Packet receiving device, packet communication system, and packet reordering method

• US 8,773,977 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yasuda, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUO, ANTHONY L
• Application Number:
  US13/198,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20110292945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 370/394, 370/401, 370/216, 370/252, 370/469, 370/231, 370/235, 709/201, 709/227, 709/230, 709/238, 714/749
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/34 ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers

Abstract

Under an environment where a packet retransmission is performed, a packet receiving device includes a reordering section, configured to perform a reordering of a receiving packet in a lower layer than a network protocol stack, and a buffer section. Out-of-Order packet among receiving packets is associated with a flow and stored in the buffer section. The reordering section determines whether the receiving packet is an In-Order packet or an Out-of-Order packet. In a case where the receiving packet is an In-Order packet of a flow and an Out-of-Order packet of the flow is stored in the buffer section, the reordering section transfers the receiving packet to the network protocol stack and then transfers all of Out-of-Order packet of the flow stored in the buffer section to the network protocol stack.

Claims

1. A packet receiving device comprising:

an acknowledgement section configured to acknowledge a receiving packet received from a packet transmission device and return an acknowledgement to said packet transmission device;

a network protocol stack having a function of performing a reordering of said receiving packet by guaranteeing an in-order delivery;

a reordering section configured to perform a reordering of said receiving packet in a lower layer than said network protocol stack without guaranteeing an in-order delivery; and

a buffer section in which an Out-of-order packet included in said receiving packet is stored while being associated with a flow,

wherein said packet transmission device is configured to retransmit said transmission packet in a case where said acknowledgement relative to said transmission packet is not received within a predetermined time after transmitting said transmission packet,

wherein said reordering section is configured to determine whether said receiving packet is an In-Order packet or an Out-of-Order packet,

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer said receiving packet to said network protocol stack in a case where said receiving packet is an In-Order packet,

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer, in a case where said receiving packet is an In-Order packet of a given flow and an Out-of-Order packet of said given flow is stored in said buffer section, said receiving packet to said network protocol stack and then transfer all of said Out-of-Order packet of said flow stored in said buffer section to said network protocol stack,

wherein said receiving packet comprises an Out-of-Order packet of a first flow,

wherein said reordering section is configured to find out whether an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said buffer section,

wherein said reordering section is configured to find out, in a case where an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said buffer section, whether said receiving packet can be additionally stored in said buffer section,

wherein said reordering section is configured to associate, in a case where said receiving packet can be additionally stored in said buffer section, said receiving packet to said first flow and then additionally store said receiving packet in said buffer section, and

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer, in a case where said receiving packet cannot be additionally stored in said buffer section, all of said Out-of-Order packet of said first flow to said network protocol stack.

2. The packet receiving device according to claim 1,

wherein N Out-of-Order packets at maximum can be stored in said buffer section, wherein N is a natural number, and

wherein said reordering section is configured to determine, in a case where N Out-of-Order packets of said first flow are already stored in said buffer section, that said receiving packet cannot be additionally stored in said buffer section.

3. The packet receiving device according to claim 2,

wherein said buffer section comprises a packet storage region with a given capacity,

wherein an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said packet storage region, and

wherein said reordering section is configured to determine, in a case where there is no more capacity in said packet storage region to store said receiving packet, that said receiving packet cannot be additionally stored in said buffer section.

4. The packet receiving device according to claim 3,

wherein said buffer section comprises at least one packet storage region,

wherein each of said at least one packet is associated with a flow, respectively, and

wherein an Out-of-Order packet of said flow is stored in said packet storage region which is associated with said flow.

5. The packet receiving device according to claim 4,

wherein a number of said packet storage region is one, and

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer, in a case where an Out-of-Order packet of a second flow which is different from said first flow is already stored in said one packet storage region, said receiving packet to said network protocol stack.

6. The packet receiving device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is mounted in said OS, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

7. The packet receiving device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is built as an off-load engine in said network interface device, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

8. The packet receiving device according to claim 4,

wherein a number of said packet storage region is one, and

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer, in a case where an Out-of-Order packet of a second flow which is different from said first flow is already stored in said one packet storage region, all of said Out-of-Order packet of said second flow stored in said one packet storage region to said network protocol stack, associate said receiving packet with said first flow and store said receiving packet in said one packet storage region.

9. The packet receiving device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is mounted in said OS, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

10. The packet receiving device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is built as an off-load engine in said network interface device, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

11. The packet receiving device according to claim 4,

wherein a sequence difference value comprises a difference between a sequence number of said receiving packed and an expected sequence number of said receiving packet,

wherein a number of said packet storage region is one,

wherein said reordering section is configured to compare, in a case where an Out-of-Order packet of a second flow which is different from said first flow is already stored in said one packet storage region, said sequence difference value between said first flow and said second flow,

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer, in a case where said sequence difference value of said first flow is larger than said sequence difference value of said second flow, said receiving packet to said network protocol stack, and

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer, in a case where said sequence difference value of said first flow is smaller than said sequence difference value of said second flow, all of said Out-of-Order packet of said second flow stored in said one packet storage region to said network protocol stack, associate said receiving packet with said first flow and store said receiving packet in said one packet storage region.

12. The packet receiving device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is mounted in said OS, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

13. The packet receiving device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is built as an off-load engine in said network interface device, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

14. The packet receiving device according to claim 4,

wherein a number of said packet storage region is a plurality,

wherein said reordering section is configured to select, in a case where an Out-of-Order packet of a flow which is different from said first flow is already stored in said plurality of packet storage regions, one among said plurality of packet storage regions, and

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer all of said Out-of-Order packet stored in said selected packet storage region, associate said receiving packet with said first flow and store said receiving packet to said selected packet storage region.

