Abstract: In a packet communication environment, a method is provided for automatically classifying packet flows for use in allocating bandwidth resources by a rule of assignment of a service level. The method comprises applying individual instances of traffic classification paradigms to packet network flows based on selectable information obtained from a plurality of layers of a multi-layered communication protocol in order to define a characteristic class, then mapping the flow to the defined traffic class. It is useful to note that the automatic classification is sufficiently robust to classify a complete enumeration of the possible traffic.

Abstract: A method for explicit data rate control is introduced into a packet communication environment (10) which does not have data rate supervision by adding latency to the acknowledgment (ACK) packet and by adjusting the size of the flow control window associated with the packet in order to directly control the data rate of the source data at the station (12 or 14) originating the packet.

Abstract: In a packet communication environment, a method is provided for classifying packet network flows for use in determining a policy, or rule of assignment of a service level, and enforcing that policy by direct rate control. The method comprises applying individual instances of traffic objects, i.e., packet network flows to a classification model based on selectable information obtained from a plurality of layers of a multi-layered communication protocol, then mapping the flow to the defined traffic classes, which are arbitrarily assignable by an offline manager which creates the classification. It is useful to note that the classification need not be a complete enumeration of the possible traffic.

Abstract: A method is provided for optimally setting the receiver window size in a flow controlled protocol in order to minimize queuing in a packet telecommunications network. Embodiments according to the present invention are operable at an explicit path to identify per connection information from host address or physical interface, flow direction, or any combination of these elements. The present invention may function in conjunction with a rate detection method that determines both a message serialization delay component and a data size invariant delay component.

Abstract: A method for pacing data flows in packet switched networks by arranging data transmission over a period of time based upon a set of ascertainable factors about the underlying transmission link to derive an intersegment transmission interval. The intersegment transmission interval can be used to pace either data packets or acknowledgment packets. The method is especially useful for pacing the transmission of data in a digital data packet communication environment having a plurality of digital packet transmission stations inter-connectable in a data path and employing the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) suite.

Abstract: In a packet communication environment, a method is provided for classifying packet network flows for use in determining a policy, or rule of assignment of a service level, and enforcing that policy by direct rate control. The method comprises applying individual instances of traffic objects, i.e., packet network flows to a classification model based on selectable information obtained from a plurality of layers of a multi-layered communication protocol, then mapping the flow to the defined traffic classes, which are arbitrarily assignable by an offline manager which creates the classification. It is useful to note that the classification need not be a complete enumeration of the possible traffic.

Abstract: A method for explicit data rate control is introduced into a packet communication environment (10) which does not have data rate supervision by adding latency to the acknowledgment (ACK) packet and by adjusting the size of the flow control window associated with the packet in order to directly control the data rate of the source data at the station (12 or 14) originating the packet.

Abstract: A method is provided for preventing gratuitous retransmission of data from being propagated through a network which includes holding data to be retransmitted for a minimum time period. If an acknowledgment occurs while the retransmitted data is still being held, then the retransmitted data is discarded rather than propagated through the network. The invention also provides for selectively holding retransmissions based upon ascertainable factors about the underlying connection activity, such as number of successful transmissions.

Abstract: A method for data flow rate detection useful with data flow rate control is introduced into a TCP packet communication environment which does not have data rate supervision by computing presumed speed based on latency between packets during the initial interchange of synchronization (SYN) packet and the acknowledgement (ACK) packet, presuming to know the initial length of each. This information may be utilized to determine potential rate of data flow for further use in making bandwidth allocation and rate enforcement decisions.