Protocol Data Unit Packet Coordination Across Congested Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems fail to effectively manage the quality (e.g., jitter, reliability) of protocol data unit (PDU) packets across multiple networks, leading to potential loss of entire PDU sets due to varying handling of individual packets, particularly in XR applications where interdependency exists among packets.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a congestion control mechanism that ensures all packets within a PDU set are handled consistently by setting and maintaining the same ECN bit status, using techniques like DualQ and L4S, to maintain latency and reliability across different access networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If individual PDU packets are handled independently across multiple networks, then network flexibility and routing efficiency are improved, but quality consistency (jitter, reliability) deteriorates leading to potential loss of entire PDU sets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the handling of PDU packets within a set by applying unified congestion control policies across all packets. The network device determines congestion status for the entire PDU set and applies consistent ECN marking or packet dropping to all packets, ensuring they experience similar handling despite traversing different networks. This combines previously independent packet handling into a coordinated set-level approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of congestion control application from packet-level independence to set-level uniformity. By determining congestion status at the PDU set level and applying consistent handling parameters (ECN marking status, dropping probability) to all packets within the set, the system maintains quality consistency while allowing flexible routing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different congestion control techniques are applied to different PDU packets, then congestion management flexibility is improved, but quality degradation increases due to varying handling states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different congestion control techniques to be available for selection, but ensuring that within a specific PDU set, all packets receive the same treatment. The system can choose from multiple techniques (ECN marking, packet dropping, queue management) but applies the selected technique uniformly across the entire PDU set, maintaining local consistency while preserving global flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the congestion control mechanism into set-level determination and packet-level execution. The congestion status and handling strategy are determined at the PDU set level, then consistently applied to all individual packets within that set. This segmentation allows flexible technique selection at the set level while ensuring uniform execution at the packet level.
3Adaptability or versatility
If PDU packets traverse multiple access networks independently, then network connectivity and routing options are improved, but delay boundary compliance deteriorates causing packets to be considered missing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by determining the congestion status for the entire PDU set before individual packets are transmitted or during early transmission. This advance determination allows the system to pre-establish consistent handling parameters for all packets, ensuring they will experience similar network conditions and meet delay boundaries together, rather than allowing independent packet handling to cause timing variations.
4Reliability
If consistent handling state is applied to all PDU packets in a set, then quality of service is improved, but device complexity increases due to set-level congestion determination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a set-level congestion determination mechanism that serves multiple functions: it determines congestion status for the entire PDU set, selects appropriate congestion control techniques, and establishes handling parameters for all packets uniformly. This single multi-functional mechanism replaces what would otherwise require separate congestion control logic for each packet, managing complexity while ensuring consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of processing a protocol data unit (PDU) set for a data network includes steps of (a) receiving a first PDU packet of the PDU set, (b) receiving, subsequent to reception of the first PDU packet, a second PDU packet of the PDU set, (c) determining, after receiving the first and second PDU packets, a congestion status of the data network for the PDU set, (d) controlling, based on the determined congestion status, a handling state of the second PDU packet to match a handling state of the first PDU packet, and (e) transmitting the first PDU packet and the controlled second PDU packet to a destination receiver of the data network.