Transparent Congestion Control via Packet Header Embedding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network congestion management techniques in packet data networks are inadequate, often leading to reduced throughput, increased retransmissions, and inefficient congestion relief, particularly in heavily loaded cellular networks, due to passive detection methods and the need for protocol modifications or hardware support.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves embedding congestion data within existing packet headers, allowing for selective and transparent congestion management by inserting congestion information into packet headers, which is then reflected back to shape network traffic without modifying end-hosts or underlying networks, using a system comprising a congestion probe, reflector, and enforcer to manage congestion data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If passive congestion detection methods are used, then network elements can identify congestion conditions, but throughput is reduced and retransmissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds congestion data in packet headers before packets reach bottleneck network elements, enabling proactive congestion management rather than reactive detection. This preliminary action allows network elements to anticipate and prevent congestion before it occurs, maintaining throughput while improving detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where congestion data is reflected back to senders through acknowledgment packets. This enables dynamic adjustment of transmission rates based on real-time network conditions, improving both congestion detection accuracy and maintaining throughput by preventing buffer bloat.
2Adaptability or versatility
If congestion data is embedded in packet headers, then transparent congestion management is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses existing packet header fields and standard protocol mechanisms to carry congestion data, making the solution universally applicable without requiring new protocols or hardware. This multi-functional approach leverages existing infrastructure, reducing device complexity while maintaining transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces reflector elements that act as intermediaries to strip and re-insert congestion data from packet headers. This mediator approach simplifies the complexity by centralizing the processing logic in specific network elements rather than requiring all devices to handle congestion data, maintaining transparency while managing complexity.
3Reliability
If congestion data is reflected back to shape traffic, then packet dropping rates are reduced, but network overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively reflecting congestion data only for packets that require congestion management, rather than processing all packets uniformly. This reduces network overhead while maintaining packet delivery reliability by focusing resources on congested flows.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards congestion data from packet headers after it has been extracted and reflected back to senders. This recovery and discarding mechanism reduces network overhead by eliminating redundant data transmission while maintaining the reliability benefits of congestion-aware traffic shaping.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for reducing network congestion are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed comprising receiving, by a computing device, a packet from a sender over a network; retrieving, by the computing device, congestion information; inserting, by the computing device, congestion data representing the congestion information into a header option of the packet to generate an augmented packet; transmitting, by the computing device, the augmented packet to a receiver; receiving, by the computing device, a response packet, the response packet including the congestion data; and transmitting, by the computing device, the response packet to the sender.