Patent ID: 8391152
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A data network comprising: a provider node, a receiver node, and a plurality of intermediate nodes, the provider node being arranged to provide data to at least one of said intermediate nodes or to the receiver node, said intermediate nodes being arranged to receive data and forward data to at least one other intermediate node or to the receiver node, and the receiver node being arranged to receive data from at least one intermediate node or from the provider node; wherein: said data comprises at least a part which relates to a dynamic path characterization metric, a condition of which is updatable as data of which it forms a part is passed from node to node, such that said condition is indicative of a state of a dynamic path characteristic which is changeable as the data traverses a path from the provider node to the receiver node, the condition of the dynamic path characterization metric indicating the state of the dynamic path characteristic; said provider node is arranged to assign an initial condition to the dynamic path characterization metric in respect of data provided by it according to a predetermined algorithm; said intermediate nodes are arranged to update the condition of the dynamic path characterization metric in respect of data they forward according to a predetermined algorithm; said receiver node is arranged to make available for the provider node discrepancy information indicative of a measure of any discrepancy between the condition of the dynamic path characterization metric in respect of data received by it and a predetermined target condition for the dynamic path characterization metric; and said provider node is arranged to assign a different initial condition to the dynamic path characterization metric in respect of subsequent data provided by it according to a predetermined algorithm that is dependent on discrepancy information received from said receiver node when the provider node receives discrepancy information from said receiver node, such that the different initial condition assigned in respect of said subsequent data differs from the initial condition assigned in respect of previous data provided by said provider node by a difference dependent on said discrepancy information.