Packet Coding Layer for Reliable High-Speed Network Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current communication protocols, such as TCP, face challenges in efficiently delivering data over modern Internet networks due to varying link capacities and delay characteristics, leading to issues like long delays in data transfer, interruptions in streaming, and inefficient bandwidth use, while alternative protocols like UDP may not ensure reliable delivery.

Innovation Solution

A method for data communication that involves determining redundancy messages using error correcting codes, adjusting transmission limits based on delivery rates, and dynamically switching between TCP and UDP paths to optimize throughput and reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If TCP protocol is used for reliable data delivery, then delivery reliability is improved, but transmission speed and bandwidth efficiency deteriorate due to retransmissions and congestion control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata delivery reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies forward error correction codes to data packets before transmission, creating redundant information in advance. This preliminary action allows the receiver to correct errors without requiring retransmissions, thus maintaining reliability while improving transmission speed by eliminating the need for retransmission protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediate coding layer between the application layer and the transport layer. This intermediary applies error correcting codes to packets, enabling reliable delivery over UDP without the overhead of TCP congestion control and retransmission mechanisms, thereby achieving both reliability and high throughput

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If UDP protocol is used for high-speed data transfer, then transmission speed is improved, but delivery reliability deteriorates due to packet loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission speedVSAvoiddata delivery reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the error correction code rate based on network conditions. By changing the parameter of code rate (amount of redundancy), the system can adapt to varying network reliability requirements while maintaining high throughput, allowing operation in the regime between UDP and TCP performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If network coding is applied to improve throughput, then bandwidth efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to encoding and decoding operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth efficiencyVSAvoidcoding system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the error correction functionality from the transport layer and places it at the application layer or data link layer. This separation allows the use of simple, efficient error correcting codes without the complexity of full network coding schemes, maintaining bandwidth efficiency while reducing system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses lightweight error correcting codes that can be implemented with minimal computational overhead. These simple codes provide sufficient error protection for many applications without requiring the complex encoding and decoding operations of full network coding schemes, thus achieving good bandwidth efficiency with low system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Reliability

If retransmission mechanisms are used to ensure reliable delivery, then delivery reliability is improved, but transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata delivery reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements selective retransmission of only those packets that could not be corrected by the forward error correction codes. This feedback mechanism ensures high reliability while minimizing retransmission delays, as only a small fraction of packets typically require retransmission

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12119934B2Packet coding based network communication

Publication Date: 2024.10.15 POWERBRIDGE IP PROTECTION LLC

AI summary

A method for data communication between a first node and a second node includes forming one or more redundancy messages from data messages at the first node using an error correcting code and transmitting first messages from the first node to the second node over a data path, the transmitted first messages including the data messages and the one or more redundancy messages. Second messages are received at the first node from the second node, which are indicative of: (i) a rate of arrival at the second node of the first messages, and (ii) successful and unsuccessful delivery of the first messages. A transmission rate limit and a window size are maintained according to the received second messages. Transmission of additional messages from the first node to the second node is limited according to the maintained transmission rate limit and window size.