TCP ACK Delay Mechanism for Big Data Throughput Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data transmission methods using TCP streams for big data transmission are inefficient due to high memory requirements and throughput bottlenecks, leading to prolonged transmission times and resource wastage.

Innovation Solution

A data transmission method that modifies the TCP protocol to delay acknowledgement messages and uses a quasi-TCP protocol for retransmitting lost packets, preventing the congestion window from being rapidly decreased, thus reducing the need for multiple TCP streams and conserving system resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple TCP streams are used to transmit big data, then throughput is maintained stable, but memory consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoidmemory consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple TCP streams into a single TCP connection by implementing a protocol that allows the receiver to buffer and reorder packets from one stream, eliminating the need for multiple parallel connections while maintaining the same throughput performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single TCP connection is enhanced with additional buffering and reordering capabilities that make it universally capable of handling out-of-order packets, replacing the need for multiple specialized streams

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple TCP streams are established to ensure throughput, then transmission stability is improved, but system resource overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission stabilityVSAvoidsystem resource overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple TCP streams are merged into a single connection with enhanced packet buffering and reordering mechanisms, reducing connection management overhead while maintaining transmission stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A packet buffer acts as an intermediary between the single TCP stream and the application layer, reordering packets to compensate for the lack of multiple streams while maintaining reliable delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If TCP congestion window is halved upon packet loss, then packet loss is addressed, but throughput decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket loss handlingVSAvoidthroughput
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver performs preliminary buffering and reordering of packets before they reach the application layer, allowing the sender to maintain a larger congestion window since packets can be recovered from the buffer rather than requiring immediate retransmission

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of packet loss into a benefit by using the loss information to trigger selective retransmission only for specific lost packets, rather than halving the congestion window, thus maintaining throughput while ensuring reliable delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentEP3396883B1TCP ACK data transmission method and related device
Publication Date: 2022.10.26 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3396883B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3396883B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3396883B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention discloses a data transmission method and a device. A receive end receives, by using a first protocol, K packets sent by a transmit end, where each received packet includes a sequence number; the receive end determines a second sending delay based on a target packet when detecting that the target packet is lost by using the first protocol based on sequence numbers in the K packets, where the second sending delay is greater than a first sending delay; the receive end sends an acknowledgement ACK message to the transmit end by using the first protocol based on the second sending delay, where the acknowledgement ACK message is used to notify the transmit end that the receive end has received K packets of all packets sent by the transmit end; and the receive end sends a retransmission request for the target packet to the transmit end by using a second protocol, and receives, by using the second protocol, the target packet retransmitted by the transmit end. In embodiments of the present invention, the transmit end can be effectively prevented from decreasing a TCP congestion window. The present invention ensures high and stable throughputs, and lowers a memory requirement compared with an improved technology that uses a plurality of TCP streams to transmit data, thereby saving system resources.