Time-window-constrained multicast using connection scheduling

• US 20060190598A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cabrera, Luis Felipe, Padmanabhan, Venkata N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,275,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method of reducing bandwidth limitations to send events to a set of interested clients within a pre-defined time period as quickly and fairly as possible. The clients can be re-distributed among the servers in a network such that the delay due to server overloading is minimized by moving clients from an overloaded server to a server with available bandwidth. In addition, the latency of client-server communications can be incorporated into an estimation of download times, and the servers can then initiate delivery to respective clients based on those download times. By staggering the send times to account for heterogeneous latencies, more clients can receive the event at the same time, and a fairness of distribution can be achieved.

Claims

1. A method of distributing a client among a first trusted edge server and a second trusted edge server, wherein a trusted edge server is a server, in a communications path between an originating server and a connected client, that can be trusted not to release information prior to an appropriate time, the method comprising:

determining a first latency between the first trusted edge server and the client;

comparing the first latency to a second latency; and

transferring the client to the second trusted edge server if the second latency is lower than the first latency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the first latency further comprises:

estimating the first latency using a connection history between the first trusted edge server and the client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the first latency further comprises:

estimating the first latency using network functions to test a first connection between the first trusted edge server and the client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second latency is a latency between the second trusted edge server and the client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second latency is a minimum theoretical latency.

6-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A computer-readable medium, having computer-executable instructions for distributing a client among a first trusted edge server and a second trusted edge server, wherein a trusted edge server is a server, in a communications path between an originating server and a connected client, that can be trusted not to release information prior to an appropriate time, the computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising:

determining a first latency between the first trusted edge server and the client;

comparing the first latency to a second latency; and

transferring the client to the second trusted edge server if the second latency is lower than the first latency.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the second latency is a latency between the second trusted edge server and the client.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the second latency is a minimum theoretical latency.

30-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A system for network distribution to minimize latencies, the system comprising:

an originating server;

a first trusted edge server having connected to it a client;

a second trusted edge server, wherein a trusted edge server is a server, in a communications path between the originating server and a connected client, that can be trusted not to release information prior to an appropriate time; and

computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising;

determining a first latency between the first trusted edge server and the client;

comparing the first latency to a second latency; and

transferring the client to the second trusted edge server if the second latency is lower than the first latency.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the second latency is a latency between the second trusted edge server and the client.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the second latency is a minimum theoretical latency.

41-57. -57. (canceled)

58. A method of distributing a client among a first trusted edge server and a second trusted edge server, wherein a trusted edge server is a server, in a communications path between an originating server and a connected client, that can be trusted not to release information prior to an appropriate time, the method comprising:

a step for determining a first latency between the first trusted edge server and the client;

a step for comparing the first latency to a second latency; and

a step for transferring the client to the second trusted edge server if the second latency is lower than the first latency.

59-66. -66. (canceled)