System and method for transferring data over a network

• US 20050086364A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shah, Darshatkumar A., Muti, Alessandro
• Granted Patent: US 7,139,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/022 by sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method are provided for transferring a set of data over a network by monitoring the level of actual network bandwidth utilization. The method identifies a maximum monitored level of actual utilization and calculates a threshold level of utilization as a function of the maximum monitored level of utilization. If the actual level of utilization is less than the threshold level, at least a portion or segment of the data is received over the network. Each time a portion of the data is received, the monitoring step is repeated and a counter is incremented. The size of the discrete portions of the data is a function of the value of the counter and is increased when the value of the counter is greater than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a set of data over a network, the method comprising:

monitoring the level of actual network bandwidth utilization;

identifying a maximum monitored level of actual utilization;

calculating a threshold level of utilization as a function of the maximum monitored level of utilization;

if the actual level is less than the threshold level, separately receiving a plurality of discrete portions of the set of data over the network;

repeating at least said monitoring step and incrementing a counter each time a discrete portion of the data is received over the network, wherein the size of the discrete portions of the data is a function of the value of the counter; and

increasing the size of the discrete portions of data when the value of the counter is greater than a predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a client receives the data over the network from a server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said monitoring occurs at the interface between the client and the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold level is equal to a predetermined percentage of the maximum monitored level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data includes a software update.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising clearing the counter after receiving all the plurality of discrete portions of the data over the network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising clearing the counter if the level of actual utilization becomes greater than the threshold level.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising suspending the receipt of discrete portions of the data if the level of actual utilization becomes greater than the threshold level.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising resuming the receipt of discrete portions of the data from the point of suspension when the level of actual utilization becomes less than the threshold level.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a maximum level of utilization during receipt of the set of data; and

calculating a threshold level of utilization for the set of data as a function of the maximum level of utilization identified during receipt of the set of data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said identifying step includes estimating the maximum level of utilization during receipt of the set of data by calculating an average level of utilization for the set of data upon repeating said monitoring step a predetermined number of times during receipt of the set of data.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving at least a portion of the set of data over the network if the actual level is less than the threshold level of the set of data.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving at least a portion of a second set of data over the network if the actual level is less than the threshold level of the set of data.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a client machine receives the data over the network without substantially interfering with the ability of a user of the client machine to engage in other network activity.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received over the network without substantially interfering with any other network activity.

17. One or more computer-readable media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method comprising:

monitoring the level of actual network bandwidth utilization;

identifying a maximum monitored level of actual utilization;

calculating a threshold level of utilization as a function of the maximum monitored level of utilization;

if the actual level is less than the threshold level, separately receiving a plurality of discrete portions of the set of data over the network;

repeating at least said monitoring step and incrementing a counter each time a discrete portion of the data is received over the network, wherein the size of the discrete portions of the data is a function of the value of the counter; and

increasing the size of the discrete portions of data when the value of the counter is greater than a predetermined value.

18. A computer system having a memory, an operating system and a central processor, said processor being operable to use the instructions embodied on the computer-readable media of claim 17.

19. A system for transferring a set of data over a network, the system comprising:

a monitoring component operative to monitor the level of actual network bandwidth utilization;

an identifying component operative to identify a maximum monitored level of actual utilization;

a calculating component operative to calculate a threshold level of utilization as a function of the maximum monitored level of utilization;

a receiving component operative to separately receive a plurality of discrete portions of the set of data over the network if the actual level is less than the threshold level; and

a counter operable to be incremented each time a discrete portion of the data is received over the network, wherein the size of the discrete portions of the data is a function of the value of the counter and is increased when the value of the counter is greater than a predetermined value.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a client receives the data over the network from a server.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the monitoring component is operative to monitor the level of actual network bandwidth utilization at the interface between the client and the network.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the network is the Internet.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the threshold level is equal to a predetermined percentage of the maximum monitored level.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the set of data includes a software update.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the counter is cleared after the receiving component receives all the plurality of discrete portions of the data over the network.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the counter is cleared if the level of actual utilization becomes greater than the threshold level.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the receiving component suspends the receipt of discrete portions of the data if the level of actual utilization becomes greater than the threshold level.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the receiving component resumes the receipt of discrete portions of the data from the point of suspension when the level of actual utilization becomes less than the threshold level.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the identifying component identifies a maximum level of utilization during receipt of the set of data, and the calculating component calculates a threshold level of utilization for the set of data as a function of the maximum level of utilization identified during receipt of the set of data.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the identifying component estimates the maximum level of utilization during receipt of the set of data by calculating an average level of utilization for the set of data upon repeating said monitoring a predetermined number of times during receipt of the set of data.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the receiving component receives at least a portion of the set of data over the network if the actual level is less than the threshold level of the set of data.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the receiving component receives at least a portion of a second set of data over the network if the actual level is less than the threshold level of the set of data.

33. The system of claim 19, wherein a client machine receives the data over the network without substantially interfering with the ability of a user of the client machine to engage in other network activity.

34. The system of claim 19, wherein the data is received over the network without substantially interfering with any other network activity.

35. A system for transferring a set of data over a network, the system comprising:

means for monitoring the level of actual network bandwidth utilization;

means for identifying a maximum monitored level of actual utilization;

means for calculating a threshold level of utilization as a function of the maximum monitored level of utilization;

means for separately receiving a plurality of discrete portions of the set of data over the network if the actual level is less than the threshold level;

means for repeating at least said monitoring step and incrementing a counter each time a discrete portion of the data is received over the network, wherein the size of the discrete portions of the data is a function of the value of the counter; and

means for increasing the size of the discrete portions of data when the value of the counter is greater than a predetermined value.