Method for devices in a network to participate in an end-to-end measurement of latency

1. A method of determining a round trip latency of a network path in a communication network having at least two path segments, that uses multi-bit data packets, said method comprising;

generating a test packet for use in determining the latency of each of said at least 2 path segments in said network path;

transmitting said test packet between first and second devices coupled to said network at opposite ends of a first path segment, and then between said second device and a third device coupled to opposite ends of a second path segment; and

returning said test packet to said first device by transmitting said test packet between said third and second devices and then between said second and first device;

storing in said test packet a transmit time when a first preselected bit in said test packet is transmitted from said first device;

when said test packet is received by said second device coupled to said network, storing in said second device the difference between (i) the transmit time when said first preselected bit in said test packet is transmitted from said first device and (ii) a receipt time when a second preselected bit in said test packet is received by said second device; and

when said test packet is received by said third device coupled to said network, storing in said third device the difference between (i) the transmit time when said preselected bit in said test packet is transmitted from said first device and (ii) a receipt time when a second preselected bit in said test packet is received by said third device; and

determining the round trip latency of the network path when said test packet is returned from the third device to said first device via the same devices traversed by said test packet during transmission from said first device to said third device.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said receipt time is the time when the second preselected bit is received by said second device, and which includes determining the latency of the path segment between said first and second devices by determining the difference between the two stored times.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said difference between (i) the transmit time when said first preselected bit in said test packet is transmitted from said first device and (ii) the receipt time when the second preselected bit in said test packet is received by said second device wherein said receipt time is stored in said second device, and includes determining the latency of the path segment between said first and second devices by retrieving said difference from said second device.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said test packet is transmitted serially from said second device to a plurality of additional devices coupled to said network; and

each time said test packet is received by one of said additional devices, storing in said additional device at least one of (a) a receipt time when a preselected bit in said test packet is received by said additional device and (b) the difference between (i) the transmit time when said preselected bit in said test packet is transmitted from said first device and (ii) the receipt time when said preselect bit in said test packet is received by said additional device.

5. The method of claim 1 in which said test packet is returned from said second device to said first device.

6. The method of claim 1 which includes;

storing in said test packet a transmit time when a preselected bit in said test packet is transmitted from said second device,

when said test packet is received by a third device coupled to said network, storing in said third device a receipt time when said second preselected bit in said test packet is received by said third device, and

determining the latency of the path segment between said second and third devices by determining the difference between the second-device transmit time stored in said test packet and the receipt time stored in said third device.

7. The method of claim 6 in which said test packet has first and second timestamp fields, and which includes

storing in said first field the transmit time when a preselected bit in said test packet is transmitted from said first device, and

storing in said second field the transmit time when a preselected bit in said test packet is transmitted from said second device.

8. The method of claim 1 in which said test packet is transmitted from said first device to said second device while normal packets are being transported through said network.

9. An apparatus for determining a round trip latency of a network path in a communication network, having at least two path segments comprising a first and second path segment, each having a first and second end, wherein said communication network uses multi-bit data packets, comprising:

a first network device at the first end of the first path segment being adapted to generate a test packet and transmit the test packet;

a second network device at the second end of the first path segment and at the first end of the second path segment being adapted to receive the test packet, to store a first packet send time of the test packet from the first device to the second device, to use the stored first packet send time to calculate a latency of a first path segment between the first device and the second device, and to transmit the test packet;

a third network device at the second end of the second path segment, said third network device adapted to receive the test packet, to store a second packet send time of the test packet from the second device to the third device, to use the second packet send time to calculate a latency of a second path segment between the second device and the third device, and to transmit the test packet back to the second network device;

the second network device being adapted to receive the test packet from the third network device, to store a third packet send time of the test packet from the third device to the second device, to use the stored third packet send time to calculate a latency of the second path segment between the third and second device, and to transmit the test packet back to the first network device;

the first network device being adapted to receive the test packet from the second network device, to store a fourth packet send time of the test packet from the second device to the first device, and to use the fourth packet send time to calculate a latency of the first path segment between the second device and the first device;

the third network device being adapted to determine the latency of the network path in a first direction by combining the latency of the first and second path segments; and

the first network device being adapted to determine the round trip latency of the network path by combining the latency in the first direction and the latency of the first and second path segments when said test packet is returned from the third device to said first device via the same devices traversed by said test packet during transmission in the first direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first packet send time is a time difference between the time a preselected bit is received by the second device and a time when a preselected bit is transmitted from the first device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second packet send time is a time difference between the time a first preselected bit is received by the third device and the time a second preselected bit is transmitted from the second device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the third packet send time is a time difference between the time a first preselected bit is received by the second device and the time a second preselected bit is transmitted from the third device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the fourth packet send time is a time difference between the time a first preselected by is received by the first device and the time a second preselected bit is transmitted from the second device.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said test packet is transmitted serially to a plurality of additional devices coupled to said network.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein a packet send time of the test packet is stored in each of said plurality of additional devices and the latency of each of the path segments is determined by the stored send times between each of said plurality of additional device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the round trip latency of the network path is determined by adding the latency of the path segments when said test packet is returned to said first device via the same devices traversed by said test packet during transmission from said first device to the last of the plurality of additional device.