METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A CONTROL CHANNEL IN A DATA NETWORK

• US 20100005164A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: NAGARAJ, THADI M., Chandhok, Ravinder Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/511,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005164A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing a control channel in a data network. A method is provided that operates to provide a control channel in a data network. The method includes receiving one or more server digests, and generating a control channel digest from the one or more server digests. The method also includes communicating with a device, and transmitting the control channel digest to the device.

Claims

1-50. -50. (canceled)

51. A method for providing control information on a network, the method comprising:

receiving a server digest from each of a plurality of servers, each server digest identifying a current state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with the server associated with the server digest;

generating a control channel digest from a plurality of the server digests, the control channel digest identifying a current state of each of the plurality of servers; and

transmitting the control channel digest to devices on the network.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

updating the control channel digest on a periodic basis; and

transmitting the updated control channel digest.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the control channel digest over the data network on a control channel to a plurality of wireless devices that communicate with the plurality of servers.

54. A method of operating a server on a data network comprising:

transmitting a server digest including a state to which a device should be synchronized to interact with the first server;

receiving a control channel digest identifying, for each of a plurality of servers, a state to which a device should be synchronized to interact with the respective server; and

transmitting the control channel digest to a plurality of devices.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

transmitting an updated server digest on a periodic basis; and

receiving updated control channel digests on a periodic basis.

56. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of transmitting comprises transmitting the control channel digest to a device as part of other server information.

57. A control channel server on a network comprising:

means for receiving server digests from a plurality of servers, each digest indicating a state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with a respective server;

means for generating a control channel digest from the server digests, the control channel digest indicting a state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with each of the plurality of servers; and

means for transmitting the control channel digest to devices on the network.

58. A server in a multi-server content distribution system, the server comprising:

means for transmitting a server digest indicating a state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with the server;

means for receiving a control channel digest that for each of a plurality of servers in the multi-server content distribution system indicates a state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with that server; and

means for transmitting the control channel digest to the device.

59. A control channel server comprising:

receiving logic configured to receive a plurality of server digests, each server digest indicating a state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with a respective server;

digest logic configured to generate a control channel digest from the server digests, the control channel digest identifying, for each server a state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with that server; and

transmitting logic configured to transmit the control channel digest to devices in the data network.

60. A server in a multi-server content distribution system, the server comprising:

digest logic configured to transmit a server digest indicating a state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with the server;

receiving logic configured to receive a control channel digest that for each of a plurality of servers in the multi-server content distribution system indicates a state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with that server; and

transceiver logic configured to transmit the control channel digest to devices on the multi-server content distribution system.

61. A computer-readable medium having a computer program, which when executed by at least one processor, operates to provide a control information in a data network, the computer program comprising:

instructions for receiving a server digest from each of a plurality of servers, each server digest identifying a current state to which a device should be synchronized to communicate with the server associated with the server digest;

instructions for generating a control channel digest from a plurality of the server digests, the control channel digest identifying a current state of each of the plurality of servers; and

instructions for transmitting the control channel digest to devices on the network.

62. A computer-readable medium having a computer program, which when executed by at least one processor, operates to provide a control information in a data network, the computer program comprising:

instructions for transmitting a server digest including a state to which a device should be synchronized to interact with the first server;

instructions for receiving a control channel digest identifying, for each of a plurality of servers, a state to which a device should be synchronized to interact with the respective server; and

instructions for transmitting the control channel digest to a plurality of devices.