Method for checking the reliability of a first value of a flow control parameter relating to a connection intended to be established between a first item of communication equipment and a second item of communication equipment linked by a path comprising at least one intermediate node by means of a value of an intermediate performance parameter determined by the intermediate node

A method for checking the reliability of a first value of a flow control parameter relating to a connection intended to be established between a first item of communication equipment and a second item of communication equipment connected by a path comprising at least one intermediate node, the method being implemented by the first item of communication equipment and comprising the following:

• receiving a value of an intermediate performance parameter corresponding to a ratio, determined by the intermediate node, between a first round-trip propagation duration between the first item of communication equipment and the intermediate node and a second round-trip propagation duration between the intermediate node and the second item of communication equipment, the first round-trip propagation duration being determined by means of a first value of a latency parameter comprised in a first data packet and in a second data packet exchanged between the first item of communication equipment and the second item of communication equipment, a second value of a latency parameter comprised in a third data packet emitted by the first item of communication equipment, and timestamp data relating to the first and third data packets, the second round-trip propagation duration being determined by means of the first value and timestamp data relating to the first and second data packets,
• obtaining a target value of a reception bitrate of the connection and of the first value of the flow control parameter,
• determining a second value of the flow control parameter by means of the value of the intermediate performance parameter and a value of the first duration,
• comparing the first value of the flow control parameter with the second value of the flow control parameter, and
• when the difference between the first value of the flow control parameter and the second value of the flow control parameter is less than or equal to a threshold, determining a value of the reception bitrate to be used during the establishment of the connection by means of the value of an intermediate performance parameter, and transmitting the value of the reception bitrate to the second item of communication equipment.

Item of communication equipment forming a first end of a path established between the item of communication equipment and another item of communication equipment, the path comprising at least one intermediate item of equipment capable of retransmitting at least part of the missing data, the equipment being capable of checking the reliability of a first value of a flow control parameter relating to a connection intended to be established over the path, and comprising at least one processor configured to:

• receive a value of an intermediate performance parameter corresponding to a ratio, determined by the intermediate node, between a first round-trip propagation duration between the first item of communication equipment and the intermediate node and a second round-trip propagation duration between the intermediate node and the second item of communication equipment, the first duration and the second duration being also determined by the intermediate node, the first round-trip propagation duration being determined by means of a first value of a latency parameter comprised in a first data packet and in a second data packet exchanged between the first item of communication equipment and the second item of communication equipment, a second value of a latency parameter comprised in a third data packet emitted by the first item of communication equipment, and timestamp data relating to the first and third data packets, the second round-trip propagation duration being determined by means of the first value and timestamp data relating to the first and second data packets,
• obtain a target value of a reception bitrate of the connection and of the first value of the flow control parameter,
• determine a second value of the flow control parameter by means of the value of the intermediate performance parameter and of the first duration knowing that the flow control parameter corresponds to the product of the target reception bitrate by a round-trip propagation duration between the first item of communication equipment and the second item of communication equipment,
• compare the first value of the flow control parameter with the second value of the flow control parameter, and
• when the first value of the flow control parameter corresponds to the second value of the flow control parameter, determine a value of the reception bitrate to be used during the establishment of the connection by means of the value of an intermediate performance parameter.