Data converter apparatus and method, data transmission/reception apparatus and method, and network system

• US 7,136,358 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sawatari, Ryusuke, Okamori, Atsushi, Miyoshi, Yutaka, Kunito, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABELSON, RONALD B
• Application Number:
  US09/894,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20020021669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 370/466, 370352-356, 370/312, 370/413, 370/400, 370/401, 370/238, 370/238.1, 709/241, 455/445
• US Class Current: 370/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A network system includes a plurality of communication nodes. In the network system, data transmitted from a server apparatus (1) is received by a PC (2) and a PDA (3). Each of relay nodes 4 obtains a communication network parameter concerning the communication network connecting the communication nodes with each other. Each of the relay nodes (4) also determines a communication route, based on a format conversion parameter concerning format of data transmitted from the server apparatus (1) and types of format conversion at format converters (5a) and (5b), and the obtained communication network parameter.

Claims

1. A data converter for use in a network system comprised of a plurality of communication nodes in which data transmitted from a transmitter communication node are adapted to be received by a set of receiver communication nodes, the data converter comprising:

data reception means for receiving data transmitted from the transmitter communication node to a first receiver communication node, with the transmitted data being formatted in a first format;

information reception means for receiving a communication network parameter associated with the plurality of communication nodes of the network system;

format conversion means comprising at least one format converter each used for converting said first format of the transmitted data received by the reception means at least in part to a second format;

route control means for determining a communication route using a network topologly provided by connecting the communication nodes based on

selection from a plurality of network plans using the format conversion parameter, each network plan being provided based on a format,

a format conversion parameter relating to the first format of the transmitted data received by the reception means,

format conversion performed by the format conversion means,

format conversion performed by another communication node, and/or

the communication network parameter received by the information reception means; and

transmission means for transmitting the transmitted data converted by the format conversion means to a second receiver communication node, in accordance with the communication route determined by the route control means.

2. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a communication distance between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

3. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a transmission delay between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

4. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a band used between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

5. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a processing delay required for conversion processing at the communication node having the format conversion function, as the format conversion parameter.

6. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with an amount of the transmitted data, as the format conversion parameter.

7. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a format of transmitted data which can be transmitted from the transmitter communication node, as the format conversion parameter.

8. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a format of transmitted data which can be received by the receiver communication node, as the format conversion parameter.

9. A data conversion method for use in a network system having a plurality of communication nodes, in which data transmitted from a transmitter communication node are adapted to be received by a set of receiver communication nodes, the method comprising steps of:

receiving initially a communication network parameter associated with the network system connecting the communication nodes;

converting a first format of the transmitted data received from the transmitter communication node at least in part to a second format;

determining a communication route, using a network topology provided by connecting the communication nodes based on

selection from a plurality of network plans using the format conversion parameter, each network plan being provided based on a format,

a format conversion parameter associated with the first format of the transmitted data,

format conversion type,

the format conversion performed by another communication node, and/or

the communication network parameter, when converting the format of the transmitted data; and

transmitting the converted transmitted data to a second communication node, in accordance with the communication route.

10. The data conversion method according to claim 9, wherein the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a communication distance between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

11. The data conversion method according to claim 9, wherein the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a transmission delay between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

12. The data conversion method according to claim 9, wherein the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a band used between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

13. The data conversion method according to claim 9, wherein the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a processing delay required for conversion processing at the communication node having the format conversion function, as the format conversion parameter.

14. The data conversion method according to claim 9, wherein the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a data amount of the transmitted data, as the format conversion parameter.

15. The data conversion method according to claim 9, wherein the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a format of transmitted data which can be transmitted from the transmitter communication node, as the format conversion parameter.

16. The data conversion method according to claim 9, wherein the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a format of transmitted data which can be received by the receiver communication node, as the format conversion parameter.

17. A data transmission/reception apparatus, for use in a network system comprising a plurality of communication nodes, for relaying data transmitted from a first communication node and transmitting relayed data to a second communication node, the data transmission/reception apparatus comprising:

data reception means for receiving data transmitted from the first communication node;

route control means for determining a communication route using a network topology provided by connecting the communication nodes based on

selection from a plurality of network plans using the format conversion parameter, each network plan being provided based on a format,

a format of the data received by the reception means, and/or

a format conversion parameter associated with a type of format conversion of another communication node; and

transmission means for transmitting the data received by the reception means to a third communication node based upon the format of the received data, and in accordance with the communication route determined by the route control means.

18. The data transmission/reception apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a communication distance, as a communication network parameter.

19. The data transmission/reception apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a transmission delay between the communication nodes, as a communication network parameter.

20. The data transmission/reception apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a band used between the communication nodes, as a communication network parameter.

21. The data transmission/reception apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a processing delay required for conversion processing at the communication node having the format conversion function, as a format conversion parameter.

22. The data transmission/reception apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a data amount of the transmitted data, as the format conversion parameter.

23. A data transmission/reception method in a network system comprised of a plurality of communication nodes for relaying data from a first communication node and transmitting data to a second communication node, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving transmitted data from the first communication node;

determining a communication route using a network topology provided by connecting the communication nodes based on

selection from a plurality of network plans using the format conversion parameter, each network plan being provided based on a format,

a format of the data received from the first communication node, and/or

a format conversion parameter associated with a format conversion performed by another communication node; and

transmitting the received data to a third communication node based upon the format of the received data, and in accordance with the determined communication route.

24. The data transmission/reception method according to claim 23, wherein

the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a communication distance, as a communication network parameter.

25. The data transmission/reception method according to claim 23, wherein

the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a transmission delay between the communication nodes, as a communication network parameter.

26. The data transmission/reception method according to claim 23, wherein

the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a band used between the communication nodes, as a communication network parameter.

27. The data transmission/reception method according to claim 23, wherein

the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a processing delay required for conversion processing at the communication node having the format conversion function, as the format conversion parameter.

28. The data transmission/reception method according to claim 23, wherein

the communication route is determined, based on information associated with a data amount of the transmitted data, as the format conversion parameter.

29. A network system including a plurality of communication nodes, wherein data transmitted from a transmitter communication node are adapted to be received by a set of receiver communication nodes, comprising:

information obtaining means for obtaining a communication network parameter associated with a communication network connecting the communication nodes;

format conversion means comprising at least one format converter for converting a first format of the transmitted data from the transmitter communication node at least in part to a second format; and

route control means for determining a communication route using a network topology provided by connecting the communication nodes based on

selection from a plurality of network plans using the format conversion parameter, each network plan being provided based on a format,

a format conversion parameter relating to the first format of the transmitted data transmitted from the transmitter communication node and

format conversion performed by the format conversion means, and/or

the communication network parameter obtained by the information obtaining means.

30. The network system according to claim 29, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a communication distance between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

31. The network system according to claim 29, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a transmission delay between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

32. The network system according to claim 29, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a band used between the communication nodes, as the communication network parameter.

33. The network system according to claim 29, wherein the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a processing delay required for conversion processing at the communication node having the format conversion function, as the format conversion parameter.

34. The network system according to claim 29, wherein

the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a data amount of the transmitted data, as the format conversion parameter.

35. The network system according to claim 29, wherein

the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a format of transmitted data which can be transmitted from the transmitter communication node, as the format conversion parameter.

36. The network system according to claim 29, wherein

the route control means determines the communication route, based on information associated with a format of transmitted data which can be received by the receiver communication node, as the format conversion parameter.

37. The network system according to claim 29, comprising the plurality of communication nodes having the format conversion means, wherein

different types of format conversion processing are carried out by each of the format conversion means.

38. The network system according to claim 29, comprising the plurality of communication nodes having the format conversion means, wherein

a first number of format conversion means are provided for format conversion with a high frequency while a second number of format conversion means are provided for format conversion with a low frequency, wherein the second number is smaller than the first number.

39. The network system according to claim 29, wherein

if the transmitter communication node or the receiver communication node can transmit/receive transmitting/transmitted data in a plurality of formats, the route control means obtains a communication route for every type of format, and controls the transmitter communication node or the receiver communication node so as to transmit/receive the transmitting/transmitted data in any of the plurality of formats.