Systems and methods in which a provider is selected to service content requested by a client device

• US 7,660,877 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Shen, Bo, Roy, Sumit, Ankcorn, John, Wee, Susie, Harville, Michael, Tan, Wai-tian, Covell, Michele, Apostolopoulos, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Philip B
• Application Number:
  US10/698,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20040236854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709223-224, 709217-219, 709227-228, 709231-234
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

Methods and systems for servicing content for delivery to a client device are described. An item of content is identified during a session with the client device. A type of service to be performed on the item of content is identified. A provider is selected from a plurality of providers capable of performing the service. The session is transferred to the selected provider, which performs the service on the item of content.

Claims

1. A method of servicing content for delivery to a client device, said method comprising:

identifying a type of service to be performed on an item of content, wherein said item of content is identified during a session involving said client device;

selecting a provider from a plurality of providers capable of performing said service, said selecting comprising;

maintaining a record of providers to which sessions have been transferred;

selecting said provider according to said record; and

estimating an amount of time said session is expected to remain with said provider, wherein said record is updated once said amount of time has passed; and

providing information for transferring said session to said provider, wherein said provider performs said service on said item of content.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an indication from said provider that said service is completed, wherein said record is updated in response to said indication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said provider is selected according to a round-robin scheme.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said provider is selected at random.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said transferring comprises:

sending information for locating said provider to said client device, wherein said client device and said provider transparently establish communication.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a source of said item of content, wherein data for said item of content are streamed from said source to said provider and wherein service result data are streamed from said provider to said client device.

7. A method of servicing content for streaming to a client device, said method comprising:

identifying a type of service to be performed on an item of content, wherein said item of content is identified during a session involving said client device;

selecting a provider from a plurality of providers capable of performing said service, said selecting comprising;

maintaining a record of providers to which sessions have been transferred;

selecting said provider according to said record; and

estimating an amount of time said session is expected to remain with said provider, wherein said record is updated once said amount of time has passed; and

providing information for transferring said session to said provider, wherein data for said item of content are streamed from a content source to said provider, wherein said provider performs said service on said item of content and wherein service result data are streamed from said provider to said client device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said provider is selected according to a round-robin scheme.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said provider is selected at random.

10. A system for providing content to a client device, said system comprising:

a service manager device for receiving a request for an item of content from a portal, wherein said portal received said request from said client device, said service manager device also for selecting a provider from a plurality of providers, each provider capable of performing a service on said item of content, said service manager device also for maintaining a history of providers engaged in sessions, wherein said provide is selected according to said history, said service manager device also for identifying an amount of time said session is estimated to remain with said provider, wherein said history is updated in response to said amount of time transpiring, wherein a session with said client device is redirected from said portal to said provider such that said session continues via said provider, and wherein said provider performs said service on said item of content and forwards service result content to said client device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said service manager device maintains a history of providers engaged in sessions, wherein said provider is selected according to said history.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said service manager device receives an indication that said service has been performed, wherein said history is updated in response.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said provider is selected according to a round-robin scheme.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said provider is selected at random.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said service manager device sends information identifying said provider to said client device via said portal.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein said service manager device sends information identifying said provider directly to said client device, bypassing said portal.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein a source of said item of content is identified according to information provided in said request from said client device.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein a source of said item of content is identified by one of said portal, said service manager device and said provider.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein said item of content is streamed from a content source to said provider.

20. The system of claim 10 wherein said type of service is identified according to information provided in said request received from said client device.

21. The system of claim 10 wherein said type of service is identified by one of said portal and said service manager device.

22. The system of claim 10 wherein said service is continuously available from said provider.

23. The system of claim 10 wherein said service is started up and executed in response to said client device establishing communication with said provider.

24. The system of claim 10 wherein said service manager device directs said provider to start up said service upon selection of said provider.

25. A system for streaming content to a client device, said system comprising:

a service manager device for receiving a request for an item of content from a portal, wherein said portal received said request from said client device, said service manager device also for selecting a provider from a plurality of providers, each provider capable of performing a service on said item of content, said service manage also for identifying an amount of time said session is estimated to remain with said provider, wherein said history is updated in response to said amount of time transpiring, wherein a session with said client device is redirected from said portal to said provider such that said session continues via said provider, wherein data for said item of content are streamed from a content source to said provider, and wherein said provider performs said service on said item of content and streams service result content to said client device.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said service manager device maintains a history of providers engaged in sessions, wherein said provider is selected according to said history.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein said service manager device receives an indication that said service has been performed, wherein said history is updated in response.

28. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for servicing content for delivery to a client device, said method comprising:

identifying a type of service to be performed on an item of content, wherein said item of content is identified during a session involving said client device;

selecting a provider from a plurality of providers capable of performing said service;

providing information for transferring said session to said provider, wherein said provider performs said service on said item of content; and

estimating an amount of time said session is expected to remain with said provider, wherein a record is updated once said amount of time has passed.

29. The computer-usable medium of claim 28 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes said computer system to perform said method further comprising:

maintaining a record of providers to which sessions have been transferred; and

selecting said provider according to said record.

30. The computer-usable medium of claim 28 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes said computer system to perform said method further comprising:

receiving an indication from said provider that said service is completed, wherein said record is updated in response to said indication.

31. The computer-usable medium of claim 28 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes said computer system to perform said method further comprising:

identifying a source of said item of content, wherein data for said item of content are streamed from said source to said provider and wherein service result data are streamed from said provider to said client device.

32. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method for servicing content for streaming to a client device, said method comprising:

identifying a type of service to be performed on an item of content, wherein said item of content is identified during a session involving said client device;

selecting a provider from a plurality of providers capable of performing said service;

providing information for transferring said session to said provider, wherein data for said item of content are streamed from a content source to said provider, wherein said provider performs said service on said item of content and wherein service result data are streamed from said provider to said client device; and

estimating an amount of time said session is expected to remain with said provider, wherein a record is updated once said amount of time has passed.

33. The computer-usable medium of claim 32 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes said computer system to perform said method further comprising:

maintaining a record of providers to which sessions have been transferred; and

selecting said provider according to said record.

34. The computer-usable medium of claim 32 wherein said computer-readable program code embodied therein causes said computer system to perform said method further comprising:

receiving an indication from said provider that said service is completed, wherein said record is updated in response to said indication.