Patent ID: 7478160
Filing Date: 2009-01-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for negotiating network characteristics between a first endpoint and a second endpoint on a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting at least one negotiation request from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the at least one negotiation request, and a response to the at least one negotiation request, are transmitted within TCP headers of data packets sent between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the step of transmitting the at least one negotiation request comprises: responding to the at least one negotiation request, if the second endpoint is aware of the at least one negotiation request, wherein the step of responding to the at least one negotiation request comprises: maintaining normal network operations, if the second endpoint is not aware of the negotiation request; and acknowledging the at least one negotiation request by modifying an urgent pointer field in a data packet sent from the second endpoint to the first endpoint, wherein the modifying comprises setting a portion of the urgent pointer field to a bit pattern that indicates that the at least one negotiation request will be fulfilled and wherein an urgent bit in the TCP header is not set.