Performance enhancing proxy for interactive 3G network gaming

ABSTRACT

Unlike non-time-critical applications like email and file transfer, network games demand timely data delivery to maintain the seemingly interactive presence of players in the virtual game world. Yet the inherently large transmission delay mean and variance of 3G cellular links make on-time game data delivery difficult. Further complicating the timely game data delivery problem is the frequent packet drops at these links due to inter-symbol interference, fading and shadowing at the physical layer. In this paper, we propose a proxy architecture that enhances the timeliness and reliability of data delivery of interactive games over 3G wireless networks. In particular, a performance enhancing proxy is designed to optimize a new time-critical data type—variable-deadline data, where the utility of a datum is inversely proportional to the time required to deliver it. We show how a carefully designed and configured proxy can noticeably improve the delivery of network game data.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

Additional Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.2 COMPUTER-COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
      C.2.1 Network Architecture and Design
          Subjects: Wireless communication

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Performance

Keywords:
network gaming, wireless networks