Methods and systems for transmitting packets through network interfaces

• US 9,258,216 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2013
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pismo Labs Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Pismo Labs Technology Limited
• Inventors: Sung, Patrick Ho Wai, Ng, Kam Chiu, Leung, Wan Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Chou, Albert T
• Application Number:
  US13/935,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20140286343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/124 using a combination of metrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/44 Distributed routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A method carried out by a first communications device for transmitting data packets, wherein the first communications device comprises a plurality of network interfaces. Data packets are transmitted through a first network interface when a first condition is satisfied, and through a second network interface when a second condition is satisfied. In one of the embodiments, the plurality of network interfaces are classified into a plurality of groups of network interfaces according to a first group of conditions, and the first network interface and second network interface belong to two different groups of network interfaces.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data packets at a first communications device comprising a plurality of network interfaces, comprising:

classifying the plurality of network interfaces into a first group of network interfaces, and a second group of network interfaces according to a first group of condition(s);

wherein the first group of network interfaces comprises network interfaces, including a first network interface, that satisfy all of the first group of conditions;

wherein the second group of network interfaces comprises network interfaces, including a second network interface, that satisfy at least one, but not all of the first group of conditions;

determining a specific data type, wherein data packets belonging to the specific data type are transmitted through the at least one of network interfaces of the second group of network interfaces;

transmitting data packets not belonging to the specific data type through at least one of network interfaces of the first group of network interfaces;

when the first group of network interfaces comprises no network interface, transmitting data packets through the second group of network interfaces;

transmitting no data packets through network interfaces not belonging to the first group of network interfaces or second group of network interfaces;

reclassifying the plurality of network interfaces periodically by determining periodically whether the plurality of network interfaces satisfy conditions of the first group of conditions;

removing the first network interface from the first group of network interfaces if the first network interface becomes not satisfying all of the first group of conditions;

removing the second network interface from the second group of network interfaces and classifying the second network interface into the first group of network interfaces if the second network interface becomes satisfying all of the first group of conditions;

wherein the first group of conditions are selected from the group consisting of service provider, geographical location, time, usage prices security, user identity, Internet Protocol address range, communication technology, and device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying or reclassifying is performed periodically by transmitting testing data, wherein the testing data is data packets, error correction packets, error detection packets, or management packets, through the plurality of network interfaces, wherein when the testing data is error correction packets or error detection packets, contents of testing data is based on one of more data packets.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of conditions are all satisfied when value of a first metric falls into one of a first plurality of thresholds.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining the second network interface, wherein the maintaining is performed by transmitting packets periodically via the second network interface, wherein the packets are selected from a group consisting of error correction packets, management packets and data packets, and wherein data packets transmitted through the second network interface belong to the same session of data packets transmitted through the first network interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking network interfaces in the second group of network interfaces according to conditions satisfied by the network interfaces.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein data packets belonging to the specific type of data are management packets and error correction packets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of conditions comprises a first condition, a second condition, and a third condition;

wherein the first condition is satisfied if fewer than a first predefined number of packet loss within a first predefined time period is detected at the first network interface;

wherein the second condition is satisfied if at least the first predefined number of packet, loss within the first predefined time period is detected at the first network interface; and

wherein the third condition is satisfied if at least a third predefined number of packet loss within a third predefined time period is detected at the first network interface.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

activating the second network interface when the second condition is satisfied;

removing the first network interface from the first group of network interfaces is performed when the third condition is satisfied; and

wherein the first group of network interfaces includes the first network interface when the first condition is satisfied.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting at least one alert message to an administrator before removing the first network interface from the first group of network interfaces and before removing the second network interface from the second group of network interfaces.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a fourth condition from the first group of conditions is based on service provider;

wherein the first network interface satisfies the fourth condition when a connection established through the first network interface is provided by a first service provider.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein when the second network interface has high latency, the specific data type of data packets transmitted through the second network interface is, file transfer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a fifth condition from the first group of conditions is based on usage limit;

and wherein the first network interface stops satisfying the fifth condition when the usage limit of a connection established through the first network interface is approaching.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein a sixth condition from the first group of conditions is based on user identity;

and wherein the first network interface satisfies the sixth condition when the first communications device is used by a first user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a seventh condition from the first group of conditions is based on usage price;

and wherein the first network interface satisfies the seventh condition when usage price of a connection established through the first network interface is below a price limit.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance metric is selected from the group consisting of error rates, packet latency, packet jitter, quality of service, security, coverage area, dropped packet rate, round trip time, signal level, interference level, signal-to-interface ratio, and signal-to-noise ratio.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the conditions are retrieved remotely from a remote server or retrieved locally from a local storage medium, and is received through a web interface, an application programming interface (API), a command line interface or a console.

