Method and apparatus implementing a multimedia digital network

• US 20020031144A1
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: James M. Barton
• Inventors: Barton, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A method and apparatus for efficiently managing the allocation of available data capacity on a physically shared digital network among devices connected to that network is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for managing the ongoing timely movement of data on the shared network such that precise long-term data rates are achieved between attached devices with minimal additional buffering. The invention further comprises a method and apparatus which allows the use of any remaining network capacity for non time-critical data movement without the need for centralized access management.

Claims

1. A method for managing the allocation of the data capacity of a streaming media service across interconnected networks, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a distributed bandwidth reservation schedule for avoiding network contention across said interconnected networks;

wherein said interconnected networks contain nodes with differing connection speeds;

providing reservation schedule maintenance means resident on each node for receiving and maintaining a copy of said reservation schedule; and

wherein said reservation schedule is synchronized across all nodes by a periodic network clock broadcast.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing an on-demand packet-based service on said nodes; and

wherein said reservation schedule works in parallel with said on-demand packet-based service.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a list of allocation records on each node;

wherein said list of allocation records represents allocated bandwidth in said reservation schedule; and

wherein each allocation record defines a window of network time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

providing a queue of on-demand packets on each node; and

wherein on-demand packets are sent when the required time to send an on-demand packet exists in between allocation records.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a portion of said reservation schedule is reserved for managing allocation records.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a node broadcasts a bandwidth allocation request to all nodes in said interconnected networks.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

providing bandwidth calculation means for calculating the bandwidth between a source node and a destination node; and

providing bandwidth reservation means resident on said source node for reserving bandwidth for a stream in said reservation schedule based on said bandwidth calculation means.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said destination node is responsible for broadcasting continued interest allocation records after each stream packet is received indicating continued interest in receiving said stream.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a node deletes said reserved bandwidth if said continued interest allocation records are not received within a predetermined period of time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if said source node deletes said reserved bandwidth then said source node ceases sending said stream to said destination node.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein a receiving node reserves bandwidth in its copy of said reservation schedule upon receipt of a valid allocation request.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein if a received allocation request exactly matches a previous allocation request, then the receiving node discards said received allocation request.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein if a received allocation request is a tear-down request, then the receiving node deletes the matching allocation record from its copy of said reservation schedule.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein if an allocation request arrives from another node while the receiving node is creating its own allocation request, the receiving node will abandon its allocation request effort and start over after it updates its copy of said reservation schedule.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein one node in said interconnected networks is designated the clock node and sends a periodic network clock broadcast to all nodes in said interconnected networks.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

providing means for selecting a new clock node upon failure of said clock node.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

an on-demand packet-based service on said nodes; and

wherein said reservation schedule works in parallel with said on-demand packet-based service.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a list of allocation records on each node;

wherein said list of allocation records represents allocated bandwidth in said reservation schedule; and

wherein each allocation record defines a window of network time.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a queue of on-demand packets on each node; and

wherein on-demand packets are sent when the required time to send an on-demand packet exists in between allocation records.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a portion of said reservation schedule is reserved for managing allocation records.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a node broadcasts a bandwidth allocation request to all nodes in said interconnected networks.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

bandwidth calculation means for calculating the bandwidth between a source node and a destination node; and

bandwidth reservation means resident on said source node for reserving bandwidth for a stream in said reservation schedule based on said bandwidth calculation means.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said destination node is responsible for broadcasting continued interest allocation records after each stream packet is received indicating continued interest in receiving said stream.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein a node deletes said reserved bandwidth if said continued interest allocation records are not received within a predetermined period of time.

26. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein if said source node deletes said reserved bandwidth then said source node ceases sending said stream to said destination node.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a receiving node reserves bandwidth in its copy of said reservation schedule upon receipt of a valid allocation request.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein if a received allocation request exactly matches a previous allocation request, then the receiving node discards said received allocation request.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein if a received allocation request is a tear-down request, then the receiving node deletes the matching allocation record from its copy of said reservation schedule.

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein if an allocation request arrives from another node while the receiving node is creating its own allocation request, the receiving node will abandon its allocation request effort and start over after it updates its copy of said reservation schedule.

31. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein one node in said interconnected networks is designated the clock node and sends a periodic network clock broadcast to all nodes in said interconnected networks.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for selecting a new clock node upon failure of said clock node.

17. An apparatus for managing the allocation of the data capacity of a streaming media service across interconnected networks, comprising:

a distributed bandwidth reservation schedule for avoiding network contention across said interconnected networks;

wherein said interconnected networks contain nodes with differing connection speeds;

reservation schedule maintenance means resident on each node for receiving and maintaining a copy of said reservation schedule; and

wherein said reservation schedule is synchronized across all nodes by a periodic network clock broadcast.