Method, network and network proxy for transmitting information

• US 20030163520A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hulu LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rooney, Sean, Bussani, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method of transmitting data information and control information each having a source address and a destination address, from a server, having a server address, to a client, having a client address. The method comprises the steps of transmitting the control information from the server to the client via a network proxy that has a network proxy address, and transmitting the data information from the server to the client not via the network proxy. This system has the advantage that, on one hand, the data information is transmitted directly and therefore without any additional delay due to the network proxy, so that the throughput of the data information is maintained. In particular, a video stream can be sent over the network under real-time conditions. Additionally and on the other hand, the invention provides the advantages achievable by using a network proxy. In particular, the functions offered by a network proxy may still be available in connection with a continuous media service. For example the server providing the media stream may change over time without the client noticing the change. This allows e.g. load-balancing during stream transmission without perturbation at the client side.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data information and control information, each containing a source address and a destination address, from a server, having a server address, to a client, having a client address, the method comprising

transmitting said control information from said server to said client via a network proxy that has a network proxy address, and

transmitting said data information from said server to said client not via said network proxy.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of setting the destination address of the control information to be the same as the destination address of the data information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of one of translating and providing control information for translating the destination address of the data information to be the client address.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of one of translating and providing control information for translating the source address of the data information to be the network proxy address.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of controlling the address translation via the network proxy.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting the control information and the data information under use of different protocols, the Real Time Protocol/User Datagram Protocol (RTP/UDP) for the data information and the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) for the control information.

11. A computer program product comprising program code means for performing a method according to claim 1.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, comprising the program code means stored on a computer-readable medium.

7. A network comprising a client, having a client address, a server, having a server address, and a network proxy, having a network proxy address, said server being set up for transmitting data information and control information to said client, said data information and control information containing a source address and a destination address, wherein said control information is transmittable from said server to said client via said network proxy, and said data information is transmittable from said server to said client not via said network proxy.

8. The network of claim 7, further comprising a network address translator for translating the destination address of the data information to be the client address and translating the source address of the data information to be the network proxy address, said network address translator preferably being controllable by the network proxy.

9. A network proxy being connected to a client, having a client address, and to a server, having a server address, said network proxy being adapted to receive from said server control information, containing a source address and a destination address, and said network proxy being furthermore adapted to control a network address translator that is adapted to receive from said server data information, also containing a source address and a destination address, wherein by means of said controlling of said network address translator said data information is transmittable to said client not via said network proxy.

10. The network proxy of claim 9, wherein said network address translator is adapted to translate the destination address of the data information to be the client address and the source address of the data information to be the network proxy address.