Dynamic bandwidth control

• US 7,426,539 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2003
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Datta, Glen Van
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, OANH L
• Application Number:
  US10/341,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20040139158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 709/246, 709/248, 715/750, 715/753, 715/757, 715/758
• US Class Current: 709/205
• 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 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Data transfer over a computer network relating to a data object of a multiple user network application, from a network user who owns the data object to an updating user, is achieved by transfer of a subset of data fields that define the data object, such that the subset of data fields is specified by the updating user and is less than or equal to a full update transfer comprising updated values for all the data fields that define the data object. Each data object is defined by multiple data fields, such that the transfer of a subset of the data object data fields ensures that the network bandwidth utilized for data updates will be reduced from the situation in which all the defining data fields for an object being updated are transferred over the network.

Claims

1. A method of computer network data transfer, the method comprising:

determining an update data subset relating to a data object operative in a three-dimensional virtual environment maintained by an owning network user in a multiple user network application shared data space, such that the update data subset specifies a corresponding set of data fields that is less than or equal to a full data update for the data object, wherein the determination is performed by an updating user who maintains a local copy corresponding to the data object;

sending a network data update request message to the owning network user from the updating user maintaining a local copy corresponding to the data object, the network data update request message requesting the determined update data subset from the owning network user; and

receiving update data from the owning network user for the data object comprising the set of data fields as determined by the updating user,

wherein determining the update data subset comprises determining an available network bandwidth associated with the updating user; and

wherein the corresponding set of data fields, which is less than or equal to the full data update for the data object, is dynamically specified in accordance with the determined available bandwidth selected by the updating user.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further including updating the local copy of the data object with the received update data subset at the updating user.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein updating the local copy of the data object comprises updating a visual display representation of the updated data object.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining available bandwidth comprises receiving a user selected bandwidth value.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining available bandwidth comprises receiving system resource information from the updating user.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining the update data subset comprises determining the set of data fields of the update data subset according to an updating user level of interest in the data object.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the updating user level of interest is determined by interaction of the updating user with the data object in the shared data space.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the update data subset specifies a set of data fields that is less than the full data update for the data object.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network application includes the transfer of streaming data over the network.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each user of the network application has ownership of a corresponding data object of the network application shared data space.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein a single network node of the network application has ownership of all user-corresponding data objects of the network application shared data space.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each updating user determines an update data subset in accordance with the level of interest of that updating user.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein determining available bandwidth comprises receiving system resource information from the owning network user.

14. A device comprising:

a network communication interface that supports data transfer between the device and a network; and

a central processing unit that executes program instructions to provide a multiple user network application that,

determines an update date subset relating to a data object operative in a three-dimensional virtual environment maintained by an owning network user in a multiple user network application shared data space, such that the update data subset specifies a corresponding set of data fields that is less than or equal to a full data update for the data object wherein the determination is performed by an updating user who maintains a local copy corresponding to the data object;

sends a network data update request message to the owning network user that requests the specified data subset from the owning network user relating to a local data object copy that is maintained by the updating user so as to correspond to the data object at the owning network user; and

receives update data from the owning network user for the data object comprising the set of data fields as specified by the update data subset;

wherein determining the update data subset comprises determining an available network bandwidth associated with the updating user; and

wherein the corresponding set of data fields, which is less than or equal to the full data update for the data object, is dynamically specified in accordance with the determined available bandwidth selected by the updating user.

15. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein the device updates the local copy of the data object with the received update data subset.

16. The device as defined in claim 15, wherein updating the local copy of the data object comprises updating a visual display representation of the updated application object data.

17. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein the device determines available bandwidth by receiving a user selected bandwidth value.

18. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein the device determines available bandwidth by receiving system resource information from an operating system of a user.

19. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein the device determines the update data subset by determining the set of data fields of the update data subset according to an updating user level of interest in the data object.

20. The device as defined in claim 19, wherein the updating user level of interest is determined by interaction of the updating user with the data object in the shared data space.

21. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein the update data subset specifies a set of data fields that is less than the full data update for the data object.

22. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein the network application includes the transfer of streaming data over the network.

23. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein each user of the network application has ownership of a corresponding data object of the network application shared data space.

24. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein a single network node of the network application has ownership of all user-corresponding data objects of the network application shared data space.

25. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein each updating user determines an update data subset in accordance with the level of interest of that updating user.

