US 8,799,472 B2 · Peer signaling protocol and system for decentralized traffic management

Abstract

A network communications protocol to allow endpoints in a computer network to communicate their respective requirements for access to a network resource to each other, and to communicate a policy for access to the network resource by the endpoints. The network protocol may also allow negotiation of access to the network resource for the respective endpoint in accordance with the policy and the requirements information communicated by other endpoints. The network resource may be access to a WAN connection or an Internet connection, or may be a device such as a network printer or network attached storage.

Drawings

Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO

Drawings

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for each endpoint of a plurality of endpoints in a decentralized local area network, each endpoint communicating with each other endpoint in the network by signals passing over the local area network, the method comprising:

(a) providing the respective endpoint means for regulating access of the respective endpoint to a shared network resource;
(b) receiving a policy for allocation of use of said shared network resource among the plurality of endpoints;
(c) multicasting the respective endpoint access rate and access requirements to the shared network resource to each other endpoint in the local area network;
(d) self-allocating own and only own access to the network resource according to said policy, the multicasted access rate, the multicasted access requirements, and data on availability of said shared network resource;
and
(e) self-enforcing the allocated access of the respective endpoint to the shared network resource using said means for regulating the respective endpoint own and only own access to the shared network resource.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,052 words

Summary909 words

#The present invention relates to a method and a signalling protocol for decentralized ac management in a computer network.

#Small networks, comprising multiple endpoint devices, such as desktop computers, notebook computers and handheld computers, usually share a link to the external network, such as the Internet or Wide Area Network (WAN), via a common access device, such as a DSL modem and/or router.

#A common problem is that one endpoint can often occupy more than its fair share of the available bandwidth. This is particularly true when one or more endpoint users are downloading large files, while another endpoint user is attempting to use delay-sensitive networked applications, such as voice over IP (VoIP), video streaming or online games.

Brief description of the drawings5 figures

#For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described with respect to preferred embodiments which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein;

#FIG. 1 is diagram of a local area network upon which the method and a signalling protocol for decentralized traffic management of the invention is implemented; and

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of the network of FIG. 1, showing data flows when the invention is implemented; and

Detailed description2,979 words

#Now referring to the illustrations, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown a desktop computer 10, a server computer 11 and a laptop computer 12 These are network endpoints, which share access to an external network 13 via a local area network (LAN) 14 and a common access device, being a DSL modem and router 15. In other embodiments (not shown) the endpoints may be any computing devices and the common access device may be a router, cable modem or network switch. The external network 13 shown as a corporate wide area network (WAN), may be the Internet.

#The network endpoints on the Local Area Network (LAN) signal each other so as negotiate access to the shared external network. The system thereby implements a virtual centralized traffic manager, by means of decentralized traffic management.

#This is possible because of the large disparity between LAN and WAN data rates, which is typically 2 or 3 orders of magnitude. LAN data rates are between 100 Mbps and 10 Gbps, whereas WAN data rates are typically under 45 Mbps (T3) for a corporate WAN, or 1 Mbps for a typical DSL Internet link. In the time it takes to transmit 1 Mbyte of data over a 1 Mbps WAN link, 100 Mbytes of data can be transmitted over a 100 Mbps LAN, which is equivalent to one million 100-byte messages.

Facts

Application

11/242,540Filed 3 Oct 2005

Priority

AU 20049057426 Oct 2004

Published

US 2006/0072457 A16 Apr 2006

Granted

5 Aug 2014

Term ends

2 Nov 2030

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 1,856 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification3 codes

H04L 69/24
Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass:…
H04L 41/0894
Configuration management of networks or network elements: policy-based network configuration management
H04L
Digital communication

Timeline

6 Oct 2004Priority claimedAU 2004905742
3 Oct 2005Application filedUS 11/242,540
7 Mar 2006Assigned to Netpriva Pty Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
6 Apr 2006PublishedUS 2006/0072457 A1
26 Mar 2009Assigned to Expand Networks Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
6 Feb 2012Assigned to Riverbed Technology, Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
20 Dec 2012Assigned to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLCsecurity agreement
26 Dec 2013Assigned to Riverbed Technology, Inc.release of patent security interest
27 Dec 2013Assigned to Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A., AS Administrative Agentpatent security agreement
5 Aug 2014GrantedUS 8,799,472 B2
28 Apr 2015Assigned to Riverbed Technology, Inc.release of security interest in patents
1 May 2015Assigned to Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
2 Jun 2015Assigned to Riverbed Technology, Inc.corrective assignment to correct the conveying party name previously recorded on reel 035521 frame 0069. assignor(s) hereby confirms the release of security interest in patents.
5 Mar 2021Assigned to Alter Domus (US) LLC, AS Collateral Agentpatent security agreement
26 May 2021Assigned to Macquarie Capital Funding LLCsecurity interest
13 Oct 2021Assigned to Riverbed Holdings, Inc., Riverbed Technology, Inc., Aternity LLCrelease of security interest in patents recored at reel 056397, frame 0750
14 Oct 2021Assigned to Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., AS Collateral Agentpatent security agreement supplement - first lien
14 Oct 2021Assigned to Alter Domus (US) LLC, AS Collateral Agentpatent security agreement supplement - second lien
27 Oct 2021Assigned to Wilmington Trust, National Associationpatent security agreement
10 Dec 2021Assigned to Wilmington Trust, National Association, AS U.S. Collateral Agentsecurity interest
27 Dec 2021Assigned to Riverbed Technology, Inc., Aternity LLCtermination and release of security interest in patents
27 Dec 2021Assigned to Riverbed Technology, Inc., Aternity LLCtermination and release of security interest in patents
27 Dec 2021Assigned to Riverbed Technology, Inc., Aternity LLCtermination and release of security interest in patents
18 Feb 2022Assigned to Riverbed Technology LLCchange of name
11 Aug 2023Assigned to Riverbed Technology, Inc., Aternity LLC, Riverbed Holdings, Inc.release of security interest
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
2 Nov 2030Term endsEstimated, includes 1,856 days of adjustment

Peer signaling protocol and system for decentralized traffic management

Life of this patent

Peer signaling protocol and system for decentralized traffic management

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims23

Description4,052 words

Drawings

Classification3 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,052 words