Packet Erasure Coding with Interspersed Redundancy for In-Order Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional forward error correction methods in data communication networks result in significant delay due to the placement of redundant coded packets at the end of blocks, which increases the delay proportionally with block size, making it difficult to ensure low delay in-order delivery of packets across lossy communication links.

Innovation Solution

Interspersing redundant coded packets amongst information packets based on packet loss rate and other factors, allowing for earlier reconstruction of lost packets and reducing in-order packet delivery delay, as opposed to the traditional approach of placing coded packets at the end of blocks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If coded packets are placed at the end of a block to maximize throughput capacity, then network throughput efficiency is improved, but packet delivery delay increases proportionally with block size

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork throughput efficiencyVSAvoidpacket delivery delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the traditional block code structure into smaller sub-blocks or segments, where coded packets are distributed across multiple smaller groups rather than concentrated at the end of one large block. This segmentation allows receivers to reconstruct lost packets from smaller subsets, reducing the waiting time proportional to full block size while maintaining overall throughput efficiency through systematic distribution of redundancy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transmits coded packets in advance within the block structure rather than waiting until the end. By placing coded packets at strategic positions throughout the block transmission, receivers can perform error correction earlier in the reception process, reducing delay without sacrificing the throughput optimality achieved through proper coding rate selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If block size is increased to maximize use of available network capacity, then throughput efficiency is improved, but delay for in-order packet delivery increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork capacity utilizationVSAvoidin-order packet delivery delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the large block into smaller logical units or sub-blocks, each with its own coded packets distributed throughout. This allows receivers to process and reconstruct packets from smaller units independently, achieving low delay performance while the overall system maintains high capacity utilization through the use of larger aggregate block structures for coding operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3117546B1Low-delay packet erasure coding
Publication Date: 2020.01.15 NAT UNIV OF IRELAND MAYNOOTH
  • EP3117546B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3117546B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3117546B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

Provided is a method for correcting errors in a data transmission network, comprising: transmitting a plurality of uncoded information packets across a network path; transmitting a plurality of coded packets for recovering information packets lost in transmission across said network path, the coded packets being temporally interspersed among said uncoded information packets, wherein the coded packets are encoded based on information packets transmitted prior to a previously transmitted coded packet; and determining the interspersion of the coded packets according to a packet loss rate.