Patent ID: 8885473

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: transmitting a plurality of probes from a local node to a remote node over a digital communication network such that a plurality of responses is received by said local node, wherein each of said plurality of probes comprises at least one probe packet and is configured by said local node to cause: (a) said at least one probe packet traverse an identical forward network path from said local node to said remote node, (b) said at least one probe packet elicit said remote node to transmit one of said responses comprising a plurality of response packets, (c) said plurality of response packets traverse an identical reverse network path from said remote node to said local node; determining for each of said plurality of response packets a minimum round-trip packet delay between the time transmitting said probe and the time receiving said response packet; and calculating a plurality of pair-wise minimum delay differences from said plurality of minimum round-trip packet delays, wherein said plurality of pair-wise minimum delay differences are used by said local node to compute network path capacities and a degree of capacity asymmetry between said local node and said remote node; wherein: each of said plurality of probes comprises a first back-to-back pair of packets consisting of a first probe packet and a second probe packet, and a second back-to-back pair of packets consisting of a third probe packet and a fourth probe packet; each of said plurality of responses comprises a first response packet elicited by said first probe packet, a second response packet elicited by said second probe packet, and a back-to-back pair of third response packet and fourth response packet elicited by said fourth probe packet; said plurality of minimum round-trip packet delays comprise: (a) minimum first round-trip packet delay between the time transmitting said probe and the time receiving said first response packet elicited by said probe, (b) minimum second round-trip packet delay between the time transmitting said probe and the time receiving said second response packet elicited by said probe, (c) minimum third round-trip packet delay between the time transmitting said probe and the time receiving said third response packet elicited by said probe, and (d) minimum fourth round-trip packet delay between the time transmitting said probe and the time receiving said fourth response packet elicited by said probe.