Patent ID: 7907613
Filing Date: 2011-03-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of transmitting a byte-stream of data over a network using an acknowledgment process to verify transmission of bytes of data in the byte-stream over the network, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting, by a transmitting device on the network, a first packet having a first number of bytes of data in the byte-stream so that the first packet has a first packet size, the transmitting device utilizing the acknowledgment process to verify transmission of the first number of bytes of data in the byte-stream over the network by requiring acknowledgment of receipt of the first packet by a receiving device on the network; failing to receive acknowledgment of receipt of the first packet from the receiving device prior to expiration of a retransmit timer; retransmitting, by the transmitting device on the network, at least some of the bytes of data in the byte-stream from the first packet, but not exactly the same number of bytes in the byte-stream from the first packet, as a second packet, the second packet having a second packet size different from the first packet size; receiving a first acknowledgment of receipt from the receiving device, the first acknowledgement of receipt including a first byte sequence number indicating to the transmitting network device that the receiving device has received the first number of bytes of data included in the first packet; receiving a second acknowledgment of receipt from the receiving device, the second acknowledgment of receipt including a second byte sequence number indicating to the transmitting network device that the receiving device has received the second number of bytes of data included in the second packet; wherein the first byte sequence number is different from the second byte sequence number to enable the transmitting device to discern whether the receiving device is acknowledging receipt of the first packet or the second packet.