Wire protocol for a media server system

• US 7,668,906 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Dowell, Craig M, Rie, Jan de, Levi, Steven P., Bolosky, William J., Rashid, Richard F., Fitzgerald, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US11/942,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/236, 709/237
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions thereon that, when executed by a computer, perform acts within the context of a distributed environment that includes a media server for providing multiple media output to a clients, wherein the client is connected to the media server via a network connection, the acts comprising:

receiving a first request for service from the client at the media server wherein the first request includes a first identifier that uniquely identifies the first request;

receiving a second request for service from the client at the media server wherein the second request includes a second identifier that uniquely identifies the second request and wherein the second identifier differs from the first identifier;

at the media server, asynchronously servicing the first request and returning an acknowledgment to the client that includes the first identifier; and

at the media server, asynchronously servicing the second request and returning an acknowledgment to the client that includes the second identifier.

2. One or more computer storage media having computer executable instructions thereon that, when executed by a computer, perform acts within the context of a distributed system having a media server for storing files holding data of multiple media, a client for requesting service from the media server, a control connection between the media server and the client for passing control information between the media server and the client, the acts comprising:

receiving a write request message from the client at the media server over the control connection, the write request message requesting that data from the client be written into a file at the media server;

sending a write request acknowledgment message from the media server to the client over the control connection to acknowledge the write request message;

receiving the data to be written from the client at the media server over the control connection; and

writing the received data into the file at the media server.

3. In a distributed environment that includes a media server for providing multiple media output to a client, wherein the client is connected to the media server via a network connection, a computer system for performing functions comprising:

receiving a first request for service from the client at the media server wherein the first request includes a first identifier that uniquely identifies the first request;

receiving a second request for service from the client at the media server wherein the second request includes a second identifier that uniquely identifies the second request and wherein the second identifier differs from the first identifier;

at the media server, asynchronously servicing the first request and returning an acknowledgment to the client that includes the first identifier; and

at the media server, asynchronously servicing the second request and returning an acknowledgment to the client that includes the second identifier.

4. In a distributed computer system having a media server for storing files holding data of multiple media, a client for requesting service from the media server, a control connection between the media server and the client for passing control information between the media server and the client and a data connection for passing data between the media server and the client, the distributed computer system for performing functions comprising:

receiving a write request message from the client at the media server over the control connection, said write request message requesting that data from the client be written into a file at the media server;

sending a write request acknowledgment message from the media server to the client over the control connection to acknowledge the write request message;

receiving the data to be written from the client at the media server over the data connection; and

writing the received data into the file at the media server.