Difference messaging protocol that uses prior state information

• US 20030138041A1
• Filed: 01/24/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meizu Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirshenbaum, Evan, Moore, Keith E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,065,137 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 7/30 Compression speech analysis-synthesis for redundancy reduction G10L19/00; for image communication H04N; Expansion; Suppression of unnecessary data, e.g. redundancy reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/66 for reducing bandwidth of signals; for improving efficiency of transmission H04B1/68 takes precedence

Abstract

A messaging system that reduces communications bandwidth is disclosed. Difference messages are constructed at a sender from a message and prior state information. The difference messages include information describing the difference between the content of the message and a portion of prior state information, such as a prior message. The difference messages, including a prior message identifier, are sent to the receiver in place of the message. The message is reconstructed at the receiver using the corresponding difference message and the prior state information stored at the receiver. If the message reconstruction is unsuccessful, the sender is notified, and further required information is sent to the receiver.

Claims

1. A method for communicating messages between a first party and a second party, said method comprising the steps of:

storing prior state information at said second party;

constructing at least one message, at said first party, to convey information to said second party, said information comprising at least a portion of said prior state information;

encoding said message to generate a difference message comprising difference information, said difference information comprising the difference between said information in said message and said prior state information;

transmitting said difference message from said first party to said second party; and

reconstructing, at said second party, said message from said difference message by combining said difference information with said information from said prior state information.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said prior state information comprises at least one prior message.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said message comprises a plurality of arguments; and

said prior state information comprises one of said arguments.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said difference message further comprises an identifier to said prior state information.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said difference message further comprises a time identifier to said prior state information.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing said prior state information at said first party;

constructing, at said second party, a second message to convey second information and at least a portion of said prior state information;

encoding said second message to generate a second difference message comprising second difference information, said second difference information comprising the difference between said information in said second message and said prior state information;

transmitting said second difference message from said second party to said first party; and

reconstructing, at said first party, said second current message by combining said second difference information with said information from said prior state information.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether said at least a portion of said prior state information is retrievable at said second party; and

if said at least a portion of said prior state information is not retrievable, sending, from said second party to said first party, a negative acknowledgement message to said first party.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the step of sending, in said negative acknowledgement message, from said second party to said first party, an indication of information stored at said second party so as to assist said first party in constructing said first message using said prior state information.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the step of sending, from said first party to said second party, said first message if said prior state information is not retrievable.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

executing at least one application program at said first party independent of communicating messages between a first party and a second party.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein, prior to encoding said first message, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether said first message is similar to said prior state information; and

if said first message is similar to said prior state information, executing the step encoding said message to generate a difference message.

12. A computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, which when executed by a computer system, cause the computer to perform the steps of:

storing prior state information at said second party;

constructing at least one message, at said first party, to convey information to said second party, said information comprising at least a portion of said prior state information;

encoding said message to generate a difference message comprising difference information, said difference information comprising the difference between said information in said message and said prior state information;

transmitting said difference message from said first party to said second party; and

reconstructing, at said second party, said message from said difference message by combining said difference information with said information from said prior state information.

13. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein said prior state information comprises at least one prior message.

14. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

said message comprises a plurality of arguments; and

said prior state information comprises one of said arguments.

15. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein said difference message further comprises an identifier to said prior state information.

16. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein said difference message further comprises a time identifier to said prior state information.

17. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

storing said prior state information at said first party;

constructing, at said second party, a second message to convey second information and at least a portion of said prior state information;

encoding said second message to generate a second difference message comprising second difference information, said second difference information comprising the difference between said information in said second message and said prior state information;

transmitting said second difference message from said second party to said first party; and

reconstructing, at said first party, said second current message by combining said second difference information with said information from said prior state information.

18. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether said at least a portion of said prior state information is retrievable at said second party; and

if said at least a portion of said prior state information is not retrievable, sending, from said second party to said first party, a negative acknowledgement message to said first party.

19. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 18, further comprising the step of sending, in said negative acknowledgement message, from said second party to said first party, an indication of information stored at said second party so as to assist said first party in constructing said first message using said prior state information.

20. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 18, further comprising the step of sending, from said first party to said second party, said first message if said at least a portion of said prior state information is not retrievable.

21. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, further comprising the step of executing at least one application program at said first party independent of communicating messages between a first party and a second party.

22. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein, prior to encoding said first message, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether said first message is similar to said prior state information; and

if said first message is similar to said prior state information, executing instructions for encoding said message to generate a difference message.