Adaptive packet size modification for packet networks

• US 8,830,865 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Juin-Hwey
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinkantarakorn, Pao
• Application Number:
  US13/754,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20130142037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/253, 370/468, 370/474
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/36 by determining packet size, e.g. maximum transfer unit [MTU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/365 Dynamic adaptation of the packet size
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for modifying the size of data packets transmitted over a packet network in a manner that avoids overloading of the network. The system and method involves monitoring one or more parameters indicative of an amount of bandwidth being utilized on the packet network, responsive to the monitoring, determining that a level of bandwidth utilization on the packet network has changed, responsive to the determination that the level of bandwidth utilization on the packet network has changed, issuing a command to change the size of packets used for carrying data from a first packet size to a second packet size.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring one or more network parameters in a packet network by a network monitoring entity, the one or more network parameters indicating a level of bandwidth utilization in at least a first portion of the packet network and being based on a plurality of data transmissions in at least the first portion of the packet network, the first portion of the packet network including a first end-to-end data transmission path; and

issuing a command to modify a packet size property associated with one or more data packets of an active data transmission in a second portion of the packet network responsive to monitoring the one or more network parameters, the second portion of the packet network including a second end-to-end data transmission path that includes at least one end point that is different from the first end-to-end data transmission path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of bandwidth utilization in the first portion of the packet network from the network monitoring entity at a network controlling entity or a network management entity;

wherein issuing the command to modify the packet size property is performed by the network controlling entity or the network management entity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein issuing the command by the network controlling entity or the network management entity is based on at least one of:

a determination of a change in the level of bandwidth utilization in the first portion of the packet network by a first amount, or

a determination of a change in the level of bandwidth utilization in the first portion of the packet network by a second amount such that the changed level of bandwidth utilization exceeds or drops below a threshold value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein monitoring the one or more network parameters comprises monitoring one or more measures, the one or more measures including at least one of a voice quality measure, an end-to-end delay measure, or a network bandwidth utilization measure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more measures is weighted or limited by a system operator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more data packets is a media data packet comprising one of voice data, video data, or multi-media data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the media data packet comprises a portion of a real-time data stream.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the one or more network parameters comprises monitoring historical data about past network usage over one or more time periods.

9. A system, comprising:

a network monitoring entity configured to monitor at least one packet network parameter based on a plurality of data transmissions, the at least one packet network parameter being indicative of a level of bandwidth utilization in at least a first portion of a packet network, the first portion of the packet network including a first end-to-end data transmission path; and

a command issuance entity configured to issue a command to modify a packet size property associated with one or more data packets of an active data transmission in a second portion of the packet network responsive to the monitoring of the at least one packet network parameter, the second portion of the packet network including a second end-to-end data transmission path that includes at least one end point that is different from the first end-to-end data transmission path.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the command issuance entity is configured to:

receive an indication of bandwidth utilization in the first portion of the packet network from the network monitoring entity; and

issue the command to modify the packet size property;

wherein the command issuance entity is one of a network controlling entity or a network management entity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the command issuance entity is further configured to issue the command based on performing at least one of:

determining a change in the level of bandwidth utilization in the first portion of the packet network by a first amount, or

determining a change in the level of bandwidth utilization in the first portion of the packet network by a second amount such that the changed level of bandwidth utilization exceeds or drops below a threshold value.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the network monitoring entity is further configured to monitor the one or more network parameters by monitoring one or more measures, the one or more measures including at least one of a voice quality measure, an end-to-end delay measure, or a network bandwidth utilization measure.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more measures is weighted or limited by a system operator.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the command issuance entity is further configured to issue the command to modify the packet size property of a media data packet comprising one of voice data, video data, or multi-media data.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the command issuance entity is further configured to modify the packet size property of a media data packet that includes a portion of a real-time data stream.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the network monitoring entity is further configured to monitor the one or more network parameters by monitoring historical data about past network usage over one or more time periods.

17. A communication device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a command to change data packets in a data transmission in a first portion of a packet network from a first packet size to a second packet size,

the command being received from a network entity in the packet network, and the command being based on an indication of a level of bandwidth utilization in at least a second portion of the packet network that is based on a plurality of data transmissions in at least the second portion,

the first portion of the packet network including a first end-to-end data transmission path, and the second portion of the packet network including a second end-to-end data transmission path that includes at least one end point that is different from the first end-to-end data transmission path; and

a transmitter configured to;

transmit one or more data packets having the first packet size in the data transmission, and

modify the data transmission to include at least one data packet having the second packet size in response to the receiver receiving the command.

18. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the one or more data packets transmitted by the transmitter include one of voice data, video data, or multi-media data.

19. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the one or more data packets transmitted by the transmitter include data from a real-time data stream.

20. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is configured to:

modify the data transmission to include at least one data packet having the second packet size, where the second packet size is smaller than the first packet size, in response to the receiver receiving the command indicating a decrease in the level of bandwidth utilization in at least the second portion; and

modify the data transmission to include at least one data packet having the second packet size, where the second packet size is larger than the first packet size, in response to the receiver receiving the command indicating an increase in the level of bandwidth utilization in at least the second portion.