Patent ID: 8531952
Filing Date: 2013-09-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of measuring a digital communication network path capacity, comprising the steps of: transmitting a plurality of probes with a time gap between adjacent probes from a local endpoint node to a remote endpoint node, where each of said probes have a same load on a network path comprising one or more hops, and each of said probes comprises at least two back-to-back outgoing packets and is configured to cause said remote endpoint node to send at least two response packets back to said local endpoint node; selecting, for each of said probes, a pair of adjacent response packets from said at least two response packets as a first response packet and a second response packet, respectively; measuring, for each of said probes, a first round-trip time between the time sending said probe from said local endpoint node and the time receiving said first response packet at said local endpoint node and a second round-trip time between the time sending said probe from said local endpoint node and the time receiving said second response packet at said local endpoint node; determining from said local endpoint node a minimum first round-trip time which is the minimum of all said first round-trip times and minimum second round-trip time which is the minimum of all said second round-trip times; computing from said local end-point, by a processor, a minimum delay difference by subtracting said minimum first round-trip time from said minimum second round-trip time, where said minimum delay difference reflects network path capacity, wherein: each of said probes comprises a first outgoing packet and a second outgoing packet where said second outgoing packet causes said remote endpoint node to send at least two back-to-back response packets back to said local endpoint node; and for each of said probes, the first two response packets received by said local endpoint node are chosen as said first response packet and said second response packet.