US Patent 10003473 Probing available bandwidth along a network path

In one embodiment, a time period is identified in which probe packets are to be sent along a path in a network based on predicted user traffic along the path. The probe packets are then sent during the identified time period along the path. Conditions of the network path are monitored during the time period. The rate at which the packets are sent during the time period is dynamically adjusted based on the monitored conditions. Results of the monitored conditions are collected, to determine an available bandwidth limit along the path.