TCP Congestion Window Expansion via Packet Splitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing TCP protocol experiences latency issues due to delayed acknowledgments when transmitting data packets, as clients typically wait for a prescribed time before acknowledging receipt, especially when data fits within a single packet, leading to inefficiencies in network congestion management and increased latency.
Innovation Solution
The method involves splitting data into multiple smaller packets or adding padding data to induce earlier acknowledgments from the receiving device, allowing the sender to increase the congestion window and transmit remaining data more promptly, thereby reducing overall latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the receiving device waits for a prescribed time before sending acknowledgment, then network congestion is reduced, but transmission latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the acknowledgment process by introducing selective acknowledgments (SACK) that allow the receiving device to acknowledge specific received packets individually rather than waiting for a prescribed time period. This segmentation of the acknowledgment mechanism enables earlier feedback to the sending device, reducing transmission latency while maintaining network congestion control through targeted acknowledgments of actually received data segments.
2Device complexity
If data is transmitted in fewer packets, then transmission overhead is reduced, but acknowledgment timing is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements enhanced feedback mechanisms through selective acknowledgments that provide detailed information about which specific packets have been received. This feedback allows the sending device to quickly identify and retransmit only the missing packets rather than waiting for timeout periods, thereby reducing acknowledgment timing delays without significantly increasing transmission overhead since the SACK options are efficiently encoded within the TCP protocol framework.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is provided whereby more data packets than are necessary may be transmitted in order to prompt a node of network to more quickly increase the number of packets that will be accepted by the node. In one aspect, a single packet of data is split into multiple packets. In another aspect, a single packet of data is padded so that multiple packets need to be sent.