Minimizing message processing latency in a communication network

• US 7,747,731 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Poyhonen, Petteri, Rajahalme, Jarno
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): HIGA, BRENDAN Y
• Application Number:
  US10/443,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,595 Days
• Field of Search: 709230-237, 709/245, 709223-224, 709217-219, 714 1-100, 710/58
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0019 adapted for mobile IP [MIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

The present invention concerns a method and a system for minimizing message processing latency in a communication network. A message from a first node is received at a second node which message requires an acknowledgement message, preferably of Boolean type. Functionalities required for processing the message are partitioned into at least a first part and a second part. The first part comprises a minimum set of functionalities required to generate the acknowledgement message. The functionalities of the first part are executed. The acknowledgement message is generated and transmitted to the first node after to finishing the functionalities of the first part. The present invention makes it possible to effectively minimize the perceived message processing latency. It is also possible to dynamically optimize the latency according to available resources.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at a second node a message from a first node, the message including a request for an acknowledgement message to be sent from the second node to the first node;

partitioning message processing functionalities of the second node into at least a first part and a second part, the message processing functionalities being required for processing said received message, said first part comprising at least one of;

a minimum set of functionalities required to generate the acknowledgement message, and a message processing functionality having a higher probability of being successfully executed than the functionalities of the second part;

processing the received message at the second node by;

executing the message processing functionalities of the first part;

generating and causing transmission of the requested acknowledgement message to the first node in response to finishing the message processing functionalities of the first part successfully;

executing functionalities of the second part, the second part comprising functionalities not included in the first party; and

generating and causing transmission of an invalidate message to the first node to indicate to said first node to ignore the transmitted acknowledgement message, when said acknowledgement message is positive and an error has occurred while performing the functionalities of the second part.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

generating and causing transmission of an update message to the first node to indicate to said first node to replace the transmitted acknowledgement message with the update message, when required by the execution result of the second part.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

repartitioning the functionalities into the first and second parts.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the repartitioning is executed when a frequency of invalidate message occurrence exceeds a given limit.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the repartitioning is executed repeatedly according to current load.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message is a mobile internet protocol binding update message and the acknowledgement message is a mobile internet protocol binding acknowledgment message.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first node comprises a mobile internet protocol mobile node and the second node comprises a corresponding mobile internet protocol home agent.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first node comprises a mobile internet protocol mobile node and the second node comprises mobile internet protocol correspondent node.

9. A system comprising:

a first node configured to transmit a message, the message requesting an acknowledgement message; and

a second node configured to receive the message, and wherein the second node comprises;

a partitioner configured to partition message processing functionalities of the second node into at least a first part and a second part, the message processing functionalities configured to process the received message, the first part comprising at least one of;

a minimum set of functionalities required to generate the acknowledgement, and a message processing functionality having a higher probability of being successfully executed than the functionalities of the second part,

a first function executor configured to execute the functionalities of the first part,

an acknowledgement transmitter configured to generate and cause transmission of the acknowledgement message to the first node after finishing the functionalities of the first part and before executing the functionalities of the second part successfully,

a second function executor configured to execute functionalities of the second part in response to the transmission of the acknowledgement message, the second part comprising functionalities not included in the first part, and

an invalidation transmitter configured to cause transmission of an invalidate message to the first node to indicate to said first node to ignore the transmitted acknowledgement message, when said acknowledgement message is positive and an error has occurred while performing the functionalities of the second part.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the second node further comprises:

an update transmitter operative to generate and cause transmission of an update message to the first node to indicate to said first node to replace the transmitted acknowledgement message with the update message, when execution result of the second part so requires.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a second node;

a receiver configured to receive a message transmitted from a first node, the message desiring an acknowledgement message from the apparatus;

a partitioner configured to partition message processing functionalities into at least a first part and a second part, the message processing functionalities being required in processing the message, the first part comprising at least one of;

a minimum set of functionalities required to generate the acknowledgement message, and a message processing functionality having a higher probability of being successfully executed than the functionalities of the second part;

a first part function executor configured to execute the functionalities of the first part;

an acknowledgement transmitter configured to generate and cause transmission of the acknowledgement message to the first node after completing execution of the functionalities of the first part and before executing the functionalities of the second part successfully; and

a second part function executor configured to execute functionalities of the second part in response to the transmission of the acknowledgement message, the second part comprising functionalities not included in the first part;

the acknowledgement transmitter also configured to generate and cause transmission of an invalidate message to the first node to indicate to said first node to ignore the transmitted acknowledgement message, when said acknowledgement message is positive and an error has occurred while performing the functionalities of the second part.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

an update transmitter configured to generate and cause transmission of an update message to the first node to indicate to said first node to replace the transmitted acknowledgement message with the update message, when required by the execution result of the second part.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the partitioner is configured to repartition the functionalities into at least the first and second parts.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the partitioner is further configured to execute said repartitioning when a frequency of invalidate message occurrence exceeds a given limit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the partitioner is further configured to execute said repartitioning repeatedly according to current load.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the message comprises a mobile internet protocol binding update message and the acknowledgement message comprises a mobile internet protocol binding acknowledgment message.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first node is a mobile internet protocol node and the apparatus is a corresponding mobile internet protocol home agent.