17. A first communications device capable of transmitting data packets, comprising:

a plurality of network interfaces;

at least one processing unit;

at least one main memory;

at least one secondary storage storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for;

classifying the plurality of network interfaces into a first group of network interfaces, and a second group of network interfaces according to a first group of condition(s);

wherein the first group of network interfaces comprises network interfaces, including a first network interface, that satisfy all of the first group of conditions;

wherein the second group of network interfaces comprises network interfaces, including a second network interface, that satisfy at least one, but not all of the first group of conditions;

determining a specific data type, wherein data packets belonging to the specific data type are transmitted through the at least one of network interfaces of the second group of network interfaces;

transmitting data packets not belonging to the specific data type through at least one of network interfaces of the first group of network interfaces;

when the first group of network interfaces comprises no network interface, transmitting data packets through the second group of network interfaces;

transmitting no data packets through network interfaces not belonging to the first group of network interfaces or second group of network interfaces;

reclassifying the plurality of network interfaces periodically by determining periodically whether the plurality of network interfaces satisfy conditions of the first group of conditions;

removing the first network interface from the first group of network interfaces if the first network interface becomes not satisfying all of the first group of conditions;

removing the second network interface from the second group of network interfaces and classifying the second network interface into the first group of network interfaces if the second network interface becomes satisfying all of the first group of conditions;

wherein the first group of conditions are selected from the coup consisting of service provider, geographical location, time, usage price, security, user identity, Internet Protocol address range, communication technology, and device.

18. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein classifying or reclassifying is performed periodically by transmitting testing data, wherein the testing data is data packets, error correction packets, error detection packets, or management packets, through the plurality of network interfaces, wherein when the testing data is error correction packets or error detection packets, contents of testing data is based on one or more data packets.

19. The first communication device of claim 17, wherein the first group of conditions are all satisfied when value of a first metric falls into one of a first plurality of thresholds.

20. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein the at least one secondary storage further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:

maintaining the second network interface, wherein the maintaining is performed by transmitting packets periodically via, the second network interface, wherein the packets are selected from a group consisting of error correction packets, management packets and data packets, and wherein data packets transmitted through the second network interface belong to the same session of data packets transmitted through the first network interface.

21. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein the at least one secondary storage further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for ranking network interfaces in the second group of network interfaces according to conditions satisfied by the network interfaces.

22. The first communication device of claim 17, wherein data packets belonging to the specific type of data are management packets and error correction packets.

23. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein the first group of conditions comprises a first condition, a second condition, and a third condition:

wherein the first condition is satisfied if fewer than a first predefined number of packet loss within a first predefined time period is detected at the first network interface;

wherein the second condition is satisfied if at least the first predefined number of packet loss within the first predefined time period is detected at the first network interface; and

wherein the third condition is satisfied if at least a third predefined number of packet loss within a third predefined time period is detected at the first network interface.

24. The first communication device of claim 23, wherein the at least one secondary storage further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:

activating the second network interface when the second condition is satisfied removing the first network interface from the first group of network interfaces is performed when the third condition is satisfied; and

wherein the first group of network interfaces includes the first network interface when the first condition is satisfied.

25. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein the at least one secondary storage further storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for transmitting at least one alert message to an administrator before removing the first network interface from the first group of network interfaces and before removing the second network interface from the second group of network interfaces.

26. The first communication device of claim 17, wherein a fourth condition from the first group of conditions is based on service provider;

wherein the first network interface satisfies the fourth condition when a connection established through the first network interface is provided by a first service provider.

27. The first communication device of claim 17, wherein when the second network interface has high latency, the specific data type of data packets transmitted through the second network interface is file transfer.

28. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein a fifth condition from the first group of conditions is based on usage limit and wherein the first network interface stops satisfying the fifth condition when the usage limit of a connection established through the first network interface is approaching.

29. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein a sixth condition from the first group of conditions is based on user identity;

and wherein the first network interface satisfies the sixth condition when the first communications device is used by a first user.

30. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein a seventh condition from the first group of conditions is based on usage price;

and wherein the first network interface satisfies the seventh condition when usage price of a connection established through the first network interface is below a price limit.

31. The first communications device of claim 17, wherein the performance metric is selected from the group consisting of, error rates, packet latency, packet jitter, quality of service, security, coverage area, dropped packet rate, round trip time, signal level, interference level, signal-to-interface ratio, and signal-to-noise ratio.

32. The first communication device of claim 17, wherein the conditions are retrieved remotely from a remote server or retrieved locally from a local storage medium, and is received through a web interface, an application programming interface (API), a command line interface or a console.