METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING WITH MULTIPLE NETWORK NODES

• US 20080069023A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rubin, Darryl
• Granted Patent: US 8,422,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1854 with non-centralised forwarding system, e.g. chaincast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing

Abstract

A method for communicating with multiple network nodes is provided in which each node of a network has a wireless link that allows data to travel to and from the nodes in parallel, thereby taking advantage of the inherent broadcast capabilities of wireless media. The wireless link may be used in parallel with a point-to-point, land-based network linking the nodes. The method may be used for multicasting or broadcasting data on a network. Specifically, the method may be used to maintain a network cache, a routing database and quality of service in a manner that is more efficient and reliable than previous methods that use serial protocols over point to point network links.

Claims

1. A method of sending a message to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein the message represents data usable to maintain cache, the method comprising the steps of:

adding an identifier representative of the plurality of nodes to the message;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over a satellite medium, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and determines whether to process or ignore the message based on the identifier, and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to transmit the data usable to maintain a network cache; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes

1-2. A method of sending a message to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein the message represents data usable to maintain cache, the method comprising the steps of:

adding an identifier representative of the plurality of nodes to the message;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over a satellite medium, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and determines whether to process or ignore the message based on the identifier, and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to transmit the data usable to maintain a network cache; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier represents a multicast group.

2-89. -89. (canceled)

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier represents a broadcast group.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of nodes determines whether it is a member of the multicast group, and wherein the node processes the message if the node determines it is a member of the multicast group.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

collecting local routing data; and

including the local routing data in the message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

forming a request for the network resource; and

including the request in the message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of adding an identifier representative of a node from which the message is being transmitted.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

updating a routing database with local routing data received from a node of the plurality; and

including the update made to the routing database in the transmitted message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

updating a routing database with new routing data derived from local routing data received from a node of the plurality; and

including the updated routing database in the transmitted message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the satellite medium comprises a radio transmitter.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the satellite medium comprises a cellular transmitter.

12. A method of maintaining routing information in a computer network comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of messages in parallel over a satellite medium from a plurality of nodes linked in the computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein each message contains local routing data for at least one of the nodes and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to receive the local routing data;

updating a routing database based on the local routing data, thereby maintaining the routing information in the network; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a message representing the routing database update to the plurality of nodes in parallel over the satellite medium.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a message comprising the updated routing database to the plurality of nodes in parallel over the satellite medium.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of adding an identifier representative of the plurality of nodes to the message.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the identifier represents a multicast group.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the identifier represents a broadcast group.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of nodes determines whether it is a member of the multicast group, and wherein the node processes the message if the node determines it is a member of the multicast group.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the satellite medium comprises a radio transmitter.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the satellite medium comprises a cellular transmitter.

21. A method of maintaining quality of service in a computer network comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of messages in parallel over a satellite medium from a plurality of nodes linked in the computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein each message contains a request for a network resource and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to receive the request for a network resource;

for at least one of the messages, attempting to allocate the resource over the satellite medium using a quality of service protocol, thereby maintaining the quality of service in the network; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of broadcasting a message containing an identification of a node from which the network resource will be taken.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the sending step further comprises the step of negotiating with at least one of the nodes using a two-phase commit protocol to allocate the needed resource.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the satellite medium comprises a radio transmitter.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the satellite medium comprises a cellular transmitter.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein a message of the plurality represents a request for a reservation of a routing path.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the receiving step is performed by a central server linked for wireless communication with the plurality of nodes.

27-1. The method of claim 21, wherein the receiving step is performed by a central server linked for wireless communication with the plurality of nodes.

28. A method of sending a message to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein the message contains cache data, comprising the steps of:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the cache data; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

29. A system of maintaining a routing database in a computer network, the system comprising:

a plurality of nodes linked in the computer network by one or more land-based links;

a central server in communication with the plurality of nodes over a satellite medium, wherein each node transmits local routing data to the central server and the central server updates the routing database using the local routing data and wherein the satellite wireless medium is used exclusively to transmit the local routing data; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein each of the nodes comprises a wireless interface for communicating over the satellite medium.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the satellite medium comprises a radio transmitter.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the satellite medium comprises a cellular transmitter.