26. A method of data transfer over a computer network from a data object owning user to an updating user, the method comprising:

determining update data at the owning user for a set of data fields that define a data object operative in a three-dimensional virtual environment in a multiple user network application, wherein the determination is made by the updating user, who maintains a local copy corresponding to the data object;

determining an update data message at the updating user that specifies an update data subset relating to the data object for the multiple user network application, such that the update data subset specifies a corresponding set of data fields of the data object that are less than or equal to a number of data fields comprising the update data determined by the owning user; and

sending the update date message requesting the update data subset from the updating user to the owning user;

wherein determining the update data subset comprises determining an available network bandwidth associated with the updating user; and

wherein the corresponding set of data fields, which is less than or equal to the full data update for the data object, is dynamically specified in accordance with the determined available bandwidth selected by the updating user.

27. A program product for use in a computer device that executes program instructions recorded in a computer-readable storage media to perform a method for data transfer over a computer network, the program product comprising:

a recordable media; and

a plurality of computer readable instructions executable by the computer device to perform a method comprising;

determining an update data subset relating to a data object operative in a three-dimensional virtual environment maintained by an owning network user in a multiple user network application shared data space, such that the update data subset specifies a corresponding set of data fields that is less than or equal to a full data update for the data object wherein the determination is performed by the computer device, which maintains a local copy corresponding to the data object,

sending a network data update request message to the owning network user relating to the local data object copy that is maintained by the computer device so as to correspond to the data object maintained by the owning network user, the network data update request message requesting the specified update data subset from the owning user; and

receiving update data from the owning network user for the data object comprising the set of data fields as specified by the update data subset;

wherein determining the update data subset comprises determining an available network bandwidth associated with the updating user; and

wherein the corresponding set of data fields, which is less than or equal to the full data update for the data object, is dynamically specified in accordance with the determined available bandwidth selected by the updating user.

28. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein the computer device updates the local copy of the data object with the received update data subset.

29. The program as defined in claim 28, wherein the computer device updates the local copy of the data object by updating a visual display representation of the updated application object data.

30. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein the computer device determines available bandwidth by receiving a user selected bandwidth value.

31. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein the computer device determines available bandwidth by receiving system resource information of the computer device.

32. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein the computer device determines the update data subset by determining the set of data fields of the update data subset according to a computer device updating user level of interest in the data object.

33. The program product as defined in claim 32, wherein the updating user level of interest is determined by interaction of the updating user with the data object in the shared data space.

34. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein the update data subset specifies a set of data fields that is less than the full data update of the data object.

35. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein the network application includes the transfer of streaming data over the network.

36. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein each user of the network application has ownership of a corresponding data object of the network application shared data space.

37. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein a single network node of the network application has ownership of all user-corresponding data objects of the network application shared data space.

38. The program product as defined in claim 27, wherein each updating user determines an update data subset in accordance with the level of interest of that updating user.

39. A computer device that transfers data over a computer network, the computer device comprising:

a processor that executes a multiple user network application such that the computer device comprises a local client of the multiple user network application;

determination means for determining an update data subset relating to a data object operative on a three-dimensional virtual environment maintained by an owning network user in a multiple user network application shared data space, such that the update data subset specifies a corresponding set of data fields that is less than or equal to a full data update of the data object, wherein the determination is performed by an updating user who maintains a local copy corresponding to the data object;

communication means for sending a network data update request message to the owning network use from the updating user maintaining a local copy corresponding to the data object, the network data update request message requesting the determined update data subset from the owning network user; and

receiving means for receiving update data from the owning network user for the data object comprising the set of data fields as determined by the updating user;

wherein the determination means for determining the update data subset comprises determination means for determining an available network bandwidth associated with the updating user; and

wherein the corresponding set of data fields, which is less than or equal to the full data update for the data object, is dynamically specified in accordance with the determined available bandwidth selected by the updating user.

40. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein the processor updates the local copy of the data object with the received update data subset.

41. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein the determination means determines available network bandwidth by receiving a user selected bandwidth value.

42. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein the determination means determines available bandwidth by receiving system resource information from the updating user.

43. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein the determination means determines the update data subset by determining the set of data fields of the update data subset according to an updating user level of interest in the data object.

44. The computer device as defined in claim 43, wherein the determination means determines updating user level of interest in accordance with interaction of the updating user with the data object in the shared data space.

45. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein the update data subset specifies a set of data fields that is less than the full data update of the data object.

46. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein the processor updates the updating user local copy of the data object by updating a visual display representation of the updated application object data.

47. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein the network application includes the transfer of streaming data over the network.

48. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein each user of the network application has ownership of a corresponding data object of the network application shared data space.

49. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein a single network node of the network application has ownership of all user-corresponding data objects of the network application shared data space.

50. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein each updating user determines an update data subset in accordance with the level of interest of that updating user.

51. The computer device as defined in claim 39, wherein the determination means determines available bandwidth by receiving system resource information from the updating user.