Congestion control mechanism for streaming media

• US 7,099,954 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Zhen, Li, Shipeng, Shen, Goubin
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc H.
• Application Number:
  US10/186,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20040001691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709230-234, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/233
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/193 at the transport layer, e.g. TCP related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/283 in response to processing delays, e.g. caused by jitter or round trip time [RTT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/36 by determining packet size, e.g. maximum transfer unit [MTU]

Abstract

Streaming media applications, e.g., sent over the Internet with TCP, can suffer from various fluctuations and low utilization due to TCP'"'"'s Additive Increase Multiplicative Decrease (AIMD) congestion control mechanism. Improved methods and apparatuses are provided in which Logarithm-based Rate Control algorithms are employed to better utilize available bandwidth and/or control and smooth the sending rate of the streaming media.

Claims

1. A method for estimating throughput over at least one network connection, the method comprising:

determining packet size information for data to be sent over at least one network connection;

determining round trip time information associated with said network connection;

determining packet loss information associated with said network connection; and

estimating throughput for said network connection using a logarithmic function that considers said packet size information, said round trip time information, and said packet loss information,

wherein said logarithmic function includes;

$\mathrm{\lambda <br><br>}=\frac{\mathrm{MTU}}{\mathrm{RTT}}⨯<br><br>\left[\underset{n=0}{\overset{\mathrm{\infty <br><br>}}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br><br><br>a_n<br><br>{\log }^n<br><br>\left(p\right)\right],$

wherein, λ

represents an estimated throughput of said network connection, MTU represents said packet size information, RTT represents said round-trip time information, and p represents said packet loss information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said p represents a packet loss ratio.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said logarithmic function includes a first order logarithmic function of:

$\mathrm{\lambda <br><br>}=\frac{\mathrm{MTU}}{\mathrm{RTT}}⨯<br><br>\left[a_0+a_1<br><br>\log <br><br>\left(p\right)\right].$

4. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing at least one processing unit to perform acts comprising;

determining packet size information for data to be sent over at least one network connection;

determining round trip time information associated with said network connection;

determining packet loss information associated with said network connection; and

estimating throughput for said network connection using a logarithmic function that considers said packet size information, said round trip time information, and said packet loss information,

wherein said logarithmic function includes;

$\mathrm{\lambda <br><br>}=\frac{\mathrm{MTU}}{\mathrm{RTT}}\times <br><br>\left[\underset{n=0}{\overset{\mathrm{\infty <br><br>}}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>a_n<br><br>{\log }^n<br><br>\left(p\right)\right],$

wherein, λ

represents an estimated throughput of said network connection, MTU represents said packet size information, RTT represents said round-trip time information, and p represents said packet loss information.

5. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 4, wherein said p represents a packet loss ratio.

6. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 4, wherein said logarithmic function includes a first order logarithmic function of:

$\mathrm{\lambda <br><br>}=\frac{\mathrm{MTU}}{\mathrm{RTT}}\times <br><br>\left[a_0+a_1<br><br>\log <br><br>\left(p\right)\right].$

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one network interface configurable to operatively couple to at least one network resource through at least one network connection; and

logic operatively coupled to said network interface and configurable to determine packet size information for data to be sent over said network connection, determine round trip time information associated with said network connection, determine packet loss information associated with said network connection, and estimate throughput for said network connection using a logarithmic function that considers said packet size information, said round trip time information, said packet loss information,

wherein said logarithmic function includes;

$\mathrm{\lambda <br><br>}=\frac{\mathrm{MTU}}{\mathrm{RTT}}\times <br><br>\left[\underset{n=0}{\overset{\mathrm{\infty <br><br>}}{\sum <br><br>}}<br><br>a_n<br><br>{\log }^n<br><br>\left(p\right)\right],$

wherein, λ

represents an estimated throughput of said network connection, MTU represents said packet size information, RTT represents said round-trip time information, and p represents said packet loss information.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said p represents a packet loss ratio.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said logarithmic function includes a first order logarithmic function of:

$\mathrm{\lambda <br><br>}=\frac{\mathrm{MTU}}{\mathrm{RTT}}\times <br><br>\left[a_0+a_1<br><br>\log <br><br>\left(p\right)\right].$