Live mobile camera system with a communication protocol and a server cluster

• US 20020184383A1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DOCOMO Communications Laboratories USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DOCOMO Communications Laboratories USA, Inc.
• Inventors: Song, Yu
• Application Number:
  US09/867,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184383A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/29 using a combination of thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/36 by determining packet size, e.g. maximum transfer unit [MTU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0273 adapting protocols for flow control or congestion control to wireless environment, e.g. adapting transmission control protocol [TCP] wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation, e.g. wireless application protocol H04W80/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/08 Load balancing or load distribution transferring a connection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A live mobile camera system is provided with a variable segment size communication protocol and a two tier server cluster. The variable segment size communication protocol segments digital data into segments in an application layer and packetizes the segments in an internet protocol layer. One embodiment of the communication protocol is used with a wireless link and uses the internet protocol known as user datagram protocol. The two tier server cluster includes a first tier of servers. Each of the first tier servers manage more than one second tier server and may reassign the second tier servers to other first tier servers.

Claims

1. A communication protocol comprising segmenting digital data into segments in a first application layer;

packetizing said segments in a first internet protocol layer;

reassembling said packets in a second internet protocol layer; and

reassembling said segments in a second application layer.

2. The communication protocol according to claim 1, further comprising testing said packets for errors;

and changing a size of said segments in response to said packet testing.

3. The communication protocol according to claim 2, wherein said segment size is increased if said packet testing detects no packet errors in said digital data and said segment size is decreased if said packet testing detects a packet error in said digital data.

4. The communication protocol according to claim 2, wherein said segment size is changed between a low limit and a high limit.

5. The communication protocol according to claim 4, wherein said segment size is not changed if said packet testing detects no packet errors in said digital data and said segment size is at said high limit;

said segment size is increased if said packet testing detects no packet errors in said digital data and said segment size is not at said high limit;

said segment size is not changed if said packet testing detects a packet error in said digital data and said segment size is at said low limit; and

said segment size is decreased if said packet testing detects a packet error in said digital data and said segment size is not at said low limit.

6. The communication protocol according to claim 1, in combination with transmitting and receiving said packets over a wireless link between said packetizing and said packet reassembling.

7. The communication protocol according to claim 1, further comprising testing said packets for errors;

and retransmitting only said segments having packet errors without retransmitting said segments having no packet errors.

8. The communication protocol according to claim 1, further comprising testing said packets for errors;

and retransmitting at least one of said segments in response to said packet testing from said first application layer without retransmitting from said first internet protocol layer.

9. The communication protocol according to claim 1, wherein said internet protocol layer is a user datagram protocol.

10. The communication protocol according to claim 1, in combination with generating said digital data in a live mobile camera system, said digital data being a digitized picture of the visual surroundings around a mobile client.

11. The communication protocol according to claim 1, further comprising testing said packets for errors;

changing a size of said segments in response to said packet testing; and

retransmitting at least one of said segments in response to said packet testing from said first application layer without retransmitting from said first internet protocol layer.

12. The communication protocol according to claim 11, wherein said segment size is increased if said packet testing detects no packet errors in said digital data and said segment size is decreased if said packet testing detects a packet error in said digital data;

wherein said segment size is changed between a low limit and a high limit; and

wherein only said segments having packet errors are retransmitted and said segments having no packet errors are not retransmitted.

13. The communication protocol according to claim 12, in combination with transmitting and receiving said packets over a wireless link between said packetizing and said packet reassembling;

and wherein said internet protocol layer is a user datagram protocol.

14. The communication protocol according to claim 13, in combination with generating said digital data in a live mobile camera system, said digital data being a digitized picture of the visual surroundings around a mobile client.

15. The communication protocol according to claim 1, further comprising testing said packets for errors;

further comprising changing a size of said segments in response to said packet testing; and

in combination with transmitting and receiving said packets over a wireless link between said packetizing and said packet reassembling.

16. The communication protocol according to claim 15, wherein said internet protocol layer is a user datagram protocol.

18. A server cluster according to claim 17, wherein said second tier comprises at least two servers.

19. The server cluster according to claim 18, wherein each second tier server responds to said request and said communication link is established with the first second tier server to respond.

