Data network load management
First Claim
1. A network communications system comprising a plurality of devices interconnected for the exchange of data, the system including:
- a user device including a communications subsystem operable to establish communications with selected other devices of the system;
a plurality of servers;
at least one domain master station, the station being connected to monitor communications traffic loading at each of a respective group of said servers;
a redirector station coupled with said at least one domain master station and accessible by said user device, said redirector station being arranged to select an optimum server to handle communications of a user device on the basis of both the physical location relative to the user device and current communications traffic loading, and to instruct said user device to re-establish network communications via said selected server; and
a plurality of user devices and domain master stations, each user device being registered as a client with at least two domain masters, each such domain master including storage means maintaining a database of registered user device identification data;
wherein each domain master database entry includes identification of the at least one other domain master with which the user device is registered, the domain masters being configured to transmit received changes to the identification data of a registered device to the or each other such domain master and to update the database on receipt of such changes.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a network communications system, a user device (70) includes a communications subsystem operable to establish communications with selected servers (72, 74, 90, 92) of the system. Also included are domain master stations (82, 84) connected to monitor communications traffic loading at each of a respective group of servers. In order to avoid traffic overcrowding at individual servers, a redirector station (78) is provided coupled with the domain master stations and accessible by the user device (70). The redirector station is arranged to select an optimum server (74) to handle communications of a user device on the basis of both the physical location of that server relative to the user device and its current communications traffic loading and, having made its selection, it instructs the user device to re-establish network communications via the selected server.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A network communications system comprising a plurality of devices interconnected for the exchange of data, the system including:
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a user device including a communications subsystem operable to establish communications with selected other devices of the system;
a plurality of servers;
at least one domain master station, the station being connected to monitor communications traffic loading at each of a respective group of said servers;
a redirector station coupled with said at least one domain master station and accessible by said user device, said redirector station being arranged to select an optimum server to handle communications of a user device on the basis of both the physical location relative to the user device and current communications traffic loading, and to instruct said user device to re-establish network communications via said selected server; and
a plurality of user devices and domain master stations, each user device being registered as a client with at least two domain masters, each such domain master including storage means maintaining a database of registered user device identification data;
wherein each domain master database entry includes identification of the at least one other domain master with which the user device is registered, the domain masters being configured to transmit received changes to the identification data of a registered device to the or each other such domain master and to update the database on receipt of such changes.
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2. A network communications system comprising a plurality of devices interconnected for the exchange of data, the system including:
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a user device including a communications subsystem operable to establish communications with selected other devices of the system;
a plurality of servers;
at least one domain master station, the station being connected to monitor communications traffic loading at each of a respective group of said servers;
a redirector station coupled with said at least one domain master station and accessible by said user device, said redirector station being arranged to select an optimum server to handle communications of a user device on the basis of both the physical location relative to the user device and current communications traffic loading, and to instruct said user device to re-establish network communications via said selected server;
a plurality of user devices and domain master stations, each user device being registered as a client with at least two domain masters, each such domain master including storage means maintaining a database of registered user device identification data; and
a plurality of redirector stations, with the user device holding means for accessing at least two of said redirector stations. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A network communications system comprising a plurality of devices interconnected for the exchange of data, the system including:
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a user device including a communications subsystem operable to establish communications with selected other devices of the system;
a plurality of servers;
at least one domain master station, the station being connected to monitor communications traffic loading at each of a respective group of said servers;
a redirector station coupled with said at least one domain master station and accessible by said user device, said redirector station being arranged to select an optimum server to handle communications of a user device on the basis of both the physical location relative to the user device and current communications traffic loading, and to instruct said user device to re-establish network communications via said selected server; and
a plurality of user devices and domain master stations, each user device being registered as a client with at least two domain masters, each such domain master including storage means maintaining a database of registered user device identification data;
wherein said sever includes a cache memory into which user device information is loaded from the domain master for the group including said server on accessing of said server by the registered user. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A network communications system comprising a plurality of devices interconnected for the exchange of data, the system including:
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a user device including a communications subsystem operable to establish communications with selected other devices of the system;
a plurality of servers;
at least one domain master station, the station being connected to monitor communications traffic loading at each of a respective group of said servers;
a redirector station coupled with said at least one domain master station and accessible by said user device, said redirector station being arranged to select an optimum server to handle communications of a user device on the basis of both the physical location relative to the user device and current communications traffic loading, and to instruct said user device to re-establish network communications via said selected server; and
wherein the redirector station determines, at least partially, current communications traffic loading for said server through measurement of delays in communications therewith. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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Specification