Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving information in Internet Protocol network

• US 20080126477A1
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Sun-bal
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting and receiving information in an Internet Protocol (IP) network. In the method of allowing a client to receive information from a server, the client requests that a third client in a subnet to which the client belongs transmit the information, and receives the information that the third client transmits in response to the request. Accordingly, it is possible to quickly share information for a broadcast, which the server provides, while minimizing the load on the server.

Claims

1. A method of allowing a client to receive information from a server, the method comprising:

requesting that another client in a subnet to which the client belongs transmit the information; and

receiving the information that the other client transmits in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the client and the server are an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) client and an IPTV server, respectively, and

the information comprises at least one of electronic program guide information and electronic cinema guide information regarding content that the server provides.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting comprises multicasting or broadcasting a request message, requesting transmission of the information, to clients in the subnet to which the client belongs.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the request message comprises identification information of the client.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address and a media access control (MAC) address of the client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting comprises:

multicasting or broadcasting a request message, requesting transmission of the information, to clients in the subnet to which the client belongs; and

if a response to the request message is not received within a predetermined amount of time, re-multicasting or re-broadcasting the request message to clients in an upper subnet which includes the subnet.

7. A method of allowing a client to share information received from a server, the method comprising:

receiving a request for the information from another client in a subnet to which the client belongs; and

transmitting the information to the other client in response to the request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the client and the server are an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) client and an IPTV server, respectively, and

the information comprises at least one of electronic program guide information and electronic cinema guide information regarding content that the server provides.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving the request comprises receiving a request message requesting transmission of the information, where the other client multicasts or broadcasts the request message to clients in the subnet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the request message comprises identification information of the other client.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of an Internet Protocol (IP) address and a media access control (MAC) address of the other client.

12. An apparatus which is included in a client so as to receive information from a server, the apparatus comprising:

an information requesting unit which requests that another client in a subnet to which the client belongs transmit the information; and

an information receiving unit which receives the information that the other client transmits in response to the request.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the client and the server are an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) client and an IPTV server, respectively, and

the information comprises at least one of electronic program guide information and electronic cinema guide information regarding content that the server provides.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the information requesting unit multicasts or broadcasts a request message, requesting transmission of the information, to clients in the subnet to which the client belongs.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the information requesting unit multicasts or broadcasts a request message, requesting transmission of the information, to clients in the subnet to which the client belongs, and re-multicasts or re-broadcasts the request message to clients in an upper subnet which includes the subnet if a response the request message is not received within a predetermined amount of time.

16. An apparatus which is included in a client so as to allow the client to share information received from a server, the apparatus comprising:

a request receiving unit which receives a request for transmission of the information from another client in a subnet to which the client belongs; and

an information transmitting unit which transmits the information to the other client in response to the request.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the client and the server are an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) client and an IPTV server, respectively, and

the information comprises at least one of electronic program guide information and electronic cinema guide information regarding content that the server provides.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the request receiving unit receives a request message, requesting transmission of the information, that the other client multicasts or broadcasts to clients in the subnet.

19. A computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing a method of allowing a client to receive information from a server, the method comprising:

requesting that another client in a subnet to which the client belongs transmit the information; and

receiving the information that the other client transmits in response to the request.

20. A computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing a method of allowing a client to share information received from a server, the method comprising:

receiving a request for the information from another client in a subnet to which the client belongs; and

transmitting the information to the other client in response to the request.