Congestion-Aware Application Network Resource Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network congestion management techniques, such as transport protocol-based methods and router-based packet dropping, either introduce undesirable latency or unfairly block low-priority applications, and are unaware of network congestion status, leading to potential congestion collapse.

Innovation Solution

Implementing congestion-aware applications that adjust network resource occupancy based on real-time feedback signals, such as loss rate, round trip time, and explicit congestion notification, to dynamically switch between data rates and encoding methods, ensuring fair resource allocation and adapting to changing network conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If transport protocol slows down packet sending rate to relieve network congestion, then network congestion is reduced, but latency increases and sending rate becomes non-constant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork congestion reliefVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the application receives congestion status information from the transport protocol and automatically adjusts its data transmission rate. The feedback signal includes metrics such as loss rate, round trip time, and explicit congestion notification, enabling the application to respond dynamically to network conditions without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The application dynamically adjusts its data transmission rate based on real-time congestion status. Instead of using a fixed sending rate, the application modifies its transmission characteristics in response to changing network conditions, switching between different data rates to optimize both latency and congestion relief.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If router selectively drops low priority packets to manage congestion, then high priority packets are protected, but low priority applications are unfairly blocked

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh priority packet deliveryVSAvoidfair network allocation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The application monitors and responds to network congestion status itself, adjusting its own transmission rate based on feedback signals. This self-service approach eliminates the need for router-based packet dropping, allowing fair network allocation while still protecting high priority traffic through application-level adaptation rather than network-level blocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If application transmits high resolution video in congested network, then communication quality is maintained, but network congestion worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidnetwork congestion

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The application changes transmission parameters such as data rate and encoding quality based on congestion status. When congestion is detected through feedback signals, the application reduces its data transmission rate and may switch to lower quality encoding, thereby maintaining acceptable communication quality while relieving network congestion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If application is unaware of network congestion status, then transmission rate remains constant, but congestion collapse occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstant sending rateVSAvoidcongestion collapse prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7903562B2Method and system for congestion control

Publication Date: 2011.03.08 LEIDOS INNOVATIONS TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for congestion control by implementing congestion aware applications. The congestion aware applications can adjust an occupancy of network resource according to a network congestion status. The method for congestion control can include transmitting data from an application to a transport protocol at a first data rate, transmitting the data over a channel, receiving a feedback signal from the transport protocol that is indicative of a congestion status of the channel, communicating the congestion status of the channel from the transport protocol to the application, and transmitting data from the application to the transport protocol at a second data rate based on the congestion status.