Patent ID: 7826374

Claim:
A method for efficient transfer of data through a network comprising: transmitting a message from a source node to a destination node wherein the message comprises a first timestamp representing a local time of transmission (t 1 ); receiving the message at the destination node and stamping the message with a second timestamp that is indicative of a local time of reception (t 2 ); sending a reply message to the source node from the destination node wherein the reply message comprises the first timestamp, the second timestamp and a third timestamp, where the third timestamp represents a local time of transmission for the reply message (t 3 ) and wherein the third timestamp is generated at the time the reply message is sent; receiving the reply message at the source node; determining a local time of reception for the reply message at the source node (t 4 ); and computing at least one of a range or a propagation delay between the source node and the destination node using the times t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , and t 4 .