IP Telephony Packet Segmentation for ISP Throttling Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internet service providers are struggling to handle the volume of data packet traffic, leading them to limit bit rates or drop data packets carrying IP telephony communications, which harms the quality of service for IP telephony systems. To prevent identification of such data packets, there is a need for systems and methods that obscure the format of IP telephony communications from service providers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing secure communications channels using encryption and multi-channel data packet transmission to mask the format of IP telephony communications, making it difficult for service providers to identify and throttle data packets carrying media communications. This involves establishing secure communication channels using HTTPS and breaking data streams into sub-streams transmitted over multiple separate channels, each with unique IP addresses and varying bit rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If Internet service providers limit bit rates or drop data packets to manage network traffic volume, then network congestion is reduced, but the quality of service for IP telephony communications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments IP telephony data packets into multiple separate streams, each transmitted through different network paths or channels. This segmentation prevents service providers from identifying and throttling the entire communication stream, as the packets are distributed across multiple channels that appear as separate traffic flows.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components such as proxy servers or gateway devices that relay IP telephony traffic between clients and service providers. These intermediaries mask the original traffic characteristics and prevent service providers from directly identifying and throttling telephony packets, thereby protecting quality of service.
2Loss of energy
If Internet service providers identify and throttle data packets carrying IP telephony media, then bandwidth consumption is controlled, but communication reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing telephony traffic into multiple segmented streams transmitted through different channels, the patent prevents service providers from easily identifying and throttling the traffic. Each segment appears as separate traffic that is harder to recognize as IP telephony media, thereby preventing bandwidth-based throttling while maintaining communication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes transmission parameters such as packet timing, routing paths, and channel characteristics to make IP telephony traffic appear different from standard telephony patterns. This parameter variation prevents service providers from using traditional identification methods to detect and throttle telephony traffic based on bandwidth consumption patterns.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If data packets are transmitted through multiple separate channels with varying bit rates, then identification by service providers becomes difficult, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements segmentation of data packets into multiple channels, which increases the difficulty of identification by service providers. While this does introduce some system complexity, the segmentation is managed through automated protocols and algorithms that handle packet routing, recombination, and channel management, making the complexity manageable despite the multiple channels involved.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of preventing an Internet service provider from identifying a stream of data packets as carrying a voice over Internet protocol telephony communication can make use of encryption techniques to prevent the Internet service provider from examining the content of the data packets. Also, multiple communications channels may be established between a telephony device and elements of an IP telephony system. A stream of data packets bearing the media of an IP telephony communication is then separated into sub-streams, and each sub-stream is sent through a different one of the communications channels. This prevents an Internet service provider from identifying a stream of data packets as bearing the media of an IP telephony communication based on a pattern in the data traffic.