Optimization of enhanced network links
A method and apparatus for dynamic network link acceleration provides a managed communication link for accelerated and reliable network communication between a client and other network devices. In one or more embodiments, a client computing device which generates communication packets of a first type is enhanced with a front end mechanism which selectively encodes the data packets into packets of a second type. The data packets which are encoded into a second type are transmitted over a managed communication link which may provide error correction, security, quality of service, and other services including acceleration of communications.
1. A method for dynamically maintaining communications between a mobile communication device and a second computing device through an enhanced communications link when network connection types with said mobile communication device change, comprising the steps of:
establishing an enhanced communications link between a back-end and said mobile communication device, said enhanced communication link having first settings, said first settings based upon first communication link parameters transmitted from said mobile communication device to said back-end, said first communication link parameters based upon a first network connection type determined by said mobile communication device, and said back-end comprising an interface to said server, wherein said back-end exchanges data with said server in data packets of a first type and wherein said back-end is configured to communicate data with said mobile communication device over said enhanced communication link in one or more data packets of a second type, which second type differs from said first type;
transmitting one or more data packets of said second type from said back-end to said mobile communication device over said enhanced communication link having said first settings;
adjusting said enhanced communications link to have second settings, said second settings based upon second communication link parameters transmitted from said mobile communication device to said back-end, said second communication link parameters based upon a change in network connection type to a second network connection type determined by said mobile communication device; and
transmitting one or more data packets of said second type from said back-end to said mobile communication device over said enhanced communication link having said second settings.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second network connection types are selected from the group consisting of: Wi-Fi, 3G cellular and 4G cellular.
3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second communication link parameters comprise a maximum data transfer rate.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second communication link parameters comprise an aggression level.
5. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second communication link parameters comprise a universally unique identifier for said mobile communication device.
6. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of exchanging quality of service information between said back-end and said mobile communication device over said enhanced communications link.
7. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mobile communication device comprises a mobile phone, a PDA, a table or a laptop computing device.
8. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said back-end is implemented by computer readable code executed by said server.
9. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one of: incrementally adjusting said first settings and said second settings to optimize said enhanced communications link.
10. The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein said step of incrementally adjusting at least one of said first settings and said second settings comprises changing a size of a congestion window.
11. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and/or second communication link parameters comprise at least one of: 1) aggression level; 2) bandwidth; 3) use of NAT packets; 4) use of UUID; and 5) use of a congestion control algorithm.
12. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and/or second communication link parameters are based upon one or more features of said network connection type, said features comprising at least one of: 1) signal strength; 2) bandwidth; 3) latency; and 4) packet loss.