Modem to support multiple site call conferenced data communications

• US 6,026,079 A
• Filed: 12/04/1996
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WebTV Networks Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Perlman, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Application Number:
  US08/759,385
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/276, 370/281, 370/481, 370/485, 370/489, 370/480, 370/493, 370/495, 370/494, 370/260, 370/261, 370/490, 375/222, 273/461, 364/227.1, 395/200.01, 395/200.11, 395/200.02
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/577 for watching a game played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/06 the signals being represented by different frequencies combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Establishing on-line communication between multiple client computers in a computer network by assigning each client computer a different modulation band for outgoing signal transmission. Each client computer has a modem and client software for operating the modem and otherwise managing communication between the client computer and other client computers. When an on-line session is to be established between the any group of client computers, three or more modulation bands are made available to the client computers. One of the modulation bands is selected for each of the client computers as a modulation band for data transmission, with each client computer having a unique modulation band for data transmission. Each of the client computers utilizes the remaining modulation bands as potential receiving bands. During the on-line communication session, each client computer transmits data using the unique modulation band assigned thereto and receives incoming data using any of the remaining modulation bands. These bandwidth allocation techniques enable simultaneously data transmission between the client computers and, in one implementation, can be used to support video games that are played among remote players.

Claims

1. In a computer network comprised of a plurality of client computers logically connected through one or more servers, and each client computer having a modem for communicating with a plurality of the other client computers in the network, a method of establishing on-line data communication between a plurality of the client computers, the method comprising the steps of:

for each modem at each client computer that is to be interconnected on-line during a communication session between a plurality of the client computers, establishing at least three or more modulation bands that are available for use by said modems at the plurality of client computers;

for each modem at each client computer, selecting one of the modulation bands as a unique modulation band for data transmission, the unique modulation band used for data transmission being different for each client computer that is engaged in the on-line communication session;

for each modem at each client computer, utilizing each of the remaining modulation bands as potential receiving bands, each of the remaining modulation bands being separate and distinct from the unique modulation band; and

each client computer in the on-line communication session then communicating with one or more of the other client computers involved in the on-line communication session by using its modem to transmit data to any of the other client computers over the unique modulation band selected for transmission, and each client computer using the remaining modulation bands for receiving transmissions sent from any of the other client computers.