METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND ADAPTION OF DATA

• US 20150312305A1
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Totzke, Jurgen, Klug, Karl, Steinmetz, Ralf, Wolisz, Adam, Mueller, Paul, Fleuren, Tino, Goetze, Joachim, Papageorgiou, Apostolos, Lampe, Ulrich, Tran-Gia, Phuoc, Zitterbart, Martina, Rathgeb, Erwin
• Granted Patent: US 9,787,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method for the transmission and adaption of data can include the steps of generating generic requirement documents, identifying a plurality of suitable communication patterns on the basis of the generic requirement documents, determining currently available transport options and their service quality across at least one communication network, and selecting a communication pattern from a plurality of suitable communication patterns based on the network transmission qualities of the at least one communication network. The method can utilize a first functional layer and a second functional layer that are integrated between a software application layer and a network access layer that each receive input documents that are independent of each other. The input documents of the second functional layer can contain transport-related information while the input documents of the first functional layer can contain application-related information. Systems and devices can be configured to facilitate use of embodiments of the method.

Claims

1. A Method for the transmission and adaption of data involving a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

a) generating generic requirement documents;

b) identifying a plurality of suitable communication patterns on the basis of the generic requirement documents;

c) determining currently available transport options and their service quality across at least one communication network;

d) selecting a communication pattern from a plurality of suitable communication patterns based on network transmission quality of the at least one communication network,

wherein the method utilizes a first functional layer and a second functional layer, which are integrated between a software application layer and a network access layer, each receiving input documents that are independent of each other, wherein the input documents of the second functional layer contain transport-related information while the input documents of the first functional layer contain application-related information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the communication pattern is done again when it is determined that the available transport option and/or the service quality thereof has changed, wherein a delay time is applied prior to the renewed performance of the step of selecting the communication pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication pattern includes utilization of an auxiliary component for adapting the data and/or the contents encoded by the data and/or of a data transport container.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the input documents of the second functional layer also include device-related information with regard to the mobile terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the input documents of the first functional layer also include device-related information about external policies.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein generic requirement documents form a decision space from which transport resources that are at least one of:

(i) suitable, (ii) best suited, and (iii) specified by policies are selected continuously through the first functional layer and are derived from the current network access conditions via the second functional layer and are passed on to the first functional layer.

7. A tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium having a program stored therein such that code of the program is executable by a processor of a device when the program is run by the device, the code of the program defining a method performed by the device when the program is run, the method comprising:

a) generating generic requirement documents;

b) identifying a plurality of suitable communication patterns on the basis of the generic requirement documents;

c) determining currently available transport options and their service quality across at least one communication network;

d) selecting a communication pattern from a plurality of suitable communication patterns based on network transmission quality of the at least one communication network;

wherein the method utilizes a first functional layer and a second functional layer, which are integrated between a software application layer and a network access layer, each receiving input documents that are independent of each other, wherein the input documents of the second functional layer contain transport-related information while the input documents of the first functional layer contain application-related information.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the device is a computer or a communication device.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the computer readable medium is internal memory of the device.

10. A communication system comprising:

a server computer device having non-transitory memory connected to at least one processor, the server computer device being connectable to at least one terminal device;

the server computer device being configured to distribute data from the server computer device to the terminal device via a content aware layer and transport aware layer of a network transport layer,

the transport aware layer being configured to obtain information regarding network connectivity between the terminal device and the server computer device;

the content aware layer being configured to determine requirements of the terminal device requesting the data from the server computer device,

11. The communication system of claim 10, wherein the transport layer is configured to provide network description information to a decision manager of the server computer device for networks about which at least one communication link to the terminal device is formable to transport the data from the server computer device to the terminal device;

and

wherein the content aware layer is configured to determine requirements for the data of an application running on the terminal device requesting the data;

the decision manager being configured to match requirements of the application with network connectivity information of the network description information to select at least one first network about which to transmit the data to the terminal device.

12. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the transport aware layer is configured to select at least one access point of the at least one first network selected by the decision manager for the transport of the data from the server computer device to the terminal device about at least one first communication link to be established between the server computer device and the terminal device via the selected at least one first network.

13. The communication system of claim 12, wherein the transport aware layer is configured to detect a failure in the selected at least one first network about which the data is being transported from the server computer device to the terminal device;

and

the decision manager is configured to select at least one second network about which the data is to be transported from the server computer device to the terminal device in response to the detected failure of the selected at least one first network; and

the transport aware layer is configured to select at least one access point of the selected at least one second network for establishment of at least one second communication link about which the data is to be transmitted from the server computer device to the terminal device in response to the selection of the at least one second network by the decision manager.

14. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the data is encoded for transport in a first quality level for transport via the at least one first network and is encoded for transport in a second quality level for transport via the at least one second network, the second quality level being lower than the first quality level, the at least one second network comprising multiple networks.

15. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the decision manager is configured to match requirements of the application with network connectivity information of the network description information to select the at least one second network about which to transmit the data to the terminal device in response to the failure of the selected at least one first network.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the transport aware layer is configured to detect a resolution of the failure by the at least one first network;

the decision manager is configured to revoke selection of the at least one second network and select the at least one first network in response to resolution of the failure of the at least one first network; and

the transport aware layer is configured to select at least one access point of the at least one first network for transport of the data from the server computer device to the terminal device via the at least one first network.

17. The communication system of claim 16, wherein the decision manager is configured to match requirements of the application with network connectivity information of the network description information to select the at least one first network about which to transmit the data to the terminal device in response to the resolution of the failure of the at least one first network.

18. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the transport aware layer is configured to detect a resolution of the failure by the at least one first network;

the decision manager is configured to revoke selection of the at least one second network and select the at least one first network in response to the resolution of the failure of the at least one first network; and

the transport aware layer is configured to select at least one access point of the at least one first network for transport of the data from the server computer device to the terminal device via the at least one first network.

19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the data is comprised of at least one of audio data and video data.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein the data is encoded for transport in a first quality level for transport via the at least one first network and is encoded for transport in a second quality level for transport via the at least one second network, the second quality level being lower than the first quality level, the at least one second network comprising multiple networks.