Virtual Link Bandwidth Control for Distributed Network Congestion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bandwidth control technologies in networks often fail to effectively limit the aggregate bandwidth usage of a group of processes, leading to resource competition and inefficiencies, as they typically rely on centralized control and do not efficiently manage queue overflow.

Innovation Solution

A virtual link control system is introduced, where each process is equipped with a virtual link controller that communicates to manage and regulate data traffic, simulating a physical link with limited capacity, using a virtual queue to adjust data transfer rates based on queuing delays and occupancy, allowing for distributed and dynamic bandwidth management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If centralized queue management is used to control bandwidth, then bandwidth control capability is improved, but system complexity and inefficiency increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth control capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized queue management function into distributed virtual link controllers, with each process maintaining its own virtual queue. This segmentation eliminates the need for a complex centralized control system while preserving bandwidth control capability through distributed autonomous decision-making at each process level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each process is equipped with its own virtual link controller that autonomously manages its virtual queue and makes bandwidth control decisions independently. This self-service approach eliminates the need for centralized control coordination, reducing system complexity while maintaining effective bandwidth control through local autonomous regulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If aggregate bandwidth control is implemented for a group of processes, then resource allocation efficiency is improved, but control difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidcontrol difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where each virtual link controller continuously monitors its virtual queue occupancy and adjusts the data transfer rate accordingly. This feedback loop enables automatic aggregate bandwidth control for groups of processes, improving resource allocation efficiency while simplifying control through autonomous adaptive regulation at each process level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual queue size and data transfer rates are dynamically adjusted based on real-time network conditions and queue occupancy. This dynamic control enables efficient aggregate bandwidth management for process groups, with each virtual link controller autonomously adapting its parameters to achieve optimal resource allocation without complex centralized coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If virtual queue size is increased to reduce packet loss, then bandwidth control precision is improved, but network delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth control precisionVSAvoidnetwork delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically changes the virtual queue size parameter based on network conditions and traffic patterns. By adjusting the virtual queue size parameter adaptively rather than using a fixed large size, the system achieves precise bandwidth control while minimizing network delay, as the virtual queue size is optimized to be just sufficient for control precision without excessive buffering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2188956B1Method and system for aggregate bandwidth control
Publication Date: 2014.11.19 ASPERA
  • EP2188956B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2188956B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2188956B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A virtual link bandwidth control scheme is described that is a software-based mechanism for achieving distributed and coordinated bandwidth control. The scheme can be seamlessly integrated with the data transfer protocols utilizing queuing delay as part of rate control mechanism for data transfer and allows multiple processes to self-limit their transfer speeds, so that the aggregate rate stabilizes at a pre-configured level below the physical bottleneck capacity.