Cross-congestion notification
AssigneeCharter Communications Operating, LLC
InventorLei Zhou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
For a flow of data packets in a communication path from a source host to a destination host, an intermediate node forwards data packets transmitted by the source host on a downstream link towards the destination host; forwards, towards the source host, acknowledgment (ACK) packets transmitted by the destination host in response to receiving the data packets; detects congestion in the downstream link; and directly modifies at least some of the ACK packets to inform the source host of the congestion. ACK-packet modification may include marking, dropping, and/or delaying at least some of the ACK packets.
Claims18
An intermediate node for a communication path from a source host to a destination host that includes the intermediate node, the intermediate node having a downstream link towards the destination host, the intermediate node comprising a memory and at least one processor, coupled to the memory and operative to cause the intermediate node to:
- receive a downstream flow of data packets transmitted by the source node;
- transmit the downstream flow of data packets towards the destination node via the downstream link;
- receive an upstream flow of acknowledgment (ACK) packets transmitted by the destination node corresponding to the downstream flow of data packets received at the destination node;
- transmit the upstream flow of ACK packets towards the source node;
- detect congestion in the downstream link;
- and
- modify the upstream flow of ACK packets to inform the source node of the congestion in the downstream link.
A method for an intermediate node for a communication path from a source host to a destination host that includes the intermediate node, the intermediate node having a downstream link towards the destination host, the method comprising the intermediate node:
- receiving a downstream flow of data packets transmitted by the source node;
- transmitting the downstream flow of data packets towards the destination node via the downstream link;
- receiving an upstream flow of ACK packets transmitted by the destination node corresponding to the downstream flow of data packets received at the destination node;
- transmitting the upstream flow of ACK packets towards the source node;
- detecting congestion in the downstream link;
- and
- modifying the upstream flow of ACK packets to inform the source node of the congestion in the downstream link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.