Fast dynamic measurement of bandwidth in a TCP network environment

FAST DYNAMIC MEASUREMENT OF
BANDWIDTH IN A TCP NETWORK
ENVIRONMENT

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/635,988, filed Aug. 9, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This invention relates to dynamic detection of maximum bandwidth for a connection between entities on a TCP network environment. In particular, it relates to countermeasures to flow-control functions of the network environment that may effectively delay transmission of a set of packets.

BACKGROUND

[0003] As the Internet has matured, the characteristics of the available content on the Internet have changed. Sound and video content is now included with the traditional textual content. However, this new content on the Internet requires a greater connection speed (i.e., bandwidth) than was commonly available a few years ago.

[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a typical Internet configuration. It includes a server (such as media server 20), which is coupled to the Internet 30. The server typically includes one or more physical server computers 22 with one or more physical storage devices and/or databases 24. On the other side of an Internet transmission is a client 90, which is connected via one of many available Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 80. Herein, a server is a network entity that sends data and a client is a network entity that receives data.

[0005] Cloud 30 is labeled the Internet, but it is understood that this cloud represents that portion of the Internet that only includes that which is illustrated therein. Inside such cloud are the routers, transmission lines, connections, and other communication devices that more-often-than-not successfully transmit data between clients and servers. Inside exemplary Internet cloud 30 are routers 32-44; two satellite dishes 46 and 50; and a satellite 48. The links between these devices represent the possible paths that a data packet may take on its way between the server and the client.

[0006] In general, a communication device on a network (such as the Internet) is any device that facilitates communication over the network between two entities, and includes the two entities. Examples of such entities include the server 20 and the client 90.

[0007] The Layers of the OSI Model

[0008] Open System Interconnection (OSI) model is an ISO standard for worldwide communications that defines a networking framework for implementing protocols in seven layers. Control is passed from one layer to the next, starting at the application layer in one station, proceeding to the bottom layer, over the channel to the next station and back up the hierarchy. A person of ordinary skill in the art is familiar with the OSI model.

[0009] Most of the functionality in the OSI model exists in all communications systems, although two or three OSI layers may be incorporated into one. These layers are also called "levels."

[0010] Generally, the hardware implements the physical layer. Such hardware may include a network card, a modem, or some other communications device. Typically, the kernel of an operating system (OS) implements the transport layer.

[0011] The top of the stack is the applications in the application layer. This includes any application that communicates with entities outside of the computer, such as a Web browser, a media player, and an email program. The application layer has the least control of details of communication between entities on a network, such as the Internet.

[0012] Bandwidth

[0013] Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time. For example, bandwidth between media server 20 in FIG. 1 to media client 90 is calculated by the amount of data (e.g., 1000 bits) that may be transmitted between them in a unit of time (e.g., one second). More specifically, data may be transmitted between devices at a rate of approximately 56,000 bits per second. That may be called 56 kilo-bits per second (Kbps).

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, a transmission over the Internet travels across multiple links before it reaches its destination. Each link has its own bandwidth. Like a chain being only as strong as its weakest link, the maximum bandwidth between server 20 and client 90 is the link therebetween with the slowest bandwidth. Typically, that is the link between the client 90 and its ISPs 80. That slowest bandwidth is the maximum de facto bandwidth.

[0015] Herein, unless otherwise apparent from the context, references to bandwidth between network entities (such as server 20 and client 90) is assumed to be the maximum de facto bandwidth therebetween.

[0016] Bandwidth may also be called "connection speed", "speed", or "rate". In references to bandwidth measured by bits per second, it may also be called "bit rate" or "bitrate."

[0017] Streaming Media

[0018] Streaming is a technique for transferring multimedia data such that it can be processed as a steady and continuous stream. Streaming technologies are becoming increasingly important with the growth of the Internet because most users do not have fast enough access to download large multimedia files quickly. With streaming, the client browser or plug-in can start displaying the data before the entire file has been transmitted.

[0019] For streaming to work, the client side receiving the data must be able to collect the data and send it as a steady stream to the application that is processing the data and converting it to sound or pictures. This means that if the streaming client receives the data more quickly than required, it needs to save the excess data in a buffer. If the data doesn't come quickly enough, however, the presentation of the data will not be smooth.

[0020] Within the context of an audio and/or visual presentation, "media" and "multimedia" are used interchangeably herein. Media refers to the presentation of text, graphics, video, animation, and/or sound in an integrated way.

[0021] "Streaming media" is an audio and/or visual presentation that is transmitted over a network (such as the Internet) to an end-user. Such transmission is performed so that the presentation is relatively smooth and not jerky. Long pauses while additional frames are being downloaded to the user are annoying to the user. These annoyances encourage a user to avoid viewing future streaming media.

