AUTOMATED REAL-TIME DATA STREAM SWITCHING IN A SHARED VIRTUAL AREA COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT
First Claim
1. A method of switching real-time data stream connections between network nodes sharing a virtual area, comprising:
- storing a virtual area specification comprising a description of one or more switching rules each defining a respective connection between sources of a respective real-time data stream type and sinks of the real-time data stream type in terms of positions in the virtual area; and
establishing one or more real-time data stream connections between network nodes associated with respective objects each of which is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of the real-time data stream types, wherein the establishing is based on the one or more switching rules, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and respective positions of the objects in the virtual area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Switching real-time data stream connections between network nodes sharing a virtual area is described. In one aspect, the switching involves storing a virtual area specification. The virtual area specification includes a description of one or more switching rules each defining a respective connection between sources of a respective real-time data stream type and sinks of the real-time data stream type in terms of positions in the virtual area. Real-time data stream connections are established between network nodes associated with respective objects each of which is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of the real-time data stream types. The real-time data stream connections are established based on the one or more switching rules, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and respective positions of the objects in the virtual area.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A method of switching real-time data stream connections between network nodes sharing a virtual area, comprising:
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storing a virtual area specification comprising a description of one or more switching rules each defining a respective connection between sources of a respective real-time data stream type and sinks of the real-time data stream type in terms of positions in the virtual area; and establishing one or more real-time data stream connections between network nodes associated with respective objects each of which is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of the real-time data stream types, wherein the establishing is based on the one or more switching rules, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and respective positions of the objects in the virtual area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 15, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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3-4. -4. (canceled)
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8-14. -14. (canceled)
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16-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. Apparatus for switching real-time data stream connections between network nodes sharing a virtual area, comprising:
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a computer readable memory operable to store a virtual area specification comprising a description of one or more switching rules each defining a respective connection between sources of a respective real-time data stream type and sinks of the real-time data stream type in terms of positions in the virtual area; and a processing unit operable to establish one or more real-time data stream connections between network nodes associated with respective objects each of which is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of the real-time data stream types, wherein the processing unit establishes the one or more real-time data stream connections based on the one or more switching rules, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and respective positions of the objects in the virtual area. - View Dependent Claims (20, 22)
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21. (canceled)
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23. (canceled)
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24. A network switch for switching real-time data stream connections between network nodes sharing a virtual area, comprising:
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a computer readable memory operable to store a virtual area specification comprising a description of one or more switching rules each defining a respective connection between sources of a respective real-time data stream type and sinks of the real-time data stream type in terms of positions in the virtual area, wherein the computer readable memory additionally is operable to store a table comprising network topology information describing routes to network destinations; and a processing unit operable to forward real-time data stream packets between network nodes each of which is associated with a respective position in the virtual area and at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of the real-time data stream types, wherein the processing unit forwards the one or more real-time data stream packets based on the network topology information and the one or more switching rules. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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42. A method, comprising:
based on a virtual area specification comprising a description of one or more switching rules each defining a respective connection between sources of a respective real-time data stream type and sinks of the real-time data stream type in terms of positions in a virtual area, a computer determining one or more real-time data stream connections between network nodes associated with respective objects in the virtual area, wherein each of the objects is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of the real-time data stream types, and the determining is based on the one or more switching rules, the respective sources and sinks associated with the objects, and respective positions of the objects in the virtual area. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method of switching real-time data stream connections between first and second network nodes respectively represented by first and second objects in a virtual area, comprising:
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by the first network node, receiving from a server network node data for establishing one or more real-time data stream connections between the first network node and the second network node, wherein each of the first and second objects respectively is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of the real-time data stream types, the data received from the server network node controls switching of the one or more real-time data stream connections by the first network node in accordance with the sources and sinks respectively associated with the first and second objects in the virtual area, respective positions of the first and second objects in the virtual area, and one or more switching rules, and each of the switching rules defines a respective connection between sources of a respective one of the real-time data stream types and sinks of the respective real-time data stream type in terms of positions in the virtual area; and by the first network node, establishing the one or more real-time data stream connections between the first network node and the second network node based on the data received from the server network node. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification