Network Packet Flow Monitoring for Online Gaming Latency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The online gaming industry faces challenges in providing a superior user experience due to sensitivity to network latency and jitter, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed, especially since traditional streaming services do not effectively handle real-time interactive games.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented process and apparatus that monitor network packet flows between client gaming devices and game servers to estimate latency and jitter in real-time, allowing for continuous measurement and display of user experience, and detect online gaming sessions by matching attributes of network flows with known games, enabling selective packet forwarding for improved monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated gaming networks are built to reduce latency and jitter, then user experience of online gaming is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (the monitoring apparatus with machine learning model) that sits between the existing network infrastructure and the gaming traffic. This intermediary detects gaming sessions, estimates network conditions, and enables targeted optimization without requiring complete network redesign. The system mediates between the complex infrastructure and the need for reliable gaming experience by providing intelligent oversight and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the network to automatically detect gaming sessions, monitor performance metrics, and adjust routing or prioritization without manual intervention. The machine learning model continuously learns from network traffic patterns and autonomously identifies when gaming traffic requires special handling, reducing the need for complex manual network configuration and management.
2Loss of information
If network monitoring is implemented to measure latency and jitter, then user experience estimation is improved, but measurement precision requirements increase system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the monitoring approach by changing from direct complex measurement to inferred estimation. Instead of implementing complex real-time measurement systems, the patent uses readily available network packets and applies machine learning models to estimate user experience metrics. This parameter change approach converts difficult-to-measure qualities into estimations based on observable network behavior patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical measurement systems with computational estimation. Rather than using complex hardware-based latency and jitter measurement devices, the system uses software-based machine learning models that analyze packet timing and network flow characteristics to infer user experience quality. This substitution reduces hardware complexity while maintaining estimation accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If packet monitoring is performed at ISP level to detect gaming sessions, then detection accuracy is improved, but loss of time for processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-training machine learning models with labeled gaming traffic data before deployment. The system预先 establishes detection patterns and characteristics of gaming sessions during the training phase, so that during actual operation, the models can quickly classify new traffic without extensive real-time analysis. This preliminary preparation reduces processing time while maintaining high detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial action by focusing monitoring efforts only on suspected gaming traffic rather than analyzing all network packets in detail. The machine learning model first identifies potential gaming sessions using key characteristics, then applies more rigorous detection only to those identified flows. This selective approach reduces overall processing time while maintaining detection accuracy for gaming sessions.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented process for estimating user experience of online gaining, including the step of monitoring the flow of network packets of an online game at a monitoring location between a client gaining device and a game server to generate estimates of at least one of latency and jitter in the flow of network packets of the online game as a measure of user experience of the online game.