20. The server cluster according to claim 17, wherein said first tier comprises at least two servers whereby each of said first tier servers manages at least two second tier servers.

21. The server cluster according to claim 20, wherein one of said first tier servers reassigns one of said second tier servers managed by said reassigning first tier server to another of said first tier servers.

22. The server cluster according to claim 21, wherein said reassignment comprises said reassigning first tier server sending a message requesting acceptance of said one of said second tier servers to said another of said first tier servers, said another of said first tier servers establishing management of said one of said second tier servers upon acceptance of said requesting message.

23. The server cluster according to claim 20, wherein at least two of said first tier servers communicate with each other using an internet protocol, said at least two first tier servers being separate server networks.

24. The server cluster according to claim 20, in combination with a requester sending said request for said communication link, said requester storing an identity of one of said first tier servers as a default server to send said request to.

25. The server cluster according to claim 24, wherein said requester updates stored identities of said first tier servers, said requester selecting one of said first tier servers to send said request to.

26. The server cluster according to claim 17, wherein said first tier communicates with said second tier using an internet protocol, said first tier and said second tier being separate server networks.

27. The server cluster according to claim 26, wherein said at least two servers of said second tier are separate server networks.

28. The server cluster according to claim 17, in combination with a wireless link, said wireless link being coupled to said requested communication link.

29. The server cluster according to claim 17, in combination with a live mobile camera system comprising a mobile client with a camera, whereby said camera takes pictures of visual surroundings around said mobile client, said pictures being sent through said communication link.

30. The server cluster according to claim 18, wherein each second tier server responds to said request and said communication link is established with the first second tier server to respond;

wherein said first tier comprises at least two servers whereby each of said first tier servers manages at least two second tier servers;

wherein one of said first tier servers reassigns one of said second tier servers managed by said reassigning first tier server to another of said first tier servers;

wherein at least two of said first tier servers communicate with each other using an internet protocol, said at least two first tier servers being separate server networks; and

wherein said first tier communicates with said second tier using an internet protocol, said first tier and said second tier being separate server networks.

31. The server cluster according to claim 30, wherein said reassignment comprises said reassigning first tier server sending a message requesting acceptance of said one of said second tier servers to said another of said first tier servers, said another of said first tier servers establishing management of said one of said second tier servers upon acceptance of said requesting message;

in combination with a requester sending said request for said communication link, said requestor storing an identity of one of said first tier servers as a default server to send said request to;

wherein said requestor updates stored identities of said first tier servers, said requestor selecting one of said first tier servers to send said request to;

in combination with a wireless link, said wireless link being coupled to said requested communication link; and

in combination with a live mobile camera system comprising a mobile client with a camera, whereby said camera takes pictures of visual surroundings around said mobile client, said pictures being sent through said communication link.

32. The server cluster according to claim 18, wherein said first tier comprises at least two servers whereby each of said first tier servers manages at least two second tier servers;

in combination with a requestor sending said request for said communication link, said requester storing an identity of one of said first tier servers as a default server to send said request to;

wherein said requestor updates stored identities of said first tier servers, said requester thereby selecting one of said first tier servers to send said request to;

in combination with a wireless link, said wireless link being coupled to said requested communication link; and

in combination with a live mobile camera system comprising a mobile client with a camera, whereby said camera takes pictures of visual surroundings around the mobile client, said pictures being sent through said communication link.

33. The server cluster according to claim 32, wherein one of said first tier servers reassigns one of said second tier servers managed by said o reassigning first tier server to another of said first tier servers;

wherein said reassignment comprises said reassigning first tier server sending a message requesting acceptance of said one of said second tier servers to said another of said first tier servers, said another of said first tier servers establishing management of said one of said second tier servers upon acceptance of said requesting message;

wherein at least two of said first tier servers communicate with each other using an internet protocol, said at least two first tier servers being separate server networks;

in combination with a requestor sending said request for said communication link, said requestor storing an identity of one of said first tier servers as a default server to send said request to;

wherein said requester updates stored identities of said first tier servers, said requestor selecting one of said first tier servers to send said request to;

wherein said first tier communicates with said second tier using an internet protocol, said first tier and said second tier being separate server networks.

