Network Problem Identification via Packet Signature Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network monitoring systems fail to accurately identify and locate network problems such as congestion, route changes, and link failures in packet networks, especially when measurements cannot be made at multiple locations within the network, and often do not provide specific causes of quality degradation in multimedia traffic.
Innovation Solution
The system analyzes packet loss, jitter, delay, and delay variations to identify network problems by recognizing specific 'signatures' associated with each issue, grouping events, and correlating them with known problem profiles to determine the probable cause and location of network impairments, using timestamped packets to eliminate the need for test packets and allowing for non-intrusive analysis of Real-Time Protocol streams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If measurements are made at multiple locations within the network to accurately identify and locate network problems, then measurement precision and problem location accuracy are improved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a media player as an intermediary device that receives packets from multiple network locations and analyzes their characteristics. This single intermediary point replaces the need for multiple measurement devices distributed throughout the network, achieving accurate problem location without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies of network traffic by capturing packets at different locations and analyzing them through the media player. Instead of physically deploying multiple measurement systems, the patent analyzes copies of packet data to identify problem locations, reducing implementation complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If test packets are used to make network measurements, then measurement capability is provided, but the system cannot detect what occurred on specific end-to-end connections within the network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the network itself to provide measurement information by having the media player analyze actual multimedia packet streams. The system uses the network's own traffic (self-service) rather than external test packets, allowing detection of connection-specific events and impairments that occur during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors packet characteristics and provides feedback about network conditions. By analyzing the actual packet streams and comparing them against expected patterns, the system can detect and report connection-specific events, creating a feedback loop that identifies problems as they occur without requiring separate test protocols.
3Loss of information
If prior art systems report metrics such as packet loss, jitter, and delay, then network problem occurrence is reported, but the specific nature of the problem is not identified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent analyzes changes in packet characteristics over time, treating different problem types as distinct 'color changes' in the measurement data. By monitoring temporal patterns and characteristic changes in packet metrics, the system can identify and classify specific problem types (congestion, route changes, link failures) rather than merely reporting generic metrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically analyzes packet stream characteristics to identify problem patterns. Rather than static threshold monitoring, the patent uses dynamic pattern recognition to distinguish between different network problems based on their temporal and characteristic behavior, enabling accurate problem classification while maintaining comprehensive metric reporting.
Data Source
AI summary
A network monitoring system for packet based multimedia signal transmission systems which identifies network problems that may affect multimedia performance and provides guidance as to the location of such problems within the network.