next packet when the value of t_elapsed≧

t.

16. Apparatus as in claim 15 further comprising means for computing an error value δ

=t_elapsed−

t and subtracting the value δ

from a later supplied value of t.

17. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said control means further comprises a counter that operates on a periodic basis to measure the residual time t.

18. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said computer operates said control means to compute the residual time t based on other measured times.