35. The communication protocol according to claim 34, wherein said communication protocol further comprises testing said packets for errors, and changing a size of said segments in response to said packet testing, and wherein said internet protocol layer is a user datagram protocol.

36. The communication protocol according to claim 35, wherein said segment size is increased if said packet testing detects no packet errors in said digital data and said segment size is decreased if said packet testing detects a packet error in said digital data, wherein said segment size is changed between a low limit and a high limit, and wherein said communication protocol further comprises retransmitting only said segments having packet errors without retransmitting said segments having no packet errors, and retransmitting at least one of said segments in response to said packet testing from said first application layer without retransmitting from said first internet protocol layer.

37. The server cluster according to claim 34, wherein each second tier server responds to said request and said communication link is established with the first second tier server to respond, wherein said first tier comprises at least two servers whereby each of said first tier servers manages at least two second tier servers, and wherein said mobile client stores an identity of one of said first tier servers as a default server to send said request to.

38. The server cluster according to claim 37, wherein one of said first tier servers reassigns one of said second tier servers managed by said reassigning first tier server to another of said first tier servers, wherein said reassignment comprises said reassigning first tier server sending a message requesting acceptance of said one of said second tier servers to said another of said first tier servers, said another of said first tier servers establishing management of said one of said second tier servers upon acceptance of said requesting message, wherein at least two of said first tier servers communicate with each other using an internet protocol, said at least two first tier servers being separate server networks, wherein said mobile client updates stored identities of said first tier servers, said mobile client selecting one of said first tier servers to send said request to, and wherein said first tier communicates with said second tier using an internet protocol, said first tier and said second tier being separate server networks.

39. The communication protocol according to claim 34, wherein said communication protocol further comprises testing said packets for errors, and changing a size of said segments in response to said packet testing, and wherein said internet protocol layer is a user datagram protocol, wherein each second tier server responds to said request and said communication link is established with the first second tier server to respond, wherein said first tier comprises at least two servers whereby each of said first tier servers manages at least two second tier servers, and wherein said mobile client stores an identity of one of said first tier servers as a default server to send said request to.

40. The communication protocol according to claim 39, wherein said segment size is increased if said packet testing detects no packet errors in said digital data and said segment size is decreased if said packet testing detects a packet error in said digital data, wherein said segment size is changed between a low limit and a high limit, and wherein said communication protocol further comprises retransmitting only said segments having packet errors without retransmitting said segments having no packet errors, and retransmitting at least one of said segments in response to said packet testing from said first application layer without retransmitting from said first internet protocol layer, wherein one of said first tier servers reassigns one of said second tier servers managed by said reassigning first tier server to another of said first tier servers, wherein said reassignment comprises said reassigning first tier server sending a message requesting acceptance of said one of said second tier servers to said another of said first tier servers, said another of said first tier servers establishing management of said one of said second tier servers upon acceptance of said requesting message, wherein at least two of said first tier severs communicate with each other using an internet protocol, said at least two first tier servers being separate server networks, wherein said mobile client updates stored identities of said first tier servers, said mobile client selecting one of said first tier servers to send said request to, and wherein said first tier communicates with said second tier using an internet protocol, said first tier and said second tier being separate server networks.

17. A server cluster comprising a first tier and a second tier;

said first tier comprising at least one server and said second tier comprising at least one server;

said first tier managing said second tier;

wherein said first tier receives a request for a communication link and sends said request to said second tier, said second tier thereby responding to said request.

34. A live mobile camera system comprising a mobile client with a camera generating realtime pictures of visual surroundings around said mobile client;

a wireless link transmitting said pictures, wherein said pictures are transmitted over said wireless link according to a communication protocol comprising segmenting digital data into segments in a first application layer, packetizing said segments in a first internet protocol layer, reassembling said packets in a second internet protocol layer, and reassembling said segments in a second application layer; and

a server cluster receiving said wireless link, wherein said server cluster comprises a first tier and a second tier, said first tier comprising at least one server and said second tier comprising at least two servers, said first tier managing said second tier, wherein said first tier receives a request for a communication link and sends said request to said second tier, said second tier thereby responding to said request.