Router Error Correction Mode for Multi-WAN Packet Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-WAN site-to-site VPN connections, a single download session can only utilize one tunnel, leading to unpredictable packet transmission quality and high packet drop rates, which reduces overall transmission efficiency despite high bandwidth limits.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an error correction mode in communications routers that retransmit data packets and send error correction packets when packet drops occur, using a combination of forward error correction (FEC), automatic repeat request (ARQ), or parity packets, and adjusting tunnel bandwidth weights based on packet drop rates to optimize data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single tunnel is used for each TCP/IP session in multi-WAN site-to-site VPN connections, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of packet transmission deteriorates due to unpredictable packet drop rates and reduced bandwidth utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by sending delay inquiry messages before packets are completely lost, and by pre-calculating error correction data. The router proactively monitors packet delivery status and initiates error correction procedures in advance, rather than waiting for complete transmission failure. This preliminary action improves reliability by catching transmission issues early while adding manageable complexity through scheduled monitoring cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary elements including delay inquiry messages, error correction packets, and acknowledgment messages that mediate between the sender and receiver. These intermediaries carry diagnostic information and correction data without requiring complex end-to-end error handling at the application layer. The intermediary mechanism improves reliability by adding a dedicated error handling channel while keeping the core transmission system simple.
2Reliability
If error correction mode is activated to retransmit data packets and send error correction packets, then the reliability of data transmission is improved, but the loss of time increases due to additional retransmission cycles
Solution Approach 1:
Error correction data is calculated and prepared in advance before retransmission is needed. The system pre-computes correction packets using forward error correction algorithms so that when retransmission is required, the correction data is already available, minimizing the time penalty. This preliminary computation reduces the actual retransmission time while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system sends error correction packets that may be more detailed or redundant than strictly necessary for simple error detection, but this excessive action ensures rapid correction without requiring multiple retransmission cycles. By sending slightly more correction data than the minimum required, the system reduces total retransmission time through faster convergence, trading some bandwidth for time efficiency.
3Productivity
If multiple tunnels are utilized for a single download session to improve bandwidth utilization, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases due to session management across multiple tunnels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the error handling and bandwidth management functions into separate modules: tunnel selection logic, error correction logic, and packet reassembly logic. Each tunnel is managed independently with its own error correction state, allowing parallel processing of multiple tunnels without complex inter-tunnel dependencies. This segmentation enables high bandwidth utilization across multiple tunnels while keeping individual tunnel management simple and modular.
Solution Approach 2:
The error correction mechanism is designed as a universal system that works across all tunnels and packet types uniformly. The same delay inquiry, error correction packet generation, and acknowledgment mechanisms are applied regardless of which tunnel carries the data. This universal approach allows the system to manage multiple tunnels with different characteristics using a single framework, improving productivity while controlling complexity through standardization.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for managing an error correction mode at a first communications router. The first communication router transmits data packets to a second communications router and stores the first data packet in a local storage medium. When a delay inquiry message is received from the second communications router, the first communications router activates the error correction mode. When the error correction mode is activated, the first data packet is retransmitted to the second communications router and an error correction packet corresponding to the first data packet is also transmitted. When a back-to-normal message is received from the second communications router, the first communications router deactivates the error correction mode. The back-to-normal message indicates that the first communications router no longer needs to be in error correction mode.