Dynamically resizing aggregation windows based on network congestion feedback from mixed types of traffic in a wireless network

• US 9,992,127 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fortinet Inc.
• Inventors: Shukla, Manish, Bhargava, Saurabh
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H
• Application Number:
  US14/985,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20160255010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/127 by using congestion prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/26 using explicit feedback to the source, e.g. choke packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/365 Dynamic adaptation of the packet size
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0273 adapting protocols for flow control or congestion control to wireless environment, e.g. adapting transmission control protocol [TCP] wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation, e.g. wireless application protocol H04W80/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Aggregation windows are dynamically resized based on network congestion feedback from VOIP and other mixed types of traffic. Feedback indicative of a level of network congestion on the data communication network where aggregate packets are transmitted is received. The network congestion level is checked to see if a predetermined threshold has been exceeded. Responsive to exceeding the threshold, the network congestion level is correlated to an optimal data field size for the aggregated data packets. Further, a MAC layer is configured for the optimal data field size for frame generation. Subsequent aggregated data packets are then transmitted using the optimal data field size.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method on a Wi-Fi device connected to a data communication network for dynamically resizing aggregation windows based on network congestion feedback, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting aggregated data packets, the aggregated data packets having a data field of varying size;

receiving feedback indicative of a level of network congestion on the data communication network;

determining that the network congestion level exceeds a predetermined threshold;

correlating the network congestion level to an optimal data field size for the aggregated data packets;

configure a MAC layer for the optimal data field size;

detecting VOIP (voice over internet protocol) data packets among other types of data packets in a queue;

coalescing just VOIP data packets into aggregate data packets using the optimal data field size; and

transmitting subsequent aggregated data packets using the optimal data field size.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuing to use a standard data field size for aggregate data packets for data packets in the queue that are not VOIP data packets.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting a future level of network congestion, wherein the optimal data field size is based at least in part of the predicted future network congestion level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network congestion level is comprises exclusively of an amount of VOIP (voice over internet protocol) traffic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network congestion is comprised at least in part a ratio of VOIP traffic relative to other types of traffic.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregated data packets comprise IEEE 802.11ac aggregated data packets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi device comprises an access point, wherein network congestion level comprises an access point congestion level from downstream of the access point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi device comprises one of a Wi-Fi controller and an SDN (software-defined networking) controller, wherein network congestion level comprises a network-wide congestion level.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing source code that, when executed by a processor, performs a method load for on a Wi-Fi device connected to a data communication network for dynamically resizing aggregation windows based on network congestion feedback the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting aggregated data packets, the aggregated data packets having a data field of varying size;

receiving feedback indicative of a level of network congestion on the data communication network;

determining that the network congestion level exceeds a predetermined threshold;

correlating the network congestion level to an optimal data field size for the aggregated data packets;

configure a MAC layer for the optimal data field size;

detecting VOIP data packets among other types of data packets in a queue;

coalescing just VOIP data packets into aggregate data packets using the optimal data field size; and

transmitting subsequent aggregated data packets using the optimal data field size.

10. The non-transitory compared readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

continuing to use a standard data field size for aggregate data packets for data packets in the queue that are not VOIP data packets.

11. The non-transitory compared readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

predicting a future level of network congestion, wherein the optimal data field size is based at least in part of the predicted future network congestion level.

12. The non-transitory compared readable media of claim 9, wherein the network congestion level is comprised exclusively of an amount of VOIP traffic.

13. The non-transitory compared readable media of claim 9, wherein the network congestion is comprised at least in part a ratio of VOIP traffic relative to other types of traffic.

14. The non-transitory compared readable media of claim 9, wherein the aggregated data packets comprise IEEE 802.11ac aggregated data packets.

15. The non-transitory compared readable media of claim 9, wherein the Wi-Fi device comprises an access point, wherein network congestion level comprises an access point congestion level from downstream of the access point.

16. The non-transitory compared readable media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

continuing to use a standard data field size for aggregate data packets for data packets in the queue that are not VOIP data packets.

17. A Wi-Fi device connected to a data communication network for dynamically resizing aggregation windows based on network congestion feedback, the Wi-Fi device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, storing;

a first module to transmit aggregated data packets, the aggregated data packets having a data field of varying size;

a second module to receive feedback indicative of a level of network congestion on the data communication network;

a third module to determine that the network congestion level exceeds a predetermined threshold;

a fourth module to correlate the network congestion level to an optimal data field size for the aggregated data packets; and

a fifth module to configure a MAC layer for the optimal data field size,

a sixth module to detect VOIP (voice over internet protocol) data packets among other types of data packets in a queue,

a seventh module to coalesce just VOIP data packets into aggregate data packets using the optimal data field size,

wherein the first module transmits subsequent aggregated data packets using the optimal data field size.

18. The Wi-Fi device of clam 17, further comprising:

an eight module to predict a future level of network congestion, wherein the optimal data field size is based at least in part of the predicted future network congestion level.

19. The Wi-Fi device of clam 17, wherein the network congestion level is comprised exclusively of an amount of VOIP traffic.

20. The Wi-Fi device of clam 17, wherein the Wi-Fi device comprises one of a Wi-Fi controller and an SDN (software-defined networking) controller, wherein network congestion level comprises a network-wide congestion level.