Batched Network Coding Packet Sizing for Small-File Throughput

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-hop wireless networks face performance degradation due to factors like packet loss, computational resource limitations, and overhead issues from inappropriate input packet lengths, especially in scenarios with small file sizes, leading to poor throughput and increased computational complexity.

Innovation Solution

A dynamic optimization engine is employed to determine optimal transmission parameters, such as batch size and number of packets, based on file characteristics and network conditions, using BNC encoding to minimize overhead and improve throughput.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If random linear network coding (RLNC) is used with fixed input packet length, then network coding can achieve capacity subject to packet loss, but throughput drops to less than 50 percent when file size is small due to zero-padding overhead

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket loss resilienceVSAvoidthroughput
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the input packet length adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the input packet length based on the file size being transmitted, using a formula that scales the packet length with the file size. This allows the system to maintain efficient throughput for small files while still providing sufficient redundancy for packet loss protection in multi-hop wireless networks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of input packet length from a fixed value to a variable that depends on file size. By implementing packet length adaptation where the packet length is proportional to the file size, the system eliminates excessive zero-padding overhead for small files while maintaining the reliability benefits of network coding for packet loss resilience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If batched network coding is used with fixed batch size, then computational complexity at intermediate nodes is reduced, but transmission overhead increases when file size is small

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputational complexityVSAvoidtransmission overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the batch size adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the batch size based on the file size being transmitted, using a formula that scales the batch size with the file size. This allows the system to minimize transmission overhead for small files while still providing sufficient redundancy for packet loss protection in multi-hop wireless networks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of batch size from a fixed value to a variable that depends on file size. By implementing batch size adaptation where the batch size is proportional to the file size, the system eliminates excessive transmission overhead for small files while maintaining the computational efficiency benefits of batched network coding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If input packet length is increased to reduce padding overhead, then throughput improves, but packet loss probability decreases exponentially with number of hops

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidpacket delivery probability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the input packet length adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the input packet length based on the file size being transmitted, using a formula that scales the packet length with the file size. This allows the system to maintain efficient throughput for small files while still providing sufficient redundancy for packet loss protection in multi-hop wireless networks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of input packet length from a fixed value to a variable that depends on file size. By implementing packet length adaptation where the packet length is proportional to the file size, the system eliminates excessive zero-padding overhead for small files while maintaining the reliability benefits of network coding for packet loss resilience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4266609B1Systems and methods for optimizing network transmissions of batched network coded packets
Publication Date: 2026.02.04 N HOP TECH LTD
  • EP4266609B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4266609B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4266609B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Batched network coding (BNC) is a low-complexity solution to network transmission in multi-hop networks with packet loss that divides data to be transmitted into multiple packets and pads the data when necessary. However, an inappropriate choice of packet size leads to a significant overhead. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems, methods, and apparatuses that overcome the shortcomings of traditional BNC solutions by dynamically deciding a packet size through optimization of the overhead. As a result, embodiments of the present disclosure boost throughput of systems leveraging BNC transmission techniques by providing filespecific and dynamically determined optimizations. The disclosed techniques for performing dynamic optimization of transmissions also reduce computational complexity, enabling use case deployments in which nodes having reduced computational resources and power requirements are utilized while maintaining improved performance of the network (e.g., in terms of throughput, etc.).