Multi-Path Data Transfer Using Network Coding

• US 20130195106A1
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Medard, Muriel, Calmon, Flavio du Pin, Cloud, Jason M., Zeng, Weifei
• Granted Patent: US 9,537,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15521 combining by calculations packets received from different stations before transmitting the combined packets as part of network coding network coding aspects for detection or prevention of errors in the information received H04L1/0076; network traffic management with optimizing of information sizing, e.g. header compression, by using assembly and disassembly of packets H04W28/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0041 Arrangements at the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0076 Distributed coding, e.g. network coding, involving channel coding coding in both space and time H04L1/0618; cooperative diversity H04B7/022
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0096 Channel splitting in point-to-point links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols

Abstract

Techniques, devices, systems, and protocols are disclosed herein that relate to data transfer between communication nodes via multiple heterogeneous paths. In various embodiments, network coding may he used to improve data flow and reliability in a multiple path scenario. Transmission control protocol (TCP) may also be used within different paths to further enhance data transfer reliability. In some embodiments, multiple levels of network coding may be provided within a transmitter in a multiple path scenario, with one level being applied across ail paths and another being applied within individual paths.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method for use in transferring data to a destination node, the method comprising:

obtaining as plurality of original data packets to he transferred to the destination node;

generating first coded packets by linearly combining original data packets using network coding;

distributing the first coded packets among multiple available paths leading to the destination node;

generating second coded packets by linearly combining first coded packets distributed to a first path of the multiple available paths, using network coding; and

transmitting the second coded packets associated with the first path to the destination node via a network associated with the first path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating second coded packets by linearly combining first coded packets distributed to a second path of the multiple available paths, using network coding; and

transmitting the second coded packets associated with the second path to the destination node via a network associated with the second path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

generating first coded packets includes generating first coded packets by linearly combining original data packets that are within a sliding coding window.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving acknowledgement messages from the destination node that each indicate that a new degree of freedom has been received by the destination node in connection with the data transfer; and

adjusting the width of the sliding coding window based, at least in part, on received acknowledgement messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

generating second coded packets includes generating second coded packets by linearly combining first coded packets that are within a sliding coding window.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

generating second coded packets includes generating redundant second coded packets for each set of first coded packets within the sliding coding window.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the multiple available paths includes a transmission control protocol (TCP) layer that adds sequence numbers to first coded packets distributed to the path, wherein generating second coded packets by linearly combining first coded packets masks the sequence numbers added to the first coded packets associated with a path.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the multiple available paths includes a transmission control protocol (TCP) layer; and

distributing the first coded packets includes distributing the first coded packets among the multiple available paths based, at least in part, on TCP congestion control window dynamics.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the multiple available paths are associated with different network technologies.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining a plurality of original data packets includes receiving the original data packets from an application layer.

11. A machine implemented method for use in processing coded packets received from a source node via multiple different paths, the method comprising:

receiving coded packets associated with a first connection via multiple different paths, the coded packets each including a linear combination of original data packets;

for each coded packet associated with the first connection that is successfully received, sending an acknowledgement message to the source node without first determining whether the coded packet is linearly independent of previously received coded packets associated with the first connection;

forwarding all coded packets associated with the first connection, received from all paths, to a common processing layer without decoding the coded packets; and

for each coded packet associated with the first connection forwarded to the common processing layer;

determining whether the coded packet is linearly independent of coded packets associated with the connection that were previously forwarded to the common processing layer; and

sending an acknowledgement message to the source node acknowledging that a new degree of freedom has been received for the first connection if the coded packet is determined to be linearly independent.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

determining whether the coded packet is linearly independent includes performing a Gauss-Jordan elimination operation on a coefficient matrix.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

receiving coded packets associated with a first connection via multiple different paths includes receiving coded packets from paths that use different network technologies, wherein each of the different paths uses transmission control protocol (TCP) to control a transfer of packets through the path.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

sending an acknowledgement message to the source node without first determining whether the coded packet is linearly independent from previously received coded packets is performed as part of a TCP layer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

sending an acknowledgement message to the source node without first determining whether the coded packet is linearly independent of previously received coded packets is performed within a first portion of the TCP layer for coded packets received via a first path and within a second portion of the TCP layer for coded packets received via a second path that is different from the first path.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

receiving coded packets associated with a first connection via multiple different paths includes receiving some coded packets via a first path following a first communication standard and receiving some other coded packets via a second path following a second communication standard that is different from the first communication standard.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

forwarding all coded packets associated with the first connection to a common processing layer includes forwarding the coded packets to a multiple path transfer control protocol with network coding (MPTCP-NC) layer that is higher than a TCP layer in a corresponding protocol architecture.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the protocol architecture includes separate protocol stacks associated with each of the multiple different paths.

19. A communication device comprising:

a first network interface unit configured for communication in a first network;

a second network interface unit configured for communication in a second network that is different from the first network; and

at least one processor to manage data transfer between the communication device and a destination node using multiple different paths, the at least one processor to;

obtain a plurality of original packets representative of data to be transferred to the destination node;

generate first coded packets by linearly combining original data packets using network coding;

distribute first coded packets to the multiple different paths to the destination node; and

generate second coded packets within individual paths by linearly combining first coded packets distributed to the path, using network coding.

20. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit second coded packets generated within individual paths to the destination node via corresponding networks.

21. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate first coded packets by linearly combining original data packets within a sliding coding windows.

22. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate second coded packets for a first path by linearly combining first coded packets within a sliding coding window.

23. The communication device of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate redundant second coded packets for the first path for each set of first coded packets within the sliding coding window.

24. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is configured to distribute the first coded packets to the multiple different paths based, at least in part, on TCP congestion control window dynamics.

25. The communication device of claim 19, wherein a first of the multiple different paths is associated with the first network interface unit and a second of the multiple different paths is associated with the second network interface unit.

26. The communication device of claim 25, further comprising;

at least one additional network interface unit configured for communication within at least one additional network.

27. A communication device comprising:

a first network interface unit configured for communication in a first network;

a second network interface unit configured for communication in a second network that is different from the first network; and

at least one processor to manage processing of coded data packets received from a source node via multiple different paths as part of a first connection, the coded data packets each including a linear combination of original data packets, the at least one processor to;

send an acknowledgement message to the source node for each coded data packet associated with the first connection that is successfully received;

forward coded data packets associated with the first connection, received from all paths, to a common processing layer without first decoding the coded packets; and

for each coded packet associated with the first connection forwarded to the common processing layer;

determine whether the coded packet is linearly independent of coded packets associated with the connection that were previously forwarded to the common processing layer; and

send an acknowledgement message to the source node acknowledging that a new degree of freedom has been received for the first connection if the coded packet is determined to be linearly independent.

28. The communication device of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is configured to discard a received coded packet if it is determined that the packet is not lineally independent.

29. The communication device of claim 27, wherein

a first of the multiple different paths is associated with the first network interface unit and a second of the multiple different paths is associated with the second network interface unit.

30. The communication device of claim 27, further comprising:

at least one additional network interface unit configured for communication within at least one additional network.