Packet Loss Detection via Section Identifiers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for detecting packet loss in IP networks are complex and not universally applicable, as they require inserting statistics collection packets between data packets and ensuring sequence integrity, which not all network devices can handle.

Innovation Solution

A packet loss detection method that allows network devices to compare statistics results without needing to ensure sequence between packets, enabling simpler implementation and broader applicability by using section identifiers in packet headers to group packets and determine packet loss without requiring data link sequencing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If statistics collection packets are inserted between data packets to detect packet loss, then packet loss detection capability is improved, but implementation complexity increases and not all network devices can support it

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket loss detection capabilityVSAvoidimplementation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the packet loss detection function from the data plane by using dedicated OAM (Operations, Administration, and Maintenance) packets. These OAM packets are separate from the actual data traffic, allowing detection without interfering with data packet sequencing or requiring complex integration with data plane protocols. The OAM packets carry statistics information independently, simplifying the implementation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces OAM packets as intermediary elements that facilitate packet loss detection between the transmitting and receiving network devices. These OAM packets act as mediators that carry statistics information (such as packet counts, timestamps) without being part of the actual data stream, thus avoiding the complexity of integrating detection mechanisms directly into data packet handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If sequence integrity between statistics collection packets and data packets is ensured, then detection accuracy is improved, but implementation becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidsequencing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the network communication into separate functional planes: the data plane for actual data transmission and the OAM plane for statistics collection and packet loss detection. This segmentation allows each plane to operate independently without requiring complex sequencing interactions, while still achieving accurate detection through the dedicated OAM packet exchange.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3618356B1Packet loss detection apparatuses, and system
Publication Date: 2022.01.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3618356B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3618356B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3618356B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communications technologies and disclose a packet loss detection method, an apparatus, and a system, so as to simplify a packet loss detection process. The method includes: collecting, by a first network device according to packets sent to a second network device, statistics on a first result corresponding to each group of packets, where one first result includes a quantity of packets in one group of packets and a section identifier of the group of packets, each group of packets includes multiple packets, and the multiple packets are continuously sent by the first network device and belong to a section corresponding to a section identifier of the group of packet; sending, by the first network device, the first result corresponding to each group of packets to a controller according to a preset rule, so that the controller determines whether a packet in the packets sent by the first network device to the second network device is lost. Technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention may be used to detect whether a packet in packets transmitted between network devices is lost.