15. The packet receiving device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is mounted in said OS, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

16. The packet receiving device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is built as an off-load engine in said network interface device, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

17. The packet receiving device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is mounted in said OS, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

18. The packet receiving device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a program processing device configured to execute an OS (Operating System); and

a network interface device connected to said program processing device,

wherein said network protocol stack is built as an off-load engine in said network interface device, and

wherein said reordering section and said buffer section are included in said network interface device.

19. A packet communication system comprising:

a packet transmission device configured to transmit a transmission packet; and

a packet receiving device configured to receive said transmission packet from said packet transmission device as a receiving packet,

wherein said packet receiving device comprises;

an acknowledgement section configured to acknowledge said receiving packet and return an acknowledgement to said packet transmission device;

a network protocol stack having a function of performing a reordering of said receiving packet;

a reordering section configured to perform a reordering of said receiving packet in a lower layer than said network protocol stack; and

a buffer section in which an Out-of-order packet included in said receiving packet is stored while being associated with a flow,

wherein said packet transmission device is configured to perform, in a case where said acknowledgement relative to said transmission packet is not received within a predetermined time after a transmission of said transmission packet to said receiving device, a packet retransmission control to transmit said transmission packet to said packet receiving device again,

wherein said reordering section is configured to determine whether said receiving packet is an In-Order packet or an Out-of-Order packet,

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer said receiving packet to said network protocol stack in a case where said receiving packet is an In-Order packet,

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer, in a case where said receiving packet is an In-Order packet of a given flow and an Out-of-Order packet of said given flow is stored in said buffer section, said receiving packet to said network protocol stack and then transfer all of said Out-of-Order packet of said flow stored in said buffer section to said network protocol stack,

wherein said receiving packet comprises an Out-of-Order packet of a first flow,

wherein said reordering section is configured to find out whether an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said buffer section,

wherein said reordering section is configured to find out, in a case where an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said buffer section, whether said receiving packet can be additionally stored in said buffer section,

wherein said reordering section is configured to associate, in a case where said receiving packet can be additionally stored in said buffer section, said receiving packet to said first flow and then additionally store said receiving packet in said buffer section, and

wherein said reordering section is configured to transfer, in a case where said receiving packet cannot be additionally stored in said buffer section, all of said Out-of-Order packet of said first flow to said network protocol stack.

20. The packet communication system according to claim 19,

wherein said packet transmission device comprises a retransmission control section configured to perform said packet retransmission control in a lower layer than a network protocol stack.

21. A packet reordering method in a packet receiving device,

wherein said packet receiving device comprises:

an acknowledgement section configured to acknowledge a receiving packet received from a packet transmission device;

a network protocol stack having a function of performing a reordering of said receiving packet; and

a buffer section in which an Out-of-Order packet is stored while being associated with a flow,

wherein said packet transmission device is configured to retransmit, in a case where said acknowledgement relative to said transmission device is not received within a predetermined time after said transmission packet;

wherein said packet reordering method comprises;

performing a reordering of said transmission packet in a lower layer than said network protocol stack, and

wherein performing said reordering comprises;

determining whether said receiving packet is an In-Order packet or an Out-of-Order packet;

transferring, in a case where said receiving packet is an In-Order packet, said receiving packet to said network protocol stack; and

transferring, in a case where said receiving packet is an In-Order packet of a flow and said Out-of-Order packet of said flow is stored in said buffer section, said receiving packet to said network protocol stack and then transferring all of Out-of-Order packet of said flow stored in said buffer section to said network protocol stack,

wherein said receiving packet comprises an Out-of-Order packet of a first flow, and

wherein said reordering further includes;

finding out whether an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said buffer section;

finding out, in a case where an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said buffer section, whether said receiving packet can be additionally stored in said buffer section,

associating, in a case where said receiving packet can be additionally stored in said buffer section, said receiving packet to said first flow and then additionally store said receiving packet in said buffer section, and

transferring, in a case where said receiving packet cannot be additionally stored in said buffer section all of said Out-of-Order packet of said first flow to said network protocol stack.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium configured to store a packet reordering program for executing a packet reordering process with a packet receiving device,

wherein said packet receiving device comprises:

an acknowledgement section configured to acknowledge a receiving packet received from a packet transmission device;

a network protocol stack having a function of performing a reordering of said receiving packet; and

a buffer section in which an Out-of-Order packet is stored while being associated with a flow,

wherein said packet transmission device is configured to retransmit, in a case where said acknowledgement relative to said transmission device is not received within a predetermined time after said transmission packet;

wherein said packet reordering process comprises;

performing a reordering of said transmission packet in a lower layer than said network protocol stack, and

wherein performing said reordering comprises;

determining whether said receiving packet is an In-Order packet or an Out-of-Order packet;

transferring, in a case where said receiving packet is an In-Order packet, said receiving packet to said network protocol stack; and

transferring, in a case where said receiving packet is an In-Order packet of a flow and said Out-of-Order packet of said flow is stored in said buffer section, said receiving packet to said network protocol stack and then transferring all of Out-of-Order packet of said flow stored in said buffer section to said network protocol stack,

wherein said receiving packet comprises an Out-of-Order packet of a first flow, and

wherein said reordering further includes;

finding out whether an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said buffer section;

finding out, in a case where an Out-of-Order packet of said first flow is already stored in said buffer section, whether said receiving packet can be additionally stored in said buffer section,

associating, in a case where said receiving packet can be additionally stored in said buffer section, said receiving packet to said first flow and then additionally store said receiving packet in said buffer section, and

transferring, in a case where said receiving packet cannot be additionally stored in said buffer section, all of said Out-of-Order packet of said first flow to said network protocol stack.