Dynamic bandwidth control

• US 20040139158A1
• Filed: 01/09/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Datta, Glen Van
• Granted Patent: US 7,426,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Data transfer over a computer network relating to a data object of a multiple user network application, from a network user who owns the data object to an updating user, is achieved by transfer of a subset of data fields that define the data object, such that the subset of data fields is specified by the updating user and is less than or equal to a full update transfer comprising updated values for all the data fields that define the data object. Each data object is defined by multiple data fields, such that the transfer of a subset of the data object data fields ensures that the network bandwidth utilized for data updates will be reduced from the situation in which all the defining data fields for an object being updated are transferred over the network.

Claims

1. A method of computer network data transfer, the method comprising:

determining an update data subset relating to an application data object maintained by an owning network user in a multiple user network application shared data space, such that the update data subset specifies a set of data fields that is less than or equal to a full data update for the application object;

sending a network data update request message, from an updating user maintaining a local copy corresponding to the data object, that requests the specified update data subset from the owning user; and

receiving update data for the data object comprising the set of data fields as specified by the update data subset.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further including updating the local copy of the data object with the received update data subset at the updating user.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the update data subset comprises determining an available network bandwidth and selecting a specified amount according to the available bandwidth.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein determining available bandwidth comprises receiving a user selected bandwidth value.

5. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein determining available bandwidth comprises receiving system resource information from an operating system of the local client.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the update data subset comprises determining the set of data fields of the update data subset according to an updating user level of interest in the data object.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the updating user level of interest is determined by interaction of the updating user with the data object in the shared data space.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the request message specifies an update data subset that is less than the data fields that completely define the data object for the network application.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein updating the local client data state for the application object comprises rendering a visual display that includes a representation of the updated application object data.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network application includes the transfer of streaming data over the network.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each user of the network application has ownership of a corresponding data object of the network application shared data space.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein a single network node of the network application has ownership of all user-corresponding data objects of the network application shared data space.

13. A network computer device comprising:

a network communications interface that supports data transfer between the computing device and a network; and

a central processing unit that executes program instructions to provide a multiple user network application that

determines an update data subset relating to an application data object maintained by an owning network user in a multiple user network application shared data space, such that the update data subset specifies a set of data fields that is less than or equal to a full data update for the application object,

sends a network data update request message relating to a local data object copy that is maintained so as to correspond to the data object, that requests the specified update data subset from the owning user; and

receives update data for the data object comprising the set of data fields as specified by the update data subset.

14. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein the device updates the local copy of the data object with the received update data subset.

15. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein the device determines the update data subset by determining an available network bandwidth and selecting a specified amount according to the available bandwidth.

16. A device as defined in claim 15, wherein the device determines available bandwidth by receiving a user selected bandwidth value.

17. A device as defined in claim 15, wherein the device determines available bandwidth by receiving system resource information from an operating system of the local client.

18. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein the device determines the update data subset by determining the set of data fields of the update data subset according to an updating user level of interest in the data object.

19. A device as defined in claim 18, wherein the updating user level of interest is determined by interaction of the updating user with the data object in the shared data space.

20. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein the request message specifies an update data subset that is less than the data fields that completely define the data object for the network application.

21. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein updating the local client data state for the application object comprises rendering a visual display that includes a representation of the updated application object data.

22. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein the network application includes the transfer of streaming data over the network.

23. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein each user of the network application has ownership of a corresponding data object of the network application shared data space.

24. A device as defined in claim 13, wherein a single network node of the network application has ownership of all user-corresponding data objects of the network application shared data space.

25. A method of data transfer over a computer network from a data object owning user to an updating user, the method comprising:

determining update data at the owning user for a set of data fields that define an application object in a multiple user network application;

determining an update data message that specifies an update data subset relating to the application data object for the multiple user network application at the updating user, such that the update data subset specifies data fields of the data object that are less than or equal to the number of data fields comprising the update data determined by the owning user; and

sending the update data message from the updating user to the owning user.

26. A program product for use in a computer device that executes program instructions recorded in a computer-readable media to perform a method for data transfer over a computer network, the program product comprising:

a recordable media; and

a plurality of computer-readable instructions executable by the computer device to perform a method comprising

determining an update data subset relating to an application data object maintained by an owning network user in a multiple user network application shared data space, such that the update data subset specifies a set of data fields that is less than or equal to a full data update for the application object,

sending a network data update request message relating to a local data object copy that is maintained by the computer device so as to correspond to the data object, that requests the specified update data subset from the owning user; and

receiving update data for the data object comprising the set of data fields as specified by the update data subset.

27. A program product as defined in claim 26, wherein the computer device updates the local copy of the data object with the received update data subset.

28. A program product as defined in claim 26, wherein the computer device determines the update data subset by determining an available network bandwidth and selecting a specified amount according to the available bandwidth.

29. A program product as defined in claim 28, wherein the computer device determines available bandwidth by receiving a user selected bandwidth value.

30. A program product as defined in claim 28, wherein the computer device determines available bandwidth by receiving system resource information from an operating system of the computer device.

31. A program product as defined in claim 26, wherein the computer device determines the update data subset by determining the set of data fields of the update data subset according to a computer device updating user level of interest in the data object.

32. A program product as defined in claim 31, wherein the updating user level of interest is determined by interaction of the updating user with the data object in the shared data space.

33. A program product as defined in claim 26, wherein the request message specifies an update data subset that is less than the data fields that completely define the data object for the network application.

34. A program product as defined in claim 27, wherein the computer device updates the local copy of the application object by rendering a visual display that includes a representation of the updated application object data.

35. A program product as defined in claim 26, wherein the network application includes the transfer of streaming data over the network.

36. A program product as defined in claim 26, wherein each user of the network application has ownership of a corresponding data object of the network application shared data space.

37. A program product as defined in claim 26, wherein a single network node of the network application has ownership of all user-corresponding data objects of the network application shared data space.

38. A network computer device that transfers data over a computer network, the computer device comprising:

a processor that executes a multiple user network application such that the computer device comprises a local client of the network application;

determination means for determining an update data subset relating to an application data object maintained by an owning network user in a multiple user network application shared data space, such that the update data subset specifies a set of data fields that is less than or equal to a full data update for the application object;

communication means for sending a network data update request message, from an updating user maintaining a local copy corresponding to the data object, that requests the specified update data subset from the owning user; and

receiving means for receiving update data for the data object comprising the set of data fields as specified by the update data subset.

39. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein the processor updates the local copy of the data object with the received update data subset.

40. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein the determination means determines an available network bandwidth and selects a specified amount according to the available bandwidth.

41. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein the determination means determines available network bandwidth by receiving a user selected bandwidth value.

42. A computer device as defined in claim 41, wherein the determination means determines available bandwidth by receiving system resource information from an operating system of the local client.

43. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein the determination means determines the update data subset by determining the set of data fields of the update data subset according to an updating user level of interest in the data object.

44. A computer device as defined in claim 43, wherein the determination means determines updating user level of interest in accordance with interaction of the updating user with the data object in the shared data space.

45. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein the request message specifies an update data subset that is less than the data fields that completely define the data object for the network application.

46. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein the processor updates the local client data state for the application object by rendering a visual display that includes a representation of the updated application object data.

47. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein the network application includes the transfer of streaming data over the network.

48. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein each user of the network application has ownership of a corresponding data object of the network application shared data space.

49. A computer device as defined in claim 38, wherein a single network node of the network application has ownership of all user-corresponding data objects of the network application shared data space.