# US 12,003,423 B1 · System and method for scheduling transmission of network packets > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,423 B1 - Document ID: US12003423B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/992,326 - Filed: 2022-11-22 - Published: 2024-05-23 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-22 - Assignees: Arbor Networks, Inc. - Applicants: Arbor Networks, Inc. - Inventors: Sean O'Hara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003423B1 ## CPC - H04L 47/622: {Queue service order} - H04L 47/122: by diverting traffic away from congested entities - H04L 47/30: in combination with information about buffer occupancy at either end or at transit nodes - H04L 47/32: by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A computer method and system for scheduling packets for transmission over a network, via a gateway device having a packet buffer for temporarily storing packets intended for a network device. Upon reception of a packet in the gateway device intended for a network device, a determination is made as to whether the received packet is the start a new packet session for the network device. If yes, the packet is then caused to be forward to the intended network device. If no, then a determination is made as to whether drop the received packet contingent upon a determined current size of the packet buffer (e.g., does it exceed a predetermined packet size threshold value). If the packet is not dropped, then a determination is made as to whether mark the packet for network congestion control contingent upon the determined size of the packet buffer (e.g., does it exceed a predetermined network congestion packet size threshold value). The packet is then caused to be forwarded to the intended network device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of scheduling packets for transmission over a network, via a gateway device having a packet buffer for temporarily storing packets intended for a network device, comprising: receiving a packet at the gateway device, directed to the network device; determining, in the gateway device, if the received packet is the start of a new packet session for the network device; forwarding, by the gateway device, the received packet to the network device if determined to be start of the new packet session; responsive to determining a size of the packet buffer is below a packet drop threshold value, dropping, by the gateway device, the received packet if determined not to be start of a new packet session; marking for network congestion control, by the gateway device, the received packet if determined not to be start of a packet session and not to be dropped; and forwarding the marked received packet to the network device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the received packet is marked for network congestion responsive to determining the size of the packet buffer exceeds a packet mark threshold value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2, further including forwarding the received packet to the network device if determined: not to be start of a packet session; not to be dropped; and not to be marked, responsive to determining the size of the packet buffer is below the packet mark threshold value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the received packet is received from a Network Interface Controller (NIC) component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the gateway device is configured for detecting and mitigating Denial of Service (DoS) attacks in inbound packets intended for the network device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 5, wherein the gateway device is further configured for detecting and mitigating malicious data in outbound packets sent from the network device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network device is a server. ### Claim 8 A computer-implemented method of scheduling packets for transmission over a network, via a gateway device having a packet buffer for temporarily storing packets intended for a network device, comprising: determining a size of the packet buffer; receiving a packet at the gateway device, directed to the network device; determining, in the gateway device, if the received packet is the start of a new packet session for the network device; forwarding, by the gateway device, the received packet to the network device if determined to be start of the new packet session; and dropping, by the gateway device, the received packet if determined not to be start of a new packet session responsive to determining a size of the packet buffer is below a packet drop threshold value; marking for network congestion control, by the gateway device, the received packet if determined not to be start of a packet session and not to be dropped, and responsive to determining the size of the packet buffer exceeds a packet mark threshold value; and forwarding the marked received packet to the network device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 8, further including forwarding the received packet to the network device if determined: not to be start of a packet session; not to be dropped; and not to be marked, responsive to determining the size of the packet buffer is below the packet mark threshold value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 9, wherein determining if the received packet is the start of a new packet session for the network device utilizes a probabilistic algorithm for determining if the received packet is the start of a new packet session; and not to be marked, responsive to determining the size of the packet buffer is below the packet mark threshold value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 10, wherein the probabilistic algorithm is a Stochastic Fair Blue (SFB) active queue management algorithm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 9, wherein the gateway device is configured for detecting and mitigating Denial of Service (DoS) attacks in inbound packets intended for the network device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 12, wherein the gateway device is configured for detecting and mitigating malicious data in outbound packets sent from the network device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 8, wherein the received packet is received from a Network Interface Controller (NIC) component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 8, wherein the network device is a server. ### Claim 16 A network computing device comprising: a processor; a network interface; and a memory including instructions operable to be executed by the processor to perform a set of actions to configure the processor to: receive a packet at the network interface, directed to a network device; determine if the received packet is the start of a new packet session for the network device; forward the received packet to the network device if determined to be start of the new packet session; drop the received packet if determined not to be start of a new packet session; determine a size of the packet buffer, wherein the received packet is dropped to determining a size of the packet buffer is below a packet drop threshold value; mark for network congestion control the received packet if determined not to be start of a packet session and not to be dropped, and responsive to determining the size of the packet buffer exceeds a packet mark threshold value; and forward the marked received packet to the network device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The network computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to: detect and mitigate Denial of Service (DoS) attacks in inbound packets directed for the network device; and detect and mitigate malicious data in outbound packets sent from the network device.