System and method for distributing streaming content through cooperative networking

• US 20040143672A1
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Padmanabham, Venkata N., Chou, Philip A., Wang, Jiahe
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1076 Resource dissemination mechanisms or network resource keeping policies for optimal resource availability in the overlay network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1089 Hierarchical topologies

Abstract

A system and method for distributing streaming content data from a server to multiple clients enables the server to handle transient surges of requests by having the clients cooperate with the server and other clients to distribute content, thereby alleviating the load on the server. The server divides the streaming content into multiple sub-streams (e.g., by using multiple description coding), and constructs multiple distribution trees with itself at the root and each client as a node in each of the trees. Each sub-stream is transmitted down a corresponding one of the distribution trees. Clients that receive sub-streams from its parent nodes in the distribution trees in turn forward the sub-streams to their child nodes in the trees.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for a network server to perform steps for distributing streaming media content to a plurality of clients over a network, comprising:

forming multiple distinct distribution trees, each distribution tree having the server as its root and clients as its nodes;

dividing the streaming media content into multiple sub-streams, each sub-stream corresponding to one of the distribution trees; and

transmitting the sub-streams down the respective distribution trees.

2. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, wherein the step of dividing uses multiple description coding.

3. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, wherein the step of dividing includes partitioning the streaming media content into groups of frames, and encoding each group of frames into a plurality of packets each to be included in a corresponding sub-stream.

4. A computer-readable medium as in claim 3, wherein the step of dividing includes performing multiple description coding based on layered encoding of streaming media, minimum distance separable coding, and priority encoding transmission.

5. A computer-readable medium as in claim 4, wherein the step of dividing further includes adjusting rate points of the partitioning to minimize expected distortion of streaming media content received by the clients.

6. A computer-readable medium as in claim 5, wherein the step of adjusting is performed dynamically during transmission of the streaming media content.

7. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, wherein the step of dividing uses forward error correction coding.

8. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, having further computer-executable instructions for performing steps of:

receiving a request from a new client for the streaming media content; and

selecting in each of the distribution trees a parent node for the client from which the new client is to receive a corresponding sub-stream.

9. A computer-readable medium as in claim 8, further including the step of informing the new client of the parent nodes in the distribution trees selected for the new client.

10. A computer-readable medium as in claim 8, wherein the step of selecting includes identifying a plurality of nodes in a distribution tree that are available to be a parent node of the new client, and randomly selecting one of the available nodes to be the parent node of the new client in said distribution tree.

11. A computer-readable medium as in claim 10, wherein the available nodes are identified based on their proximity in terms of network distance to the new client.

12. A computer-readable medium as in claim 11, wherein the step of identifying the available nodes includes estimating the proximity of the available nodes and the new client based on their network coordinates.

13. A computer-readable medium as in claim 12, wherein the network coordinates are with reference to a pre-selected set of landmarks.

14. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, further including the steps of:

receiving a notice of departure from a departing client;

in each distribution tree, identifying child nodes of the departing client; and

reassigning a parent node in said each distribution tree for each of the child nodes.

15. A computer-readable medium as in claim 1, further including the steps of:

receiving a notice of high packet loss rate in a sub-stream from an existing client;

reassigning a parent node in the distribution tree corresponding to said sub-stream to the existing client.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for a client on a network to performs steps to receive streaming media content distributed by a server, comprising:

receiving a plurality of sub-streams of the streaming media content from respective peer clients, each of said peer clients serving as a parent node of the client in one of a plurality of distinct distribution trees each for distributing a corresponding sub-stream; and

reconstructing the streaming media content from the received sub-streams.

17. A computer readable medium as in claim 16, having further computer-executable instructions for the client to perform, prior to the steps of receiving and reconstructing, the steps of:

sending a request to the server for the streaming media content;

receiving a response from the server identifying said peer clients each serving as a parent node of the client in one of the plurality of distinct distribution trees; and

contacting each of the peer clients identified in the response to establish a connection therewith for receiving a corresponding sub-stream.

18. A computer-readable medium as in claim 17, wherein the request includes data identifying the client'"'"'s bandwidth available for participation in distributing the streaming media content.

19. A computer-readable medium as in claim 18, wherein the request further includes data indicating a network coordinate of the client.

20. A computer-readable medium as in claim 16, having further computer-executable instructions to perform the step of:

receiving a connection request from a second client as a child node in one of the distribution trees;

forwarding a received sub-stream corresponding to said one of the distribution trees to the second client.

21. A computer-readable medium as in claim 16, having further computer-executable instructions to perform the steps of:

sending a notice of departure to the server indicating an intent to terminate participation in distribution of the streaming content media.

22. A computer-readable medium as in claim 16, having further computer-executable instructions to perform the steps of:

monitoring a packet loss rate of each of the sub-streams of the streaming media content;

detecting a high packet loss rate in a sub-stream;

contacting the parent node corresponding to the sub-stream with the high packet loss rate.

23. A computer-readable medium as in claim 22, further including computer-executable instructions to perform the steps of:

setting a timeout period;

contacting the server regarding the sub-stream with the high packet loss rate if no improvement in said sub-stream is made within the timeout period.

24. A computer-readable medium as in claim 22, further including computer-executable instructions to perform the steps of:

contacting the server regarding the sub-stream with the high packet loss rate if the parent node for the sub-stream with the high packet loss rate does not respond or does not experience the high packet loss rate in said sub-stream.

25. A method of distributing streaming media content from a server to a plurality of clients over a network, comprising:

forming, by the server, multiple distinct distribution trees, each distribution tree having the server as its root and the clients as its nodes;

dividing, by the server, the streaming media content into multiple sub-streams, each sub-stream corresponding to one of the distribution trees;

transmitting, by the server, the sub-streams down the respective distribution trees;

receiving, by each client, the sub-streams from its parent nodes in the distribution trees;

reconstructing, by said each client, the streaming media content from the received sub-streams; and

forwarding, by each client that has child nodes in the distribution trees, sub-streams received by said each client through the distribution trees to the child nodes in the respective distribution trees.

26. A method as in claim 25, wherein the step of dividing uses multiple description coding.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein the step of dividing includes partitioning the streaming media content into a plurality of groups of frames, and encoding each group of frames into a plurality of packets each to be included in a corresponding one of the sub-streams.

28. A method as in claim 25, wherein the step of dividing uses forward error correction coding.

29. A method as in claim 25, further comprising:

repairing, by the server, the distribution trees upon departure of a departing client by reassigning parent nodes to child nodes of the departing client in the distribution trees.

30. A method as in claim 25, further comprising steps by the server of:

receiving a request from a new client for the streaming media content;

selecting in each of the distribution trees a parent node for the client from which the new client is to receive a corresponding sub-stream.