Patent ID: 7296083
Filing Date: 2007-11-13
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. In a computer network in which a plurality of computer machines such as end user computers, network servers, access points, gateways, routers and the like are networked together so that at least some of the computer machines communicate data packets over a common data transmission channel and wherein the transmission channel's capacity for transmitting data is variable due to factors such as packet encoding rate at the computer machines using the common data transmission channel, type of data compression used for packets, signal strength in the case of wireless transmission, or other factors, a method for determining current capacity and network load of the data transmission channel, comprising: (1) selecting a particular one of the computer machines for obtaining a quantity of timed packet samples; (2) for a data packet of known size, measuring at the selected computer machine a total transmit time for the data packet of known size, by performing at least one or the other of, (3) repeating step (2) for a sufficient number of other data packets so that enough measurements are available to apply statistical techniques to average out the probabilistic behavior of the transmission channel's variable capacity, thus obtaining a statistical measure of the transmission channel's current capacity and load; (4) using a known nominal time to transmit a data packet of a given size for the data transmission channel, determining actual transmission channel capacity and load; (5) comparing the transmission channel's current capacity and load and the actual transmission channel capacity and load in order to determine the degree of congestion on the transmission channel; and (6) regulating data packet transmission over the data transmission channel based on the degree of congestion determined to be present.