33. A system of maintaining routing information in a computer network, the system comprising a plurality of nodes linked in the computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein each node maintains a routing database usable by the node to route network data, and wherein each node transmits a message over a satellite medium to the other nodes, the message containing local routing data usable to update a routing database on each node and thereby maintain the routing information in the network and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to transmit the local routing data;

and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein each of the nodes comprises a wireless interface for communicating over the satellite medium.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the satellite medium comprises a radio transmitter.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the satellite medium comprises a cellular transmitter.

37. A computing device comprising:

a processing unit;

a wireless interface;

a system memory having stored therein a routing program, wherein the routing program is capable of executing on the processing unit to cooperate with the wireless interface to send a message in parallel to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, through a satellite medium, the message being usable to maintain routing information in the network and the satellite medium being used exclusively to send the message used to maintain routing information in the network; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the wireless interface comprises a wireless interface driver stored in the system memory, wherein the wireless interface driver converts the message into a transmissible format to send through the satellite medium.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein the wireless interface comprises a wireless interface card, wherein the wireless interface card converts the message into a physical transport format for transmission through the satellite medium.

40. The device of claim 37, further comprising a transceiver for creating signals for transmitting the message through the satellite medium.

41. The device of claim 54, further comprising an antenna for transmitting the signals through the satellite medium

42. The device of claim 37, wherein the device is linked for communication with the computer network, the device further comprising:

a network interface driver stored in the system memory; and

a network interface card, wherein the communication program cooperates with the network interface driver to communicate with the network through the network interface card.

43. The device of claim 37, wherein the system memory has stored therein a local routing program capable of executing on the processing unit to route data in the computer network.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the system memory has stored therein a routing database and wherein the local routing program uses the routing database to route data in the computer network.

45. The device of claim 37, wherein the system memory has stored therein a routing database and the routing program is capable of executing on the processing unit to update the routing database using a plurality of messages received from the plurality of nodes, and wherein the send message is representative of the updated routing database.

46. The device of claim 37, wherein the system memory has stored therein a routing database and the routing program is capable of executing on the processing unit to update the routing database using a plurality of messages received from a plurality of nodes, and wherein the sent message is representative of the update.

47. A computing device comprising:

a processing unit;

a wireless interface;

a system memory having stored therein a quality of service program, wherein the quality of service program is capable of executing on the processing unit to cooperate with the wireless interface to send a message in parallel to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, through a satellite medium, the message being usable to maintain quality of service in the network and the satellite medium being used exclusively to send the message used to maintain quality of service in the network; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

48. A method of maintaining a routing database in a computer network comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of messages over a satellite medium in parallel from a plurality of nodes linked in the computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein each message contains local routing data for at least one of the nodes;

processing the received messages to update the routing database;

sending a message over the satellite medium representing the update to the plurality of nodes in parallel wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to send and receive the local routing data; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the satellite medium comprises a radio transmitter.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the satellite medium comprises a cellular transmitter.

51. A computing device comprising:

a processing unit;

a wireless interface;

a system memory having stored therein a communication program, wherein the communication program is capable of executing on the processing unit to cooperate with the wireless interface to send a message in parallel to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, through a satellite medium, the message being usable to maintain a cache in the network and the satellite medium being used exclusively to send the message used to maintain a cache in the network; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein the wireless interface comprises a wireless interface driver stored in the system memory, wherein the wireless interface driver converts the message into a transmissible format to send through the satellite medium.

53. The device of claim 51, wherein the wireless interface comprises a wireless interface card, wherein the wireless interface card converts the message into a physical transport format for transmission through the satellite medium.

54. The device of claim 51, further comprising a transceiver for creating signals for transmitting the message through the satellite medium.

55. The device of claim 54, further comprising an antenna for transmitting the signals through the satellite medium.

56. The device of claim 51, wherein the device is linked for communication with the computer network, the device further comprising:

a network interface driver stored in the system memory; and

a network interface card, wherein the communication program cooperates with the network interface driver to communicate with the network through the network interface card.

57. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

adding an identifier representative of a plurality of network nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links to a message, wherein the message represents data usable to maintain a network cache;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over a satellite medium, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and determines whether to process or ignore the message based on the identifier and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to transmit the data usable to maintain a network cache; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the identifier represents a multicast group.

59. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

in a computer network, receiving a plurality of messages in parallel over a satellite medium for a plurality of nodes linked in the computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein each message contains local routing data for at least one of the nodes and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to receive the local routing data;

processing the received messages to update a routing database; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 59, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of transmitting a message representing the updated database to the plurality of nodes in parallel over the satellite medium.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 59, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of transmitting a message representing the update to the plurality of nodes in parallel over the satellite medium.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 59, having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of adding an identifier representative of the plurality of nodes to the message.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 59, wherein the identifier represents a multicast group.

64. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land based links;

transmitting a message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein the message contains cache data and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the cache data; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

65. A method of sending a message to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein the message represents data usable to maintain a network routing database, the method comprising the steps of:

adding an identifier representative of the plurality of nodes to the message;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over the satellite medium, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and determines whether to process or ignore the message based on the identifier and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to transmit the data usable to maintain a network routing database; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the identifier represents a multicast group.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the identifier represents a broadcast group.

68. The method of claim 90, wherein each of the plurality of nodes determines whether it is a member of the multicast group, and wherein the node processes the message if the node determines it is a member of the multicast group.

69. The method of claim 65, further comprising the steps of:

collecting local routing data; and

including the local routing data in the message.

70. The method of claim 68, further comprising the steps of:

collecting local routing data; and

including the local routing data in the message.

71. The method of claim 65, further comprising the steps of:

forming a request for a network resource; and

including the request in the message.

72. The method of claim 65, further comprising the steps of:

forming a request for a network resource; and

including the request in the message.

73. The method of claim 69, further comprising the steps of:

forming a request for a network resource; and

including the request in the message.

74. The method of claim 65, further comprising the step of adding an identifier representative of a node from which the message is being transmitted.

75. The method of claim 65, further comprising the steps of:

updating a routing database with local routing data received from a node of the plurality; and

including the update made to the routing database in the transmitted message.

76. The method of claim 65, further comprising the steps of:

updating a routing database with new routing data derived from local routing data received from a node of the plurality; and

including the updated routing database in the transmitted message.

77. The method of claim 65, wherein the satellite medium comprises a radio transmitter.

78. The method of claim 65, wherein the satellite medium comprises a cellular transmitter.

79. A method of sending a message to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein the message contains local routing data, comprising the steps of:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message-and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the local routing data; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

80. A method of sending a message to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein the message contains new routing data, comprising the steps of:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message-and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the new routing data; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

81. A method of sending a message to a plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, wherein the message contains a request for a resource, comprising the steps of:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message-and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the request for a resource; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

82. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

adding an identifier representative of a plurality of network nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links, to a message, wherein the message represents data usable to maintain a network routing database;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over a satellite medium, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and determines whether to process or ignore the message based on the identifier and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to transmit the data usable to maintain a network routing database; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

83. The computer-readable medium of claim 82, wherein the identifier represents a multicast group.

84. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

adding an identifier representative of a plurality of network nodes, linked in a computer network by one or more land-based links to a message, wherein the message represents data usable to maintain quality of service;

transmitting the message to the plurality of nodes over a satellite medium, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and determines whether to process or ignore the message based on the identifier and wherein the satellite medium is used exclusively to transmit the data usable to maintain quality of service; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

85. The computer-readable medium of claim 84, wherein the identifier represents a multicast group.

86. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land based links;

transmitting a message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein the message contains local routing data and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the local routing data; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

87. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land based links;

transmitting a message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein the message represents a routing database and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the routing database; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

88. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land based links;

transmitting a message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein the message represents an update to a routing database and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the update of a routing database; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.

89. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

selecting a satellite channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes linked in a computer network by one or more land based links;

transmitting a message to the plurality of nodes over the dedicated channel, wherein the message represents data usable to maintain quality of service and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes receives the message in parallel and processes the message and wherein the satellite channel is used exclusively to transmit the data usable to maintain quality of service; and

wherein each node in the plurality of nodes comprises a network interface and a wireless interface and wherein each node in the plurality of nodes may communicate with another node if said node is a member of the plurality of nodes.