Upstream Node Queue Control for Network QoS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network configurations, especially in fixed and cellular networks, lack effective quality of service management at downstream nodes, leading to indiscriminate packet handling and inefficient data transmission due to limited bandwidth and absence of prioritization mechanisms, resulting in suboptimal user experience and increased costs for operators.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method at the upstream network node to control the output rate of data packets based on queue filling thresholds, allowing for prioritization and maintaining queue stability through active queue management, thereby enabling differentiated packet handling and improving quality of service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If quality of service management is implemented at downstream nodes, then packet prioritization and resource distribution improve, but device complexity and deployment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism by implementing QoS management at the upstream node rather than requiring downstream nodes to have full QoS capabilities. The upstream node acts as a mediator that prepares packets with appropriate prioritization markers before transmission, allowing downstream nodes to handle packets according to simple queue rules without complex QoS processing. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining QoS reliability through upstream intervention while keeping downstream device complexity low.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by implementing QoS management at the upstream node instead of the downstream node. Traditionally, QoS is managed at the bottleneck (downstream), but this patent reverses the location of QoS functionality to the upstream node. This inversion allows downstream nodes to remain simple without QoS processing capabilities, while the upstream node handles all QoS decisions, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining QoS reliability.
2Reliability
If downstream nodes implement quality of service management, then packet prioritization improves, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the upstream node universally responsible for QoS management across all downstream nodes. Instead of each downstream node implementing QoS functionality (which would increase operational costs), the upstream node performs QoS management for all downstream nodes, consolidating the function and reducing overall operational costs while maintaining QoS reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The upstream node serves as an intermediary that centralizes QoS management, eliminating the need for expensive QoS processing at each downstream node. This intermediary approach maintains quality of service while significantly reducing operational costs by avoiding duplication of QoS functionality across multiple downstream devices.
3Productivity
If upstream node transmits at high rate, then throughput improves, but downstream node becomes bottleneck causing queue emptiness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring the filling state of the downstream node's queue and adjusting the upstream node's transmission rate accordingly. When the downstream queue is empty or nearly empty, the upstream node reduces its transmission rate to prevent queue emptiness. This feedback mechanism ensures that the upstream node adapts to downstream capacity, maintaining both high throughput when possible and reliable QoS management when downstream capacity is limited.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the upstream transmission rate dynamic rather than static. The transmission rate automatically adjusts based on the downstream queue state, being high when downstream capacity is available and low when downstream queue is empty. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by allowing high throughput when possible while preventing QoS management failures when downstream becomes the bottleneck.
4Reliability
If multiple queues are implemented at upstream node, then packet prioritization improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments packets into different priority queues at the upstream node, with separate queues for high-priority and low-priority traffic. This segmentation enables packet prioritization by organizing traffic into distinct groups that can be transmitted in priority order. The complexity is managed by implementing only essential queue separation rather than complex QoS policies, achieving reliable prioritization with minimal additional complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2a
Figure 2b~2c
Figure 2d~3a
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for processing data packets received by an upstream node device and intended for being transmitted to a terminal device by a downstream node device. The upstream node device comprises a queue of low-priority data packets intended for the terminal device. The method includes the following steps: obtaining first information which represents a filling state of the aforementioned queue, over a predetermined observation period; when the first information obtained has a value indicating a queue filling level which is no higher than a first predetermined non-zero low threshold, reducing a queue exit rate; and, when the first information obtained has a value indicating a queue filling level which is greater than a first predetermined high threshold no lower than the first low threshold, increasing the queue exit rate.