Discarded Packet Indicator for Real-Time Network Congestion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current digital information delivery networks face challenges in distinguishing between missing packets due to controlled and uncontrolled circumstances, leading to delayed error detection and increased congestion in real-time services like audio and video streaming, where retransmissions can worsen congestion and result in objectionable artifacts.

Innovation Solution

Intermediate network elements identify discarded packets and send a small notification to the destination device, allowing for immediate error correction and preventing unnecessary retransmission requests, thereby reducing bandwidth usage and improving video quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the destination device waits for a timeout period before declaring a packet lost, then false positives from random errors are reduced, but real-time service quality deteriorates due to delayed error detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket loss detection accuracyVSAvoiderror detection delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The network element performs preliminary action by proactively notifying the destination device about packets to be discarded before they are actually lost. This allows the destination device to prepare error concealment measures in advance, eliminating the need to wait for timeout periods and enabling immediate error recovery while maintaining high detection accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary notification mechanism is introduced between the network element and destination device. The network element sends discard notifications through this intermediary channel, allowing the destination device to know about upcoming packet losses without needing to wait for timeout periods or guess based on missing packets, thus resolving the contradiction between early detection and false positives

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If retransmission requests are sent for missing packets, then data completeness is improved, but network congestion worsens in real-time streaming services

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata completenessVSAvoidnetwork congestion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful element of retransmission requests is extracted and removed from the system. Instead of allowing the destination device to send retransmission requests that would worsen congestion, the network element proactively provides discard notifications, enabling the destination device to skip retransmission and directly apply error concealment, thus maintaining data completeness while eliminating congestion-causing traffic

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The potential harm of packet loss is converted into a benefit by transforming the passive problem of missing packets into an active opportunity for early error concealment. The discard notification, which initially indicates a problem, becomes a useful signal that enables the destination device to optimize its error recovery strategy and avoid harmful retransmissions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If large buffers are used at the destination device to allow retransmission, then packet loss recovery is improved, but real-time service latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket loss recoveryVSAvoidservice latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by providing discard notifications before packets are lost, allowing the destination device to prepare error concealment strategies in advance. This eliminates the need for large buffers to accommodate retransmission delays, as error recovery can begin immediately without waiting for potential retransmissions or timeout periods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8867340B2Discarded packet indicator

Publication Date: 2014.10.21 ALCATEL LUCENT SA

AI summary

A source device (10) sends information to a destination device (12) through intermediary network elements (14). If an intermediary network element (14) needs to discard one or more packets of information, it sends a smaller informational packet to the destination device (12). Upon receiving the informational packet, the destination device can immediately begin correctional procedures.