Multi-path Packet Loss Detection via Sequence Buffer Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication methods in multi-path environments detect packet loss slowly due to incorrect discrimination between packet loss and sequence inversion, leading to reduced throughput and increased communication costs, especially when using multiple TCP connections and complex sequence number arrangements.
Innovation Solution
A communication system with sequence buffers at each network to accumulate packets until acknowledgement, utilizing an absence detecting section to monitor packet presence and overflow, allowing for quick detection of packet loss without sequence inversion, and enabling rapid retransmission initiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple TCP connections are used to transmit data in parallel through multiple communication paths, then communication capacity is improved, but device complexity increases due to requiring two series of sequence numbers and complex header arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple communication paths into a single TCP connection, eliminating the need for multiple sequence number series. By using one TCP connection to carry parallel data flows through different networks, the system reduces header complexity while maintaining high communication capacity. The single sequence number space is sufficient to track all packets across all paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes a single TCP connection universal by enabling it to handle multiple parallel data flows simultaneously. Instead of requiring separate TCP connections (each with their own sequence numbers) for different paths, one TCP connection serves multiple functions by carrying aggregated data from multiple networks, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
2Speed
If packet loss detection is performed by monitoring sequence number abnormalities, then detection speed is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to discriminate between packet loss and sequence inversion in multi-path environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the single TCP connection with unified sequence numbering) that mediates between multiple communication paths. This intermediary absorbs the complexity of multi-path sequence management, providing a simplified single sequence number stream that enables accurate packet loss detection without false positives from sequence inversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of sequence number organization from multiple independent series (one per path) to a single unified series. This parameter change transforms the detection problem, allowing rapid and accurate packet loss detection since all packets follow one continuous sequence regardless of which network path they traverse.
3Measurement precision
If retransmission timeout is used to determine absent packets, then measurement precision is improved by avoiding erroneous detection, but loss of time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by establishing a unified sequence number framework before data transmission begins. This preliminary setup enables real-time packet loss detection through sequence gaps, eliminating the need to wait for retransmission timeouts. The single sequence number space allows immediate identification of lost packets as they create detectable gaps in the expected sequence.
Data Source
AI summary
Any packet loss is detected very quickly by means of only a series of sequence number in a multi-path environment where a transmitter and a receiver are connected to each other by way of a plurality of networks when no inversion of sequence arises in any of the networks. A communication apparatus includes a plurality of sequence buffers arranged at each network to accumulate packets until a sequence acknowledgement and an absence detecting section adapted to determine the occurrence of an absence of a packet when one or more packets are accumulated in all the sequence buffers. With this arrangement, the absence detecting section of the receiver monitors the packets staying in the sequence guaranteeing buffer arranged in each of the network, paying attention to the characteristic that packets are stored in the sequence buffers of all the networks when a packet loss takes place.