IP Library Granted Patent US 7,330,429
Granted Patent B2
US 7,330,429 · App. 10/974,342 · Granted Feb 12, 2008

Method and apparatus for internet protocol transaction routing

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,330,429
App. No.
10/974,342
Granted
Feb 12, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for providing optimal transaction routing for data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes includes assigning each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, with each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level, and associating a numerical priority-usage level to each of the data packets. The method then includes establishing a threshold return-time-out (RTO) amount for each logical pipe, and transmitting data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced. The method further includes transitioning to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical bandwidth-usage levels for the delivered data packets has equaled or exceeded the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced or once that the current estimate of the round trip times for the delivered packets has equaled or exceeded the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

Claims (43)

1. A method for providing optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, comprising:

assigning each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level;

associating a numerical priority-usage level to each of the assigned data packets;

establishing a numerical threshold return-time-out (RTO) for each logical pipe;

transmitting data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced; and

transitioning to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical priority-usage levels for the delivered data packets has at least equaled the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced, or once a current estimate of the RTT for the delivered packets has at least equaled the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

2. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising modifying the numerical service level of one of the logical pipes.

3. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising modifying the numerical priority-usage level of an assigned data packet.

4. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the data packets on a FIFO basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

5. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the data packets on a priority-usage basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

6. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 further comprising evaluating a running estimate of the current RTT for the transmitted data packets from a sequence of RTT samples, wherein each sample is associated with a particular transmitted data packet from the logical pipe being serviced.

7. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 1 wherein a predetermined numerical threshold RTO is selected to be equal to or greater than an RTT scaled by a constant B, where B is greater than 1 chosen such that there is an acceptably small probability that the RTT for the transmitted data packet may exceed the selected RTO.

8. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 7 wherein the RTO has different values for different logical pipes.

9. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 7 wherein the data packet is retransmitted when a time interval greater than the chosen RTO for the logical pipe being serviced has elapsed before an acknowledgment is received.

10. The method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 9 wherein an RTT value for the current data packet continues to accrue during its retransmission.

11. A system for providing optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, comprising:

means for assigning each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level;

means for associating a numerical priority-usage level to each of the assigned data packets;

means for establishing a numerical threshold return-time-out (RTO) for each logical pipe;

means for transmitting data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced; and

means for transitioning to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical priority-usage levels for the delivered data packets has at least equaled the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced or once a current estimate of the RTT for the delivered packets has at least equaled the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

12. The system for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 11 further comprising means for modifying the numerical priority-usage level of an assigned data packet.

13. The system for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 11 further comprising means for transmitting the data packets on a priority-usage basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

14. The system for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 11 further comprising means for evaluating a running estimate of the current RTT for the transmitted data packets from a sequence of RTT samples, wherein each sample is associated with a particular transmitted data packet from the logical pipe being serviced.

15. A computer-readable medium having encoded therein computer-executable instructions for performing a method providing optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, the method comprising:

assigning each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level;

associating a numerical priority-usage level to each of the assigned data packets;

establishing a numerical threshold return-time-out (RTO) for each logical pipe;

transmitting data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced; and

transitioning to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical priority-usage levels for the delivered data packets has equaled or exceeded the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced or once that the current estimate of the RTT for the delivered packets has equaled or exceeded the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

16. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising modifying the numerical service level of one of the logical pipes.

17. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising modifying the numerical priority-usage level of an assigned data packet.

18. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising transmitting the data packets on a FIFO basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

19. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising transmitting the data packets on a priority-usage basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

20. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 15 further comprising evaluating a running estimate of the current RTT for the transmitted data packets from a sequence of RTT samples, wherein each sample is associated with a particular transmitted data packet from the logical pipe being serviced.

21. A system for performing optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, the system comprising:

at least one processor programmed to assign each data packet to one of the plurality of logical pipes, each logical pipe having an assigned numerical service level; associate a numerical priority-usage level to each of the assigned data packets; establish a numerical threshold return-time-out (RTO) for each logical pipe; transmit data packets from one of the logical pipes and evaluating a running estimate of round trip times (RTT) for the transmitted data packets from the logical pipe being serviced; and transition to a subsequent logical pipe in a round robin manner once a combination of numerical priority-usage levels for the delivered data packets has equaled or exceeded the numerical service level for the logical pipe being serviced or once that the current estimate of the RTT for the delivered packets has equaled or exceeded the threshold RTO for the logical pipe being serviced.

22. The system for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 21 further comprising:

at least one processor programmed to modify the numerical service level of one of the logical pipes.

23. The system for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 21 further comprising:

at least one processor programmed to transmit the data packets on a priority-usage basis from the logical pipe being serviced.

24. The system for performing the method for optimal transaction routing of data packets through a network on a plurality of logical pipes, as in claim 21 further comprising:

at least one processor programmed to evaluate a running estimate of the current RTT for the transmitted data packets from a sequence of RTT samples, wherein each sample is associated with a particular transmitted data packet from the logical pipe being serviced.

Assignments (17)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: ALVARIA, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073360/0564 →
ASSIGNMENT Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: ALVARIA CAYMAN (WEM); ALVARIA CAYMAN (CXIP); NOBLE SYSTEMS, LLC
To: ALVARIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 073360/0481 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2025
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALVARIA CAYMAN (WEM); ALVARIA CAYMAN (CXIP)
Reel/Frame 073360/0209 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: JEFFRIES FINANCE LLC
To: ALVARIA, INC.; NOBLE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 066850/0428 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: ALVARIA INC.
To: ALVARIA CAYMAN (CX)
Reel/Frame 066850/0285 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: JEFFRIES FINANCE LLC
To: ALVARIA, INC.; NOBLE SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 066850/0384 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 20, 2024
From: ALVARIA CAYMAN (WEM); ALVARIA CAYMAN (CXIP)
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 066850/0334 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 12, 2024
From: FIRSTPOINT CONTACT TECHNOLOGIES, LLC; ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
To: ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 066737/0047 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 12, 2024
From: ROCKWELL ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: FIRSTPOINT CONTACT TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 066798/0363 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 12, 2024
From: ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
To: ALVARIA, INC.
Reel/Frame 066801/0607 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: ASPECT SOFTWARE PARENT, INC.; ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.; DAVOX INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; VOICEOBJECTS HOLDINGS INC.; VOXEO PLAZA TEN, LLC
Reel/Frame 057254/0363 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 6, 2021
From: NOBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION; ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 057674/0664 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 6, 2021
From: NOBLE SYSTEMS CORPORATION; ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 057261/0093 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2016
From: ASPECT SOFTWARE PARENT, INC.; ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.; DAVOX INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; VOICEOBJECTS HOLDINGS INC.; VOXEO PLAZA TEN, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 039052/0356 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2016
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 039013/0015 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2016
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: ASPECT SOFTWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 039012/0311 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 034281/0548 →