US 12,237,998 B2
Method and apparatus for distributing network traffic over multiple communication networks
Pawan Uberoy, Carlsbad, CA (US); Hari Balasubramanian, Carlsbad, CA (US); and Praveen Madhav, Carlsbad, CA (US)
Assigned to VIASAT, INC., Carlsbad, CA (US)
Filed by ViaSat, Inc., Carlsbad, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/716,983.
Application 17/716,983 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/053567, filed on Sep. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0239589 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 15/16 (2006.01); H04L 45/00 (2022.01); H04L 45/24 (2022.01); H04L 47/2441 (2022.01); H04L 47/283 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 45/38 (2013.01) [H04L 45/24 (2013.01); H04L 47/2441 (2013.01); H04L 47/283 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for facilitating data transmission via one or more communication networks, comprising:
obtaining a data flow containing at least one packet with a first destination at a user terminal (“UT”);
fetching a plurality of link characteristics associated with a set of currently available communication links to a core node (“CN”);
classifying the data flow to identify a data type of the data flow;
determining whether to split the data flow into a plurality of packets based at least in part on the identified data type of the data flow;
responsive to determining to not split the data flow, transmitting the data flow to the UT using a single link of the set of currently available communication links, the single link selected based at least in part on the identified data type;
responsive to determining to split the data flow:
splitting the data flow into a first packet and a second packet in accordance with the identified data type of the data flow, the first packet to be transmitted by a first communication link of the set of currently available links and the second packet to be transmitted by a second communication link of the set of currently available links;
generating a first packet tag including a first sequence number and a first identifier of the first communication link for the first packet and a second packet tag for the second packet including a second sequence number and a second identifier of the second communication link; and
delaying transmission of the second packet relative to transmission of the first packet for a predefined time period based at least in part on the plurality of link characteristics associated with the first communication link and the second communication link so that the first packet and the second packet arrive at the UT at approximately same time frame; and
receiving link performance feedback utilizing the first identifier and the second identifier to respectively identify the first communication link and the second communication link.