Network Traffic Prioritization via Protocol Classification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network traffic management systems fail to effectively prioritize communications, leading to delays and disruptions in critical traffic due to the presence of non-time-sensitive, unimportant traffic such as email, which can hinder more urgent communications.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that classify network traffic streams based on transmission protocols, apply tests to identify classification characteristics, generate a results array, and prioritize traffic streams using a prioritization scheme, allocating bandwidth to higher-priority communications first while managing lower-priority traffic accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If network bandwidth is allocated equally to all traffic streams, then all communications can be transmitted simultaneously, but critical time-sensitive traffic experiences delays and disruptions due to unimportant traffic such as email

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecritical communication deliveryVSAvoidtraffic delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments network traffic into multiple priority classes (high, medium, low priority) based on communication importance. Traffic classification rules divide the network stream into distinct categories, allowing critical traffic to be separated from non-critical traffic and handled with appropriate priority levels, thereby ensuring reliable delivery of time-sensitive communications while managing overall network flow efficiently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different quality of service (QoS) treatments to different segments of network traffic based on their priority classification. High-priority traffic receives preferential treatment in bandwidth allocation and routing, while lower-priority traffic receives standard or reduced service, ensuring that critical communications get the necessary resources without requiring all traffic to be treated uniformly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If bandwidth is allocated to all traffic streams simultaneously, then network utilization is maximized, but the complexity of managing and prioritizing different traffic types increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork bandwidth utilizationVSAvoidtraffic management system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary classification of traffic into priority categories before bandwidth allocation occurs. By pre-defining classification rules and priority levels, the system establishes a clear framework that guides subsequent bandwidth distribution, reducing the complexity of real-time decision-making while maintaining high network utilization through systematic resource management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2213056B1Prioritizing network traffic
Publication Date: 2018.01.10 MCAFEE LLC
  • EP2213056B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2213056B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2213056B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and systems for operation upon one or more data processors for prioritizing transmission among a plurality of data streams based upon a classification associated with the data packets associated with each of the plurality of data streams, respectively. Systems and methods can operate to allocate bandwidth to priority data streams first and recursively allocate remaining bandwidth to lesser priority data streams based upon the priority associated with those respective lesser priority data streams.