TCP Transmission Control Using Explicit Congestion Notification

The patent introduces explicit congestion notification feedback mechanisms (ECN marks, explicit congestion warnings) from the network side to the sender. This feedback allows the sender to distinguish between actual network congestion and transient packet loss, enabling more accurate congestion control decisions and preventing unnecessary transmission rate reductions that would otherwise occur in good network conditions.

The patent introduces an intermediary congestion notification mechanism between the network and the sender-receiver pair. Instead of relying solely on packet loss as a congestion indicator, the network side uses intermediaries (ECN marks, explicit congestion warnings) to provide direct congestion information, improving the accuracy of congestion detection and preventing misjudgment in good network conditions.

The patent makes TCP transmission parameters dynamic by introducing explicit congestion notification mechanisms that provide real-time network status information. The sender dynamically adjusts the congestion window and transmission rate based on explicit congestion warnings and ECN marks received from the network, rather than relying on fixed initial values. This dynamic adaptation enables full utilization of available link resources under varying network conditions while maintaining operational simplicity through automated control.

The patent changes the parameters used for congestion control from fixed initial values to dynamically adjusted values based on explicit network feedback. The congestion window size, congestion avoidance threshold, and transmission rate are continuously adjusted according to explicit congestion notifications (ECN marks, warnings) received during transmission, enabling optimal resource utilization across different network conditions.