Patent ID: 7821924
Filing Date: 2010-10-26
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing timeouts across a communications network, said communications network having a plurality of communications links which exchange packets in accordance with a transmission control protocol (TCP) having a timeout mechanism triggered by round-trip packet delays that exceed a threshold, RTO, that is adapted based on measured packet round-trip times, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring said packets exchanged across a particular one communications link of said plurality of communications links, said one communications link connecting a TCP receiver and a TCP sender; injecting, at a network element along said communications link, a delay into said TCP packets being exchanged across said communications link, said delay being injected at a fixed time interval and having a fixed length; selecting a set of tunable parameters comprising at least said delay injection time interval and a value D wherein the delay injecting is made as a function of the selected delay injection time interval and the selected value D wherein said delay injecting occurs without modification of said TCP protocol.