Session Admission Control via ECN Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

In packet networks, existing admission control functions lead to resource partitioning, prohibiting resource pooling and resulting in networks being oversized to accommodate peak loads of individual services, which are not necessarily concurrent, thus inefficiently managing congestion.

Innovation Solution

A control device that utilizes congestion information from existing data packets to inhibit new session openings only in congested areas, using ECN fields in IP packets to detect and manage congestion without specific signaling protocols or resource partitioning, allowing for dynamic session control based on network conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If resource partitioning is used to ensure necessary resources for each service, then service reliability is improved, but network efficiency deteriorates due to prohibited resource pooling and oversized network sizing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by monitoring ECN (Explicit Congestion Notification) fields in data packets to detect actual network congestion conditions. This feedback mechanism allows the admission control function to dynamically adjust its behavior based on real-time network state, ensuring service reliability only when actually needed while maintaining network efficiency during normal conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the static resource partitioning approach into a dynamic admission control mechanism. Instead of pre-allocating resources to each service, the system dynamically evaluates new session requests against actual network congestion indicators (ECN fields), allowing flexible resource utilization that adapts to changing network conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If admission control rejects new sessions to protect existing data traffic, then quality of service is maintained, but loss of time increases due to session opening delays

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality of serviceVSAvoidsession opening delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by checking the ECN field in existing data packets before admitting new sessions. This allows the system to proactively identify congested network paths and prevent new sessions from being admitted to those paths, maintaining quality of service while enabling faster admission decisions for non-congested paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If ECN field monitoring is used to detect congestion, then congestion detection precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecongestion detection precisionVSAvoidmonitoring complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages self-service by utilizing ECN fields that are already present in data packets transmitted through the network. The monitoring function simply reads these pre-existing indicators without needing to generate additional signaling packets or implement complex probe mechanisms, thereby achieving precise congestion detection with minimal added complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2449727B1Device for controlling the opening of sessions, service platform with such device, and related method, computer software, and data medium
Publication Date: 2020.12.02 ORANGE SA
  • EP2449727B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2449727B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for controlling the opening of communication sessions between a server (S) and client terminals (HG1, HG2) connected by a data packet network, in which, upon reception of congestion information (ECN) of a first communication session established between a first client terminal (HG1) and the server (S), the device is capable of triggering inhibiting means (S) for inhibiting the opening of a second communication session with a second client terminal (HG2). The invention also relates to an associated method.