Parallel Transport Links for Multipath TCP and UDP Tunnels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Tactical networks lack a mechanism to transmit data flows across multiple communication paths concurrently, failing to utilize available network capacity optimally.

Innovation Solution

Implementing multipath aggregation using multipath TCP (MPTCP) and multipath virtual private network (MPVPN) technologies to establish parallel communication paths across a plurality of transport links, enabling simultaneous transmission of connection-oriented and connectionless traffic over tunnels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If data is transmitted over a single communication path, then the system is simple to manage, but network throughput is limited and cannot utilize available network capacity optimally

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork throughputVSAvoidmultipath aggregation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments network traffic into multiple independent data flows that can be transmitted simultaneously over different transport links. Each flow is assigned to a specific path, allowing parallel transmission and aggregation of bandwidth from multiple links, thereby increasing overall network throughput while managing complexity through structured flow assignment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The multipath aggregation system provides multi-functionality by supporting both connection-oriented (TCP) and connectionless (UDP) traffic types over the same aggregated network interface. The system universally handles different traffic types, protocols, and link characteristics through a unified aggregation framework, enabling flexible resource utilization across diverse network conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If multiple communication paths are used simultaneously, then network capacity utilization improves, but packet reordering and synchronization issues arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork capacity utilizationVSAvoidpacket delivery reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing multiple transport links and assigning specific data flows to predetermined paths before transmission begins. Routing decisions and flow assignments are made in advance, creating a structured framework that prevents packet reordering issues by ensuring packets follow their assigned paths consistently, thereby maintaining reliability while utilizing multiple paths

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The aggregation hub acts as an intermediary that receives packets from multiple transport links, buffers them temporarily, and reorders them into the correct sequence before forwarding to the destination. This intermediary function resolves synchronization and reordering issues that arise from parallel transmission over multiple paths with different latencies, ensuring reliable packet delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If connectionless traffic is transmitted over multiple paths, then throughput increases, but packet reordering occurs due to different latency characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnectionless traffic throughputVSAvoidpacket reordering delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The aggregation hub serves as an intermediary that buffers incoming packets from multiple transport links and reorders them based on their original sequence numbers before forwarding to the destination. This mediation process eliminates packet reordering delays by ensuring correct sequence delivery, allowing connectionless traffic to utilize multiple paths for increased throughput without suffering from reordering issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system assigns specific connectionless traffic flows to predetermined transport paths in advance, establishing a mapping between flows and paths before transmission. This preliminary assignment, combined with buffering and reordering at the aggregation hub, allows the system to optimize throughput by utilizing multiple paths while minimizing reordering delays through pre-planned routing decisions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260039586A1Parallel communication across a plurality of transport links in communication networks

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 VIASAT INC

AI summary

Technologies are disclosed that provide for parallel communication paths across a plurality of transport links in a communications network, such as a tactical network. Parallel communication can be provided using parallel tunnels and parallel subflows. Individual packets can be directed along individual transport links based at least in part on the transport layer protocol associated with the packet. For network traffic sent using the transport control protocol (TCP), the network traffic can be divided into subflows with individual subflows being directed along individual transport links (e.g., using MPTCP). For network traffic sent using the user datagram protocol (UDP), the network traffic can be directed along individual tunnels established on respective transport links using virtual private network (VPN) technology over parallel communication paths (e.g., a multipath virtual private network (MPVPN)).