Method for scheduling time slots in a communications network channel to support on-going video transmissions

• US 6,438,136 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1998
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bahl, Paramvir
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Alpus H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAND, ROBERTA A
• Application Number:
  US09/169,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 370/314, 370/328, 370/389, 370/337, 370/345, 370/347, 370/360, 370/366, 370/369, 370/375, 370/378, 370/379, 370/442, 370/458
• US Class Current: 370/458
• 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 21/24 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/16 Performing reselection for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A full service channel access protocol that supports the integrated transport of voice, video and data communications is provided by dividing a communication channel into a plurality of frames, dividing each of the frames into a plurality of slots, and dividing some of the plurality of slots into a plurality of mini-slots. The mini-slots are provided for use by the multiple communication sources to request the establishment of a new voice, data, or video transmission connection over the communication channel. Additionally, a second one of the plurality of slots is divided into a plurality of second mini-slots for use by the multiple communication sources to request the establishment of a new voice, data, or video transmission connection over the communication channel and for use by the multiple communication sources to augment an existing video connection over the communication channel. The method enables timely and power efficient communications over communication network

Claims

1. A method for scheduling time slots in a communications network channel accessed by multiple communications sources to support on-going video transmissions, the method comprising the steps of:

dividing the communication channel into a plurality of frames;

dividing each of the frames into a plurality of slots;

providing one slot selected from the plurality of slots to one of the multiple communication sources for use in performing video transmissions over the communication channel;

providing a subset of slots selected from the plurality of slots for use by the one of the multiple communication sources to request that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided to the one of the multiple communication sources for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel;

wherein the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots is determined as a function of the video compression cycle rate of the one of the multiple communication sources.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of monitoring the video compression cycle rate of the one of the multiple communication sources to determine the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the step of adjusting the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots as a function of the monitored video compression cycle rate of the one of the multiple communication sources.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of reducing the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots by one if the one of the multiple communication sources fails to request in each slot of the subset of the plurality of slots that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided to the one of the multiple communication sources for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising the step of defining a lower limit for the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots below which the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots may not be reduced.

6. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of increasing the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots by one if the one of the multiple communication sources requests in each of the subset of the plurality of slots that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided to the one of the multiple communication sources for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication network.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 further comprising the step of defining an upper limit for the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots above which the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots may not be increased.

8. A method for scheduling time slots in a communications network channel accessed by multiple communications sources to support on-going video transmissions, the method comprising the steps of of:

dividing the communication channel into a plurality of frames;

dividing each of the frames into a plurality of slots;

providing one slot selected from the plurality of slots to each one of a plurality of communication sources selected from the multiple communication sources for use in performing video transmissions over the communication channel;

providing a subset of slots selected from the plurality of slots for use by the plurality of communication sources to request that additional slots selected from the plurality of slots be provided to selected ones of the plurality of communication sources for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication network;

wherein the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots is determined as a function of the video compression cycle rates of the plurality of communication sources.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of monitoring the video compression cycle rate of each of the plurality of communication sources to determine the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of adjusting the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots as a function of the fastest monitored video compression cycle rate of the plurality of communication sources.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of reducing the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots by one if none of the plurality of communication sources requests in every slot of the subset of the plurality of slots that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of defining a lower limit for the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots below which the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots may not be reduced.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of increasing the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots by one if any of the plurality of communication sources requests in every slot of the subset of the plurality of slots that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of defining an upper limit for the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots above which the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots may not be increased.

15. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of determining for each of the plurality of communication sources as a function of their video compression cycle rate an allocation of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots that each of the plurality of communication sources may use to request that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising the step of monitoring the video compression cycle rate of each of the plurality of communication sources for use in the step of determining the allocation of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 further comprising the step of reducing by one the allocation of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots for any communication sources of the plurality of communication sources that fails to request in every slot of their corresponding allocation of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 further comprising the step of defining a lower limit for the allocation of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots below which the allocation of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots may not be reduced.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 further comprising the step of increasing by one the allocation of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots for any communication source of the plurality of communication sources that requests in every slot of their corresponding allocation of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 further comprising the step of defining an upper limit for the allocation of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots above which the allocation of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots may not be increased.

21. A computer-readable medium for use in scheduling time slots in a communications network channel accessed by multiple communications sources to support on-going video transmissions, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

dividing the communication channel into a plurality of frames;

dividing each of the frames into a plurality of slots;

providing one slot selected from the plurality of slots to one of the multiple communication sources for use in performing video transmissions over the communication channel;

providing a subset of slots selected from the plurality of slots for use by the one of the multiple communication sources to request that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided to the one of the multiple communication sources for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel;

wherein the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots is determined as a function of the video compression cycle rate of the one of the multiple communication sources.

22. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21 further comprising instructions for performing the step of monitoring the video compression cycle rate of the one of the multiple communication sources to determine the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots.

23. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 22 further comprising instructions for performing the step of adjusting the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots as a function of the monitored video compression cycle rate of the one of the multiple communication sources.

24. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23 further comprising instructions for performing the step of reducing the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots by one if the one of the multiple communication sources fails to request in each slot of the subset of the plurality of slots that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided to the one of the multiple communication sources for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication channel.

25. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 24 further comprising instructions for performing the step of defining a lower limit for the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots below which the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots may not be reduced.

26. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23 further comprising instructions for performing the step of increasing the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots by one if the one of the multiple communication sources requests in each of the subset of the plurality of slots that an additional slot selected from the plurality of slots be provided to the one of the multiple communication sources for use in performing further video transmissions over the communication network.

27. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 26 further comprising the step of defining an upper limit for the number of the slots in the subset of the plurality of slots above which the number of slots in the subset of the plurality of slots may not be increased.