Transparent Proxy for Multi-Path Data Connections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional TCP/IP protocols perform poorly in wireless communications due to their inability to distinguish between packet losses caused by network congestion and transmission errors, leading to inefficient data transfer and reliability issues in wireless networks, especially in lossy connections like satellite links.
Innovation Solution
A system that dynamically aggregates multiple network connections to form an optimal communication pipe, utilizing a multi-network transport protocol (MNTP) for real-time traffic management and policy-based control, maintaining end-to-end Internet protocol semantics while optimizing performance across diverse wireless networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional TCP/IP protocols are used in wireless networks, then simplicity and reliability are maintained, but performance deteriorates due to inability to distinguish congestion from transmission errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a transparent proxy server as an intermediary component between clients and servers. This proxy implements sophisticated wireless-optimized TCP protocols and acts as a mediator that translates between standard TCP and wireless-optimized protocols, enabling improved reliability and efficiency without requiring modifications to existing applications or end systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the TCP protocol functionality by separating the wireless-optimized TCP implementation from the standard TCP stack. The transparent proxy runs wireless-optimized TCP protocols (such as TCP Westwood, TCP Hybla, or TCP Vegas) while maintaining compatibility with standard TCP, allowing selective application of optimizations only where needed in the wireless segment.
2Productivity
If TCP congestion control mechanisms are applied, then throughput is optimized under wired conditions, but performance worsens in wireless environments due to false congestion detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality characteristics to different segments of the network path. The transparent proxy implements wireless-specific TCP optimizations only for the wireless segment between the proxy and mobile clients, while maintaining standard TCP behavior for wired segments. This localized optimization prevents false congestion detection from affecting overall connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes TCP protocol parameters such as congestion window size, slow start threshold, and retransmission timers based on wireless channel conditions. The transparent proxy monitors wireless link quality and adjusts these parameters in real-time to maintain throughput while preventing false congestion responses that would destabilize the connection.
3Productivity
If transparent proxy is introduced to optimize wireless connections, then data transfer efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent proxy is designed as a universal solution that can optimize multiple types of wireless connections simultaneously. It supports multiple wireless-optimized TCP protocols (TCP Westwood, TCP Hybla, TCP Vegas, etc.) and can serve multiple clients and applications through a single proxy instance, reducing overall system complexity compared to implementing optimizations at each endpoint.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent proxy automatically detects wireless channel conditions and selects appropriate TCP optimizations without requiring manual configuration or user intervention. It self-adjusts protocol parameters and dynamically adapts to changing wireless conditions, eliminating the need for complex user-side configuration and reducing overall system complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If standard TCP protocols are used, then end-to-end semantics are maintained, but wireless performance deteriorates due to packet loss misinterpretation
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent proxy serves as an intermediary that preserves end-to-end TCP semantics while enabling wireless optimizations. It maintains the appearance of a direct TCP connection between client and server, allowing standard TCP applications to operate unchanged while the proxy applies wireless-optimized protocols in the background, thus maintaining compatibility while improving reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for forming an optimized communication connection providing enhanced performance of at least one application utilizing the communication connection is provided, the communication connection including a plurality of individual communication networks. The method includes the steps of: obtaining a set of performance requirements corresponding to the application utilizing the communication connection; obtaining real-time capacity information for each of a plurality of available channels associated with the respective individual communication networks; applying at least one policy-based management criteria to the available channels for controlling, in real-time, one or more aspects of the available channels; dynamically aggregating the individual communication networks to form the optimized communication connection, the communication connection leveraging one or more features and capabilities of at least a subset of the communication networks; and controlling real-time traffic scheduling across at least a subset of the available channels so as to adapt the communication connection to changes in network conditions and/or policy-based management criteria.