Empirical scheduling of network packets
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of transmitting packets over a packet-switched network, comprising the steps of:
- (1) transmitting a plurality of test packets over a single network path of the packet-switched network between a first network endpoint and a second network endpoint during a plurality of different delivery times, each delivery time corresponding to a candidate time within a time reference frame during which a packet can be transmitted from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint;
(2) empirically determining on the basis of packet statistics of the test packets which of the plurality of different delivery times corresponds to favorable traffic conditions for transmitting packets between the first network endpoint and second network endpoint over the single network path of the packet-switched network; and
(3) scheduling data packets for delivery over the network from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint during one or more delivery times empirically determined in step (2) to correspond to favorable traffic conditions.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of transmitting packets over a network includes steps of partitioning a packet delivery schedule into discrete time slots; transmitting a plurality of test packets from a first endpoint on the network to an intended recipient in the network using different time slots; evaluating the reliability of the network to transmit the plurality of test packets in each time slot; and selecting one or more time slots in the delivery schedule according to the evaluation step.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A method of transmitting packets over a packet-switched network, comprising the steps of:
-
(1) transmitting a plurality of test packets over a single network path of the packet-switched network between a first network endpoint and a second network endpoint during a plurality of different delivery times, each delivery time corresponding to a candidate time within a time reference frame during which a packet can be transmitted from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint; (2) empirically determining on the basis of packet statistics of the test packets which of the plurality of different delivery times corresponds to favorable traffic conditions for transmitting packets between the first network endpoint and second network endpoint over the single network path of the packet-switched network; and (3) scheduling data packets for delivery over the network from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint during one or more delivery times empirically determined in step (2) to correspond to favorable traffic conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An apparatus comprising:
-
a computer having a network interface and programmed with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of; (1) transmitting a plurality of test packets over a single network path of a packet-switched network between a first network endpoint and a second network endpoint during a plurality of different delivery times, each delivery time corresponding to a candidate time within a time reference frame during which a packet can be transmitted from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint; (2) empirically determining on the basis of packet statistics of the test packets which of the plurality of different delivery times corresponds to favorable traffic conditions for transmitting packets between the first network endpoint and second network endpoint over the single network path of the packet-switched network; and (3) scheduling data packets for delivery over the network from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint during one or more delivery times empirically determined in step (2) to correspond to favorable traffic conditions. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform:
-
(1) transmitting a plurality of test packets over a single network path of the packet-switched network between a first network endpoint and a second network endpoint during a plurality of different delivery times, each delivery time corresponding to a candidate time within a time reference frame during which a packet can be transmitted from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint; (2) empirically determining on the basis of packet statistics of the test packets which of the plurality of different delivery times corresponds to favorable traffic conditions for transmitting packets between the first network endpoint and second network endpoint over the single network path of the packet-switched network; and (3) scheduling data packets for delivery over the network from the first network endpoint to the second network endpoint during one or more delivery times empirically determined in step (2) to correspond to favorable traffic conditions. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification