Wire protocol for a media server system

• US 7,373,418 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rashid, Richard F., Bolosky, William J., Fitzgerald, Robert P., Dowell, Craig M, Rie, Jan de, Levi, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEKY, MOUSTAFA M
• Application Number:
  US10/931,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20050117581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709217-233
• US Class Current: 709/233
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A wire protocol provides message formats for creating multiple network connections between a media server and a client. These multiple network connections may include a control link connection for passing control information and a data funnel connection for passing data of multiple media. The data funnel connection may be a multipoint-to-point connection that connects multiple data servers with the client. The protocol facilitates multiple requests being concurrently outstanding and asynchronous processing of requests. The protocol is designed to exist on top of a transport protocol layer.

Claims

1. In a computer network with a client and a media server operatively communicating via the network, a message communications method comprising:

sending a control-link request message to the media server that requests establishment of communication between the client and media server via a control link;

establishing a control link between the client and the media server;

sending a funnel request message via the control link to the media server that requests establishment of communication between the client and media server via a data funnel, wherein the funnel request message comprises a block-maximum-size field specifying a maximum size of a block of data;

establishing a data funnel, wherein the data funnel is configured to facilitate transmission of data between the client and the media server using network datagrams.

2. A message communications method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control-link request message comprises a subscriber identifier field.

3. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions that are executable by a computer to perform steps as recited in claim 1.

4. In a computer network with a client and a media server operatively communicating via the network, a message communications method comprising:

receiving a control-link request message at the media server, wherein the control-link request message requests establishment of communication between a client and the media server via a control link;

establishing a control link between the client and the media server;

returning a control-link response message to the client from the media server that notifies the client of establishment of the control link;

receiving a funnel request message via the control link that requests establishment of communication between the client and media server via a data funnel;

establishing a data funnel, wherein the data funnel is configured to facilitate transmission of data between the client and the media server using network datagrams;

returning a funnel response message to the client from the server that notifies the client of establishment of the data funnel; and

transmitting blocks of data from the media server to the client,

wherein the funnel request message comprises a block-maximum-size field specifying a maximum size of a block of data.

5. A message communications method as recited in claim 4, wherein the control-link request message comprises a subscriber identifier field.

6. A message communications method as recited in claim 4, wherein the control-link response message further comprises:

a block-play-time field that specifies a rate at which a client may receive a block of data;

a block-maximum-size field specifies a maximum size of a block of data.

7. A message communications method as recited in claim 4, wherein the funnel request message comprises:

a maximum-funnel-size field that indicates a maximum size of a network datagram;

a funnel-mode field that indicates a read-write mode;

a funnel-name field that indicates a name of the funnel.

8. A message communications method as recited in claim 4, wherein the funnel response message comprises a funnel-name field that indicates a name of the funnel.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions that are executable by a computer to perform steps as recited in claim 4.

10. A message manager for use in a network having a client, wherein the network is configured to facilitate communication via a control link and via a data funnel, wherein the data funnel is configured to facilitate transmission of data using network datagrams, the manager comprising:

a media server for communicating to a client over the network using the control link and the data funnel, wherein the media server is further configured to transmit blocks of data to the client;

the media server being configured to receive a control-link request message, to return a control-link response message to the client that notifies the client of establishment of the control link, to receive a funnel request message, and to return a funnel response message to the client that notifies the client of establishment of the data funnel,

wherein the funnel request message comprises a maximum-block-size field that indicates a maximum size of a block of data.

11. A manager as recited in claim 10, wherein the control-link request message comprises a subscriber identifier field.

12. A manager as recited in claim 10, wherein the control-link response message comprises:

a block-play-time field that specifies a rate at which a client may receive a block of data;

a block-maximum-size field specifies a maximum size of a block of data.

13. A manager as recited in claim 10, wherein the funnel request message comprises:

a maximum-funnel-size field that indicates a maximum size of a network datagram;

a funnel-mode field that indicates a read-write mode;

a funnel-name field that indicates a name of the funnel.

14. A manager as recited in claim 10, wherein the funnel response message comprises a funnel-name field that indicates a name of the funnel.

15. A message receiver for use in a network having a media server, wherein the network is configured to facilitate communication via a control link and via a data funnel, wherein the data funnel is configured to facilitate transmission of data using network datagrams, the receiver comprising:

a client for communicating to a client over the network using the control link and the data funnel;

the client being configured to send a control-link request message to the media server that requests establishment of communication between the client and media server via a control link and to send a funnel request message via the control link to the media server that requests establishment of communications between the client and media server via a data funnel,

wherein the funnel request message comprises a maximum-block-size field that indicates a maximum size of a block of data.

16. In a computer network with a client and a media server operatively communicating via the network, a message communications method comprising:

requesting a control link between the client and the media server;

establishing such a control link;

requesting a data funnel between the client and the media server;

establishing such a data funnel;

selecting a media file stored on media server;

requesting delivery of the media file to the client by sending a deliver-file request message to media server, wherein the deliver-file request message comprises a position field that specifies a beginning position in the file from which delivery will begin.

17. A message communications method as recited in claim 16, further comprising sending a current-file message to the media server, wherein that message comprises a current-file field that identifies the file.

18. A message communications method as recited in claim 16, further comprising sending an open-file request message to the media server, wherein that message comprises an incarnation field that identifies the open-file request message and file-name field that indicates a name of the media file.

19. A message communications method as recited in claim 16, wherein the sending a deliver-file request message to media server further comprises:

a play-incarnation field that identifies the deliver-file request message.

20. A message communications method as recited in claim 16, wherein the sending a deliver-file request message to media server further comprises:

an open-file field that identifies the media file;

a file-block field that identifies a block of the media file;

an offset field specifies a position at which data of a block begins;

a time-earliest field that indicates an earliest point in time to deliver a block of the file;

a time-deadline field that indicates a latest point in time to deliver a block of the file;

a play-incarnation field that identifies this deliver-file request message;

a play-sequence field that indicates a block'"'"'s position relative a sequence of blocks of the file.

21. A message communications method as recited in claim 16, further comprising sending deliver-file-request acknowledgement message, wherein the massage comprises:

a play-incarnation field that identifies a deliver-file request message;

one or more file-location fields that provide information that facilitates location of the media file on the media server;

a file-name field that indicates a name of the media file.

22. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions that are executable by a computer to perform steps as recited in claim 16.

23. In a computer network with a client and a media server operatively communicating via the network, a message communications method comprising:

receiving a request for a control link between the client and the media server;

establishing such a control link;

receiving a request for a data funnel between the client and the media server;

establishing such a data funnel;

opening a media file;

receiving a request for delivery of the media file to the client by receiving a deliver-file request message to the media server, wherein the deliver-file request message comprises a position field that specifies a beginning position in the file from which delivery will begin;

delivering the file to the client via the data funnel, wherein the file is divided into blocks of data.

24. A message communications method as recited in claim 23, further comprising receiving a current-file message to the media server, wherein that message comprises a current-file field that identifies the file.

25. A message communications method as recited in claim 23, further comprising receiving an open-file request message to the media server, wherein that message comprises an incarnation field that identifies the open-file request message and file-name field that indicates a name of the media file.

26. A message communications method as recited in claim 23, wherein the receiving a deliver-file request message to the media server further comprises:

a play-incarnation field that identifies the deliver-file request message.

27. A message communications method as recited in claim 23, wherein the receiving a deliver-file request message to the media server further comprises:

an open-file field that identifies the media file;

a file-block field that identifies a block of the media file;

an offset field specifies a position at which data of a block begins;

a time-earliest field that indicates an earliest point in time to deliver a block of the file;

a time-deadline field that indicates a latest point in time to deliver a block of the file;

a play-incarnation field that identifies this deliver-file request message;

a play-sequence field that indicates a block'"'"'s position relative a sequence of blocks of the file.

28. A message communications method as recited in claim 23, further comprising receiving a deliver-file-request acknowledgement message, wherein the message comprises:

a play-incarnation field that identifies a deliver-file request message;

one or more file-location fields that provide information that facilitates location of the media file on the media server;

a file-name field that indicates a name of the media file.

29. A message communications method as recited in claim 23, further comprising transmitting blocks of data, wherein the blocks are divided into frames.

30. A message communications method as recited in claim 29, wherein each frame includes a header comprising:

a frame-offset field that specifies a position at which data of a frame begins;

a frame-length field that specifies a length of a frame;

a play-incarnation field that identifies a deliver-file request message;

a play-sequence field that identifies a block'"'"'s position relative to a sequence of blocks of the file.

31. A message communications method as recited in claim 30, further comprising sending a close-file message.

32. A message communications method as recited in claim 23, further comprising closing the file.

33. A message communications method as recited in claim 23, further comprising closing the data funnel.

34. A message communications method as recited in claim 33, further comprising sending a close-funnel acknowledgement.

35. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions that are executable by a computer to perform steps as recited in claim 23.

36. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions that are executable by a computer, in a computer network with a client and a media server operatively communicating via the network, to perform steps comprising:

requesting a control link between the client and the media server;

establishing such a control link;

requesting a data funnel between the client and the media server;

establishing such a data funnel;

selecting a media file stored on media server;

requesting delivery of the media file to the client; and

transmitting blocks of data from the media server to the client,

wherein the requesting a data funnel includes a block-maximum-size field specifying a maximum size of a block of data.

37. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions that are executable by a computer, in a computer network with a client and a media server operatively communicating via the network, to perform steps comprising:

receiving a request for a control link between the client and the media server;

establishing such a control link;

receiving a request for a data funnel between the client and the media server;

establishing such a data funnel;

opening a media file;

receiving a request for delivery of the media file to the client by receiving a deliver-file request message to the media server, wherein the deliver-file request message comprises a position field that specifies a beginning position in the file from which delivery will begin;

delivering the file to the client via the data funnel, wherein the file is divided into blocks of data.