Estimator for end-to-end throughput of wireless networks

Abstract

The present invention presents an architecture to dynamically measure and estimate the throughput perceived by a user during a connection in real-time in a wireless network system. The architecture system design of the present invention allows for information gathering independent of the mathematical models used and takes into account security settings in the network hosts. The present invention also sets forth a number of throughput estimators (TEs) that can be used within the architecture to gather the information needed to carry out the throughput estimation calculations. The throughput estimations can then be used for download rate control, QoS, load balancing, etc. The present invention also provides algorithms to calculate the real-time throughput experienced by a user flow.

1 . A telecommunications system architecture comprising:
 at least one access network;   a mobile host located in said access network;   a backbone network, including at least one application server;   an information gateway located in said backbone network; and   a throughput estimator residing on said information gateway;   wherein said mobile host communicates with said application server through said information gateway and said throughput estimator provides information useful in optimizing download rate to said mobile host.   
     
     
         2 . A telecommunications system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said throughput estimator is selected from the group consisting of an ICMP-based throughput estimator, a HTTP-based throughput estimator, a TCP trace throughput estimator, and a SNMP-based throughput estimator. 
     
     
         3 . A telecommunications system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said throughput estimator is a passive throughput estimator. 
     
     
         4 . A telecommunications system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said throughput estimator is an active throughput estimator. 
     
     
         5 . A method of optimizing download rate to a mobile host from an application server in a telecommunications network, said method comprising:
 providing an information gateway between said mobile host and said application server capable of adjusting said download rate;   measuring a throughput rate using the following equation
 R(τ)=M/Δt, wherein R(τ) is the measured throughput rate, Δt is the measurement time interval, τ be the current measurement time and M is the number of messages that arrive during the time interval; 
   calculating an estimated throughput rate for an application flow using the following equation
 {circumflex over (R)}(τ)=α(τ) R(τ)+(1−α(τ)) E[R τ−Δt ], wherein the estimated value E[R t−Δt ] is a weighted average of the current measured value and the average of the last K-1 measured values, and weight value α(τ) is the average fractional difference between consecutive measurements points; 
   calculating the difference between said measured throughput rate and said estimated throughput rate and if said difference is less than a predetermined sensitivity parameter, then increasing said download rate through said information gateway by a predetermined incremental amount.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said predetermined incremental amount is less than said predetermined sensitivity parameter. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said step of calculating an estimated throughput rate is carried out at said information gateway. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said step of calculating an estimated throughput rate is carried out at said mobile host. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said step of calculating the difference is carried out at said information gateway.