Increasing reliable data throughput in a wireless network

• US 9,240,868 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kish, William S., Chanak, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAO, WEI PO ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/267,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,728 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/235, 370/236, 370/315, 370/328, 370/338, 370/400, 370/401, 370/428, 370/492, 370/501
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving data transmission rates in communication networks are disclosed. In an 802.11 wireless communication network, where a source node of the wireless network transmits TCP data to a destination node of the wireless network, the destination node does not transmit TCP acknowledgments (ACKs) for the TCP data if 802.11 ACKs indicate that the destination node received the TCP data. If a source outside the wireless network transmits TCP data to the destination node within the wireless network through an intermediate device, such as an access point, the destination node suppresses transmitting TCP ACKs. The intermediate device transmits TCP ACKs as proxy for the destination node to the source. The intermediate device also suppresses TCP ACKs where a source node within the wireless network sends the TCP data to a destination node outside of the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method for reliably transmitting data from a source to a destination in a wireless network, the method comprising:

transmitting data from the source to the destination, the data transmitted according to a higher layer protocol that includes the transmission control protocol (TCP);

receiving a first acknowledgment at the source, wherein the first acknowledgment is transmitted from an intermediate device between the source and the destination, wherein the first acknowledgment is transmitted according to a lower layer protocol that includes an 802.11 protocol, wherein the first acknowledgment includes an 802.11 acknowledgment (802.11 ACK); and

suppressing any further transmission of acknowledgements in the wireless network at the source from the intermediate device, wherein the suppression is based on a transmission of a second acknowledgement from the destination to the intermediate device, wherein the second acknowledgement is transmitted according to the higher layer protocol and includes a transmission control acknowledgement (TCP ACK), and wherein the transmission of data in the wireless network from the source to the destination nevertheless remains reliable and occurs without delay of additional acknowledgment transmissions to the source from the intermediate device as a result of the first acknowledgment being transmitted according to the lower layer protocol and the second acknowledgment being transmitted according to the higher layer protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate device includes an access point for a wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein suppressing the second acknowledgment is a result of not transmitting the second acknowledgment to the source.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the source of the data originates outside the wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the source of the data originates within the wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination of the data is outside the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination of the data is within the wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the destination received the transmitted data from the source without error.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a proxy acknowledgement at the source from the intermediate device thereby instructing the source that additional data may be transmitted to the source.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second acknowledgement between the intermediate device and the destination includes an exchange of operation-based information.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising broadcasting operation-based information of the intermediate device, wherein the broadcasted information can be received by the destination to adjust operation of the destination.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second acknowledgement from the destination to the intermediate device includes information used by the intermediate device to determine that the destination supports acknowledgement suppression.