[0022] Smoothly Transmitting Streaming Media

[0023] Since the bandwidth determines the rate at which the client will receive data, a streaming media presentation may only be presented at a rate no greater than what the bandwidth allows. For example, assume media server 20 needs to send data at 50 Kbps to the client 90 in order to smoothly "play" a streaming media presentation. However, the bandwidth between the client and server is only 30 Kbps. The result is a jerky and jumpy media presentation.

[0024] In an effort to alleviate this problem, streaming media presentations are often encoded into multiple formats with differing degrees of qualities.

[0025] The formats with the lowest quality (e.g., small size, low resolution, small color palette) have the least amount of data to push to the client over a given time. Therefore, a client over a slow link can smoothly present the streaming media presentation, but the quality of the presentation suffers.

[0026] The formats with the highest quality (e.g., full screen size, high resolution, large color palette) have the greatest amount of data to push to the client over a given time. Therefore, the client with a fast link can smoothly present the streaming media presentation and still provide a high quality presentation.

[0027] Select-A-Bandwidth Approach

[0028] When a server sends streaming media to a client, it needs to know what format to use. Thus, in order to select the proper format, the server must to know the bandwidth between the server and the client.

[0029] This easiest way to accomplish this is to ask the user of the client what their bandwidth is. Since a client's link to the Internet is typically the bandwidth bottleneck, knowing the bandwidth of this link typically indicates the actual bandwidth.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a cut-away 100 of a Web page displayed on a client's computer. Inside the cut-away 100, is a typical user-interface 110 that may be used to ask a user what their connection speed is. The user clicks on one of the three buttons 112, 114, and 116 provided by the userinterface 110. If the user clicks on button 112, the server delivers data from a file containing streaming media in a format designed for transmission at 28.8 Kbps. Likewise, if the user clicks on button 114, data sends from a file containing streaming media in a format designed for transmission at 56.6 Kbps. If the user clicks on button 114, the server delivers data from a file containing streaming media in a format designed for transmission at a rate greater than 56.6 Kbps and up-to the typical speed of a Tl connection.

[0031] However, the primary problem with the "select-abandwidth" approach is that it requires a thoughtful selection by a user. This approach invites selection errors.

[0032] It requires that a user care, understand, and have knowledge of her connection speed. Often, a user does not pay particular attention to which button to press. The user

may only know that a media presentation will appear if the user presses one of these buttons. Therefore, they press any one of them.

[0033] Often, a user does not understand the concept of bandwidth. A user may choose button 116 because she may want to see the presentation at its highest quality. This user does not realize that seeing the presentation at its highest quality may result in a non-smooth presentation because her Internet connection cannot handle the rate that the data is being sent through it.

[0034] If she does understand the concept of bandwidth, then the user may not know her bandwidth. A user may simply be ignorant of her bandwidth. In addition, varying degrees of noise may cause varying connection speeds each time a user connects to the Internet. Furthermore, some types of connections (such as a cable modem) can have wide degrees of connection speed depending upon numerous factors.

[0035] Moreover, the user needs to understand the implications of an incorrect choice. A user needs to be educated so that she understands that she needs to select an option that is equal to or less than her bandwidth to get a smooth presentation. But she should not choose one that is significantly less than her bandwidth. If she does, then she will be seeing a smooth presentation at a lower quality that she could otherwise see at a higher available bandwidth.

[0036] As can be seen by the above discussion, this manual approach is often confusing and intimidating to many user. Therefore, it often results in incorrect selections.

[0037] What's more, maintaining multiple files (one for each bandwidth) at the media server adds to the overhead of maintaining a Web site.

[0038] Automatic Bandwidth Detection

[0039] To overcome these problems, media servers may use a single file containing subfiles for multiple bandwidths. In addition, media servers may automatically detect the bandwidth.

[0040] This single file is called a MBR (multiple bit rate) file. The MBR files typically include multiple differing "bands" or "streams." These bands may be called "subfiles." A user only clicks on one link. Automatically, behind the scenes, the server determines the right speed band to send to the client.

[0041] This automatic speed detection may take a long time. This means that an additional five seconds to a minute (or more) is added to the user's wait for the presentation to begin. This delay for existing automatic speed detection is because of long "handshaking" times while the speed determination is going on.

[0042] One existing automatic detection technique involves sending multiple data packets for measuring the speed between the server and client. This technique is described further below in the section titled, "Multiple Measurement Packets Technique."

[0043] Bandwidth Measurement Packets

[0044] Typically, automatic bandwidth detection techniques measure bandwidth between entities on a network by sending one or more packets of a known size.