Shadow clients for computer networks
First Claim
1. A computer network, comprising:
- a server;
a plurality of principal clients communicatively coupled with the server via a communications link and via a separate command channel, the command channel being independent of one or more data streams addressed to the plurality of principal clients and transmitted between the server and the principal clients via the communications link; and
at least one shadow client associated with one of the plurality of principal clients, the shadow client to read and/or consume a portion of data included within the one or more data streams addressed to the one of the plurality of principal clients.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Within a computer network, a first one of a number of clients may be a consumer of information included within one or more data streams transmitted between a server and one or more others of the clients. However, each of the clients are also communicatively coupled to the server via a command channel independent of these data streams. In some cases, the first client receives the information as the data streams are transmitted from the server to the other clients, while in other cases the first client receives the information as it is being transmitted from the other clients to the server. In addition to the data streams, the first client may exchange additional information with the server. The data streams may be transmitted on a wireless communication link communicatively coupling the server and the clients. However, the first client may receive the information via a communication path separate from the wireless communication link. In some cases the information represents only a portion of the data streams transmitted between the server and the clients. Bandwidth within the network may be allocated by partitioning a communication channel into a number of slots according to bandwidth needs of information consumers and information providers within the network; and sharing at least one of the slots among two of the information consumers within the network.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A computer network, comprising:
-
a server;
a plurality of principal clients communicatively coupled with the server via a communications link and via a separate command channel, the command channel being independent of one or more data streams addressed to the plurality of principal clients and transmitted between the server and the principal clients via the communications link; and
at least one shadow client associated with one of the plurality of principal clients, the shadow client to read and/or consume a portion of data included within the one or more data streams addressed to the one of the plurality of principal clients. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
13. (Three Times Amended) A method of distributing data within a computer network, the method comprising:
associating one or more shadow clients with a stream of data transmitted between a server and a one or more other principal clients, wherein the stream of data is not addressed to the shadow client. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
21. (Four Times Amended) A method, comprising:
-
designating, as a principal client, one or more of a plurality of components of a computer network, the network organized to allow for the exchange of data within a communication channel between a server and the plurality of components;
designating, as a shadow client, one or more of the plurality of network components within the communication channel; and
selectively sharing with the one or more shadow clients one or more data streams addressed to the one or more principal clients, the one or more data streams transmitted between the one or more principal clients and the server. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification