Access line bonding and splitting methods and apparatus
First Claim
1. In a communication network, a method of aggregating a plurality of communication channels, the method comprising:
- classifying a plurality of packets that arrive on a first communication interface as belonging to a single communication session;
selecting one of a plurality of network interfaces that will be associated with said single communication session;
forwarding a first packet received on said first communication interface to said selected network interface associated with the single communication session that said first packet belongs to;
updating a source network address of said first packet with the network address associated with said selected network interface; and
forwarding a second packet received on said selected network interface for transmission onto said first communication interface, wherein the destination network address of said second packet is replaced by the source network address associated with the single communication session that said second packet belongs to.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for aggregating communication channels. In one exemplary embodiment an aggregation device is required only on one side of the set of communication channels being aggregated. Advantageously, no modifications to the source and/or destination of data transfers are required for operation of the invention. In one embodiment utilized for data transfers in the downstream direction, object download requests can be fulfilled by sending a sequence of partial download requests through the set of communication channels being aggregated, and forwarding the resulting partial data objects received to the original requester in the proper order. In another embodiment utilized for upstream data transfers, traffic is bifurcated to travel along a set of communication channels, and the bifurcated traffic is reassembled either at the network layer or the transport layer.
68 Citations
32 Claims
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1. In a communication network, a method of aggregating a plurality of communication channels, the method comprising:
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classifying a plurality of packets that arrive on a first communication interface as belonging to a single communication session; selecting one of a plurality of network interfaces that will be associated with said single communication session; forwarding a first packet received on said first communication interface to said selected network interface associated with the single communication session that said first packet belongs to; updating a source network address of said first packet with the network address associated with said selected network interface; and forwarding a second packet received on said selected network interface for transmission onto said first communication interface, wherein the destination network address of said second packet is replaced by the source network address associated with the single communication session that said second packet belongs to. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In a communication network, a method of aggregating a plurality of communication channels, the method comprising:
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requesting a plurality of data from a network entity via a first communication interface, said first communication interface in communication with a first and a second network interface; wherein said plurality of data comprises a first data object and a second data object; receiving said first data object at said first network interface from said network entity; receiving said second data object at said second network interface; receiving a third data object at said second network interface; and forwarding only said first and second data objects to said first communication interface; wherein said first and third data objects comprise a pair of redundant data objects; wherein said first and third data objects correspond to a first and a second acknowledgement message, respectively; and wherein said first and second acknowledgement messages are identical. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a packet based communication network, a method of aggregating communication channels, the method comprising:
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classifying a first plurality of packets that arrive on a first communication interface as belonging to a single communication session, said single communication session representing a data transfer in the upstream direction; dividing a first packet received on said first communication interface belonging to said single communication session into a plurality of fragments; and forwarding a first fragment of said plurality of fragments over a first network interface and forwarding a second fragment of said plurality of fragments over a second network interface; wherein said first fragment and said second fragment comprises at least one identifier indicating to an entity performing network source address filtering on said plurality of fragments that said first fragment and said second fragment are of a same origin, identification of said identifier by said entity causing said entity to cease said network source address filtering of said fragments. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. In a packet based communication network, a method of avoiding the enactment of a false congestion avoidance mode of a transmitting source device, the method comprising:
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forwarding a plurality of data packets from a local port over a plurality of network interface ports, said forwarding comprising redundantly sending the same ones of said plurality of data packets over different ones of said plurality of network interface ports; receiving an acknowledgment message comprising a sequence number at one of said plurality of network interface ports; determining whether said sequence number is identical to a previously received acknowledgment message; selectively discarding redundant ones of said plurality of data packets corresponding to said acknowledgement message which is identical to said previously received message; and selectively discarding said acknowledgement message so as to avoid said transmitting source device from unnecessarily entering a congestion avoidance mode. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for increasing the speed of network communications, said apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a storage device in communication with said processor; and at least one computer program stored on said storage device that when executed; receives a request for a plurality of data via a first communication interface from a computing device, said plurality of data comprising a first data object and a second data object and belonging to a single communication session; and determines whether said requested plurality of data exceeds a predetermined size threshold; wherein if it is determined that said requested plurality of data exceeds said predetermined size threshold, said computer program further; forwards said first data object request to a first network interface; forwards said second data object request to a second network interface; receives said first data object at said first network interface; receives said second data object at said second network interface; and forwards said first and second data objects to said first communication interface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. In a communication network, a method of aggregating a plurality of communication channels, the method comprising:
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classifying a plurality of packets that arrive on a first communication interface as belonging to a single communication session; selecting a plurality of network interfaces that will be associated with said single communication session; receiving a first packet on said first communication interface; updating a source network address of said first packet with the network address associated with one of said selected network interfaces; transmitting said first packet upstream to said network via said one of said selected network interfaces associated with said single communication session; receiving a plurality of second packets on said plurality of selected network interfaces, said plurality of second packets comprising fragments of a single requested data stream; assembling said plurality of second packets into said single requested data stream; and forwarding said single requested data stream via said first communication interface, wherein a destination network address of said plurality of second packets comprising said single requested data stream is replaced by the source network address associated with the single communication session to which said second packets belong.
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32. In a communication network, a method of aggregating a plurality of communication channels, the method comprising:
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classifying a plurality of packets that arrive on a first communication interface as belonging to a single communication session; selecting a plurality of network interfaces that will be associated with said single communication session; receiving said plurality of packets on said first communication interface, said plurality of packets comprising fragments associated with said single communication session; updating source network addresses of said plurality of packets with a network address associated with only one of said selected plurality of network interfaces; and transmitting said packets upstream to said network via any of said selected network interfaces associated with said single communication session; wherein said transmission of said plurality of packets via any of said selected network interfaces occurs regardless of the value of said updated source network addresses.
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Specification