Variable Gap Terminal Adapter for VoIP QoS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Voice over IP communication systems face challenges in maintaining efficient network transmission links for both data and voice traffic, particularly due to limited bandwidth, which can cause delay jitters or loss of voice packets, especially when data traffic interferes with voice calls.
Innovation Solution
A terminal adapter and associated method that insert gaps between data packets proportional to their size to ensure quality of service for both voice and data packets, estimating available bandwidth using exponential smoothing and limiting data packet size to minimize delays for time-sensitive voice packets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed-length gaps are inserted between data packets to preserve bandwidth for voice calls, then voice quality is improved, but data packet latency increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the gap length variable rather than fixed. The gap inserted between data packets is dynamically adjusted based on the size of the data packet and current network conditions. Larger data packets receive larger gaps to preserve voice bandwidth, while smaller packets receive smaller gaps to minimize latency, resolving the contradiction between voice quality and data latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of gap length from a constant value to a variable that depends on data packet size and network conditions. By modifying this parameter dynamically, the system can optimize both voice quality (by ensuring sufficient gaps for voice packets) and data latency (by minimizing gaps for small data packets), thus resolving the technical contradiction.
2Reliability
If data packet throughput is restricted to prevent voice packet interference, then voice quality is improved, but data transmission efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts data packet transmission rates based on network conditions and voice traffic presence. When voice traffic is detected, data transmission is throttled appropriately to preserve voice quality. When no voice traffic is present, data transmission can proceed at higher rates, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring voice quality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the data transmission rate parameter from a fixed restricted value to a variable that adapts to network conditions. By adjusting this parameter based on the presence of voice traffic and available bandwidth, the system can maximize data throughput when voice quality is not at risk while ensuring voice quality is maintained when voice packets are present, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.
3Reliability
If large gaps are inserted after short data packets to ensure voice packet bandwidth, then voice quality is improved, but data transmission latency increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the gap length proportional to the data packet size. Short data packets receive proportionally smaller gaps, while long data packets receive proportionally larger gaps. This dynamic adjustment ensures that voice packets always receive sufficient bandwidth protection while minimizing unnecessary latency for short data packets that don't consume significant bandwidth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by treating different data packets differently based on their characteristics. Instead of applying a uniform gap length to all data packets, the system applies locally optimized gap lengths tailored to each packet's size and importance. This resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient protection for voice packets while minimizing impact on short data packets.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal adapter for guaranteeing the quality of service of both voice and data packets is disclosed. Such quality is ensured by inserting gaps between successive data packets in a stream of multiplexed data and/or voice packets. A gap after a particular data packet is proportional to the size of that particular data packet. In this way, bandwidth is preserved for any voice packets that may have arrived during the transfer of the data packet as well as for any voice packets that arrive during the gap. The unconstrained upstream data bandwidth and the bandwidth used by voice calls may each be estimated by taking a plurality of instantaneous measurements of the available bandwidth and/or taking individual direct measurements. The size of data packets may be limited to a maximum size in order to ensure that time-sensitive voice packets experience only an acceptable delay in queue for transmission.