Patent ID: 9185024
Filing Date: 2015-11-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a multicast data communication system, a method for selecting paths for video data between a source and ultimate destination peer nodes, the method comprising: providing in-band bandwidth probing tools at peer nodes between the source and the destination peer nodes, each said probing tool being independently operative and without reliance on information on link capacity and numbers of flows passing through a link as reported by routers, wherein network paths between the peer nodes are defined at an application layer of the multicast communication system in a plurality of application layer overlays; at each peer node that has a probing tool, determining achievable bandwidth of video data directed through said peer node, where achievable bandwidth is established by measured data rate, the measured data rate being determined by measuring actual data rate of incoming video data at the peer node to determine if the measured data rate exceeds a prescribed data rate of a congestion-aware transport protocol for the video data, wherein network paths accommodate at least one protocol other than the congestion-aware transport protocol; using the achievable bandwidth as a metric at said peer node to determine useable bandwidth at the application layer for said node; and selecting a preferred path among paths defined at the application layer to divert a fraction of video data traffic from a congested path onto another path that has the useable bandwidth.