Patent ID: 8462624
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling network congestion, performed by one or more network devices capable of sending and receiving network packets electronically, the method comprising: monitoring a stream of network packets at a network monitoring device; detecting a packet loss of at least one network packet; determining a number of packets lost in a portion of the stream of network packets; comparing the packet loss to a packet loss model that is based on forward-error correction, the packet loss model modeling at least two packets, to determine if the packet loss is indicative of network congestion or indicative of loss unrelated to network congestion, wherein packet loss patterns that would be recoverable if forward-error correction was used are designated as packet loss unrelated to network congestion and packet loss patterns that would not be recoverable if forward-error correction was used are designated as packet loss due to congestion; comparing the determined number of packets lost with a number of packets specified by an error threshold for the packet loss model, wherein the error threshold is based at least in part on an amount of packets recoverable by forward-error correction; when the number of packets lost is above the number of packets specified by the error threshold, determining that the packet loss is indicative of network congestion; when the number of packets lost is below the number of packets specified by the error threshold, determining that the packet loss is indicative of packet loss unrelated to network congestion; and selectively reducing the rate of network packets in the stream in response to the determination that the packet loss is indicative of network congestion and maintaining the rate of network packets in the stream under at least one set of conditions when the packet loss is indicative of packet loss unrelated to network congestion.