Network Server Sparse Feedback for Wireless Buffer Overflow Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current transport-layer protocols, such as TCP and UDP, perform poorly in wireless telecommunications due to their inability to rapidly adapt to changes in wireless channel capacity and delay, leading to underutilization of link capacity, buffer overflows, and reduced interactivity between servers and clients.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a network server and mobile user terminal that generates and uses sparse feedback signals, such as a repetitive heartbeat signal, to adjust characteristics like Forward Error Correction overhead, ensuring efficient data transmission by maintaining optimal buffer occupancy and quality of service.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If loss-based congestion control (e.g., TCP Cubic) is used to maximize link throughput, then throughput is improved, but buffer overflows occur and data losses increase due to misinterpreting channel fluctuations as congestion

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoiddata loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the receiver sends explicit congestion feedback signals to the sender based on actual buffer status and channel conditions. This feedback loop allows the sender to adjust transmission rate dynamically, distinguishing between true congestion and temporary channel fluctuations, thereby preventing buffer overflows while maintaining high throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring buffer management parameters and congestion control thresholds before data transmission begins. The receiver prepares buffer status reports and congestion indicators in advance, enabling the sender to proactively adjust transmission rates before buffer overflows occur, rather than reacting after data loss has happened.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of time

If delay-based congestion control mechanisms (e.g., TCP Vegas) are used to improve latency performance, then latency is reduced, but throughput is substantially reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovelatencyVSAvoidthroughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic congestion control that adapts transmission parameters in real-time based on current network conditions. The system dynamically adjusts between loss-based and delay-based control strategies, switching mechanisms and parameters flexibly to optimize both latency and throughput according to instantaneous channel state, buffer status, and traffic patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes key parameters such as congestion window size, transmission interval, and buffer thresholds dynamically based on measured performance metrics. By adjusting these parameters in response to feedback about actual network conditions, the system achieves low latency without the severe throughput penalties of traditional delay-based approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If feedback from receiving client is used for congestion control at sending server, then congestion control is achieved, but additional delays occur reducing interactivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecongestion controlVSAvoidinteractivity delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic feedback mechanisms where the receiver sends congestion status updates at regular intervals rather than continuously. This periodic action reduces the frequency of feedback transmissions, minimizing the cumulative delay impact on interactivity while still providing sufficient information for effective congestion control. The period is optimized to balance control accuracy with latency requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3319253B1A network server, a mobile user terminal, and a method of controlling a characteristic of data to be sent
Publication Date: 2019.07.17 ALCATEL LUCENT SA
  • EP3319253B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3319253B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4

AI summary

A method is provided of controlling at a network server a characteristic of data to be sent to a cellular telecommunications base station for transmission to a mobile user terminal by: generating in the mobile user terminal a feedback signal representing sparse feedback, sending the feedback signal representing sparse feedback to the base station, forwarding the signal to the network server, and in the network server determining the sparse feedback from the feedback signal, and adjusting a characteristic of data to be sent dependent on the sparse feedback.