SESSION-REUSE IN NETWORKS

• US 20080046572A1
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: JAGELS, DEAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Systems and methods for establishing a first session with a first client device to deliver first content, receiving a request for a second session with a second client device to deliver second content, and re-using the first session for the second session.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

establishing a first session with a first client device to deliver first content;

receiving a request for a second session with a second client device to deliver second content; and

re-using the first session for the second session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request for the second session comprises receiving information that enables a determination as to resources required to deliver content corresponding to the second session.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, responsive to the request for the second session, determining whether the first session can be re-used for the second session.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein re-using the first session for the second session is responsive to determining that the first session can be used for the second session.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining comprises correlating first resource descriptor attributes of first resource descriptors corresponding to the second request with resource descriptor attributes of resource descriptors of the first session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the resource descriptors correspond to hardware resources, software resources, or a combination of both, used to deliver and receive the first content and the second content associated with the first session and the second session, respectively, over a network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the resource descriptor attributes include bit rate, encryption, transport stream identification, and MPEG program number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the first session with the first client device is responsive to initiation of the first session by the first client.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first session is exclusive to the first client until release of the first session for re-use by the second client.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein release of the first session is initiated by the first client, by a digital network control system, or a server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the first session with the first client device is in conformance to a Digital Storage Media Command and Control protocol.

12. A system, comprising:

a digital network control system;

a server;

a first client device, the first client device configured to receive content from the server during a first session; and

a second client device, the digital network control system configured to receive a request for a second session from the second client device, the digital network control system configured to establish the second session by re-using the first session.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is configured to send second content to the second client device during the second session.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first client is configured to initiate release of the first session by issuing a release request to the digital network control system, the release corresponding to the first client no longer using network resources to receive the first content.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the digital network control system is configured to save hardware settings, software settings, or a combination of both corresponding to resources for the first session, wherein the digital network control system is further configured to provide a first message to the first client that the release has been initiated and a second message to the server that the first client has initiated the release.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the digital network control system is configured to save the hardware settings, software settings, or a combination of both in a session table that comprises sessions available for re-use and sessions currently in use.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein, responsive to the second request, the digital network control system is configured to compare hardware settings, software settings, or a combination of both corresponding to the second request with the sessions available for re-use listed in the session table.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein, responsive to the comparison, the digital network control system selects the hardware settings, software settings, or a combination of both corresponding to the first session for re-use in the second session.

19. A program stored on a computer readable medium, the program executed by a computing device and comprising instructions for implementing the following steps:

establishing a first session with a first client device to deliver first content;

receiving a request for a second session with a second client device to deliver second content; and

re-using the first session for the second session.

20. The program of claim 19, wherein the program further comprises instructions for implementing the step of saving hardware settings, software settings, or a combination of both corresponding to the first session for re-use by the second session.