Patent ID: 7782771
Filing Date: 2010-08-24
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A transmitting node for use in a system comprising the transmitting node, a receiving node, and a network which provides a connection over which the transmitting node and receiving node communicate data, the network employing a protocol which provides that the receiving node sends an acknowledgement to the transmitting node for each packet sent by the transmitting node and received by the receiving node, a latency of the connection being defined as a time between when a packet is sent by the transmitting node over the connection to the receiving node and when an acknowledgement sent by the receiving node for the packet over the connection is received by the transmitting node, the transmitting node comprising at least one processor programmed to: (A) transmit a first packet to the receiving node over the connection; (B) in response to having not received an acknowledgement for the first packet from the receiving node within a retransmission timeout period based at least in part on the latency of the connection prior to (A), determine a new latency for the connection; (C) determine a new retransmission timeout period based at least in part on the new latency for the connection; and (D) employ the new retransmission timeout period in transmitting a second packet to the receiving node over the connection; wherein the at least processor is further programmed to, in (B): in response to having not received an acknowledgement for the first packet from the receiving node within a retransmission timeout period, retransmit the first packet to the receiving node; receive an acknowledgement from the receiving node for the first packet; in response to receiving the acknowledgement, determine a probe retransmission timeout period equal to a time which elapses between (A) and the receiving of an acknowledgement from the receiving node for the first packet; transmit a probe packet to the receiving node, employing the probe retransmission timeout period; receive an acknowledgement from the receiving node for the probe packet; and determine the new latency for the connection, equal to a time which elapses between the transmitting of the probe packet and the receiving of the acknowledgement for the probe packet.