Throughput enhancement by acknowledgment suppression

• US 8,824,357 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kish, William S., Chanak, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAO, WEI PO ERIC
• Application Number:
  US13/548,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/235, 370/236, 370/315, 370/328, 370/338, 370/400, 370/401, 370/428, 370/492, 370/501
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving data transmission rates in communication networks are disclosed. In an 802.11 wireless communication network, where a source node of the wireless network transmits TCP data to a destination node of the wireless network, the destination node does not transmit TCP acknowledgments (ACKs) for the TCP data if 802.11 ACKs indicate that the destination node received the TCP data. If a source outside the wireless network transmits TCP data to the destination node within the wireless network through an intermediate device, such as an access point, the destination node suppresses transmitting TCP ACKs. The intermediate device transmits TCP ACKs as proxy for the destination node to the source. The intermediate device also suppresses TCP ACKs where a source node within the wireless network sends the TCP data to a destination node outside of the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method for increasing data throughput, the method comprising:

performing a handshake between an intermediate device and a destination device, wherein the handshake enables acknowledgement suppression between the intermediate device and the destination device;

receiving data at the intermediate device, the received data originating from a source device and directed to the destination device;

transmitting the received data using a higher layer protocol, from the intermediate device to the destination device;

receiving a first acknowledgment of a lower layer protocol, sent from the destination device to the intermediate device, wherein the destination device suppresses any acknowledgement using the higher level protocol from being sent to the intermediate device;

determining that the destination device received the data without error based on the first acknowledgement;

synthesizing a second acknowledgement based on the first acknowledgement, the second acknowledgment spoofed as being from the destination device; and

transmitting the second acknowledgment using the higher layer protocol, from the intermediate device to the source device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the higher layer protocol comprises TCP and wherein the second acknowledgement using the higher layer protocol comprise a TCP ACK.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower layer protocol comprises an 802.11 protocol and wherein the first acknowledgment using the lower layer protocol comprise an 802.11 ACK.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting a beacon from the intermediate device, the beacon advertising a capability of synthesizing an acknowledgement using the higher level protocol based on an acknowledgement using the lower level protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the handshake allows the intermediate device to identify that the destination device supports acknowledgment suppression.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving subsequent data from the source device directed to the destination device;

determining that the subsequent data requires a buffer capacity; and

suspending acknowledgment suppression for the subsequent data based on the buffer capacity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the suspension of acknowledgment suppression only applies to a subset of packets associated with the subsequent data and wherein acknowledgment suppression applies to a remaining subset of packets.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising reducing data transmission rates based on the buffer capacity.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising suspending synthesis of acknowledgments using the lower layer protocol based on the buffer capacity.

10. A wireless device for increasing data throughput, the device comprising:

a communications interface for receiving data originating from a source device and directed to a destination device;

a wireless communication apparatus for;

performing a handshake with the destination device, wherein the handshake enables acknowledgement suppression between the wireless device and the destination device,

transmitting the received data using a higher layer protocol to the destination device, and

receiving a first acknowledgment of a lower layer protocol, sent from the destination device to the intermediate device, wherein the destination device suppresses any acknowledgement using the higher level protocol from being sent to the intermediate device;

a processor to execute instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor;

determines that the destination device received the data without error based on the first acknowledgement, and

synthesizes a second acknowledgement based on the first acknowledgement, the second acknowledgment spoofed as being from the destination device, wherein the second acknowledgment using the higher layer protocol is transmitted from the intermediate device to the source device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication apparatus comprises an antenna apparatus and an 802.11 RF communication apparatus.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the higher layer protocol comprises TCP and wherein the second acknowledgement using the higher layer protocol comprise a TCP ACK.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the lower layer protocol comprises an 802.11 protocol and wherein the first acknowledgment using the lower layer protocol comprise an 802.11 ACK.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the wireless communications apparatus broadcasts a beacon from the intermediate device, the beacon advertising a capability of synthesizing an acknowledgement using the higher level protocol based on an acknowledgement using the lower level protocol.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the handshake allows for identification that the destination device supports acknowledgment suppression.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the communications interface receives subsequent data from the source device directed to the destination device and wherein further execution of instructions by the processor:

determines that the subsequent data requires a buffer capacity; and

suspends acknowledgment suppression for the subsequent data based on the buffer capacity.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the suspension of acknowledgment suppression only applies to a subset of packets associated with the subsequent data and wherein acknowledgment suppression applies to a remaining subset of packets.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor reduces data transmission rates based on the buffer capacity.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor suspends synthesis of acknowledgments using the lower layer protocol based on the buffer capacity.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for increasing data throughput, the method comprising:

performing a handshake between an intermediate device and a destination device, wherein the handshake enables acknowledgement suppression between the intermediate device and the destination device;

receiving data at the intermediate device, the received data originating from a source device and directed to the destination device;

transmitting the received data using a higher layer protocol, from the intermediate device to the destination device;

receiving a first acknowledgment of a lower layer protocol, sent from the destination device to the intermediate device, wherein the destination device suppresses any acknowledgement using the higher level protocol from being sent to the intermediate device;

determining that the destination device received the data without error based on the first acknowledgement;

synthesizing a second acknowledgement based on the first acknowledgement, the second acknowledgment spoofed as being from the destination device; and

transmitting the second acknowledgment using the higher layer protocol, from the intermediate device to the source device.