Intermediate Node Timestamp Insertion for Network Congestion Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication network performance testing primarily focuses on the destination node, which limits the accuracy of identifying packet congestion and delay issues, as it does not allow for localized measurements at intermediate nodes, making it difficult to pinpoint specific segments or nodes contributing to network congestion.
Innovation Solution
Implementing local segment performance measurements at intermediate nodes by using embedded timestamps and sequence numbers in data packets, allowing for packet delay, loss, and data rate analysis on a per-packet basis, and transmitting these statistics to a session manager for further processing to identify congestion points within the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If performance testing is performed only at the destination node, then the testing process is simple, but the accuracy of identifying packet congestion and delay issues deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the network path into multiple segments by introducing intermediate nodes that perform local measurements. Each intermediate node segments the overall measurement task, capturing performance data for its specific segment rather than requiring a single end-to-end measurement at the destination node. This segmentation enables precise identification of congestion and delay issues in specific network segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate nodes as mediators between the source and destination nodes. These intermediate nodes receive data packets, insert local timestamps and sequence numbers, and forward measurements to the session manager. This intermediary approach allows localized performance capture without requiring complex destination-only testing, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining manageable system complexity.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If localized measurements are implemented at intermediate nodes, then the detection precision of congestion points improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions by having intermediate nodes insert local timestamps and sequence numbers into data packets as they pass through. This preliminary marking enables precise tracking of packet flow and delay at each segment without requiring complex analysis at the destination. The preliminary capture of measurement data simplifies the overall detection process while maintaining high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where intermediate nodes send local measurement data (timestamps, sequence numbers, delay information) back to the session manager. This feedback loop enables the session manager to reconstruct end-to-end performance metrics and identify congestion points by analyzing the accumulated data from multiple intermediate nodes, thereby improving detection precision without requiring each node to perform complex local analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication network that includes a communication path is provided including a source node, a destination node, and a plurality of intermediate nodes that connect the source node to the destination node by corresponding network segments. The intermediate nodes are configured to perform measurements and individually generate segment performance statistics that enable a session manager to more precisely determine a network segment that is causing data traffic congestion by comparing the various segment performance statistics to each other.