Transmission apparatus and method, reception apparatus and method, communication system, recording medium, and program

• US 7,675,939 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kusunoki, Shinobu, Kawamura, Seigo
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao; Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOO, JUVENA W
• Application Number:
  US11/039,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20050207443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709239-244, 370/254, 370/218, 370/225, 370/228, 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/231, 370/232, 370/236, 370/236.1, 370/236.2, 370/237, 370/230.2, 370/469
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

The present invention is intended to realize high-speed and stable communication. A multi-flow RTP divides the data of one RTP session into pieces that can be transmitted through UDP ports through respectively and supplies the divided pieces of data to these ports. An RTCP controls the UDP ports through to transmit the divided data and controls a TCP port to transmit control information for reconstructing the divided data. UDP ports through receive the divided data and supplies the received data to a multi-flow RTP. An RTCP obtains the control information from the TCP port and supplies it to the multi-flow RTP. The multi-flow RTP reconstructs the divided data according to the control information and supplies the reconstructed data to the player, which reproduces the reconstructed data. The present invention is applicable to a stream data distribution system, for example.

Claims

1. A transmission apparatus comprising:

a plurality of first transmission units configured to transmit data by a first protocol of a transport layer;

a generation unit configured to generate control information for reproducing said data, said control information including port numbers and a used port count of said plurality of first transmission units;

a second transmission unit configured to transmit, by a second protocol of said transport layer, said control information generated by said generation unit; and

a control unit configured to control data for transmission by a protocol of a session layer such that said data is allocated to said plurality of first transmission units in accordance with each of operation states and the allocated data is transmitted.

2. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit controls said data for transmission by said protocol of said session layer such that said data is allocated to said plurality of first transmission units in accordance with the operation state thereof in a round-robin manner and the allocated data is transmitted.

3. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit transmits said data for transmission by said protocol of said session layer such that said data is allocated to transmittable one of said plurality of first transmission unit and the allocated data is transmitted.

4. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a division unit configured to divide said data to be transmitted by said protocol of said session layer into a plurality of pieces of data;

wherein said control unit controls said plurality of pieces of data obtained by said division unit such that said data is allocated to said plurality of first transmission units in accordance with each of operation states and the allocated data is transmitted by said first protocol of said transport layer.

5. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said generation unit generates control information for combining divided data when said data is divided by said division unit, said control information including said port numbers and said used port count of said plurality of first transmission units.

6. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control unit controls such that same data to be transmitted by said protocol in said session layer is transmitted by said first protocol in said transport layer by each of said plurality of first transmission units.

7. The transmission apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said generation unit generates control information for identifying data to be transmitted by said protocol in said session layer to reproduce said data, said control information including said port numbers and said used port count of said plurality of first transmission units.

8. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second protocol is TCP.

9. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said protocol in said session layer is RTP.

10. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first protocol in said transport layer is a protocol that does not confirm the arrival of transmitted data.

11. The transmission apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first protocol in said transport layer that does not confirm the arrival of transmitted data is UDP.

12. The transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first protocol in said transport layer is TCP.

13. A transmission method comprising:

a plurality of first transmission steps for transmitting data by a first protocol of a transport layer by a transmission unit;

a generation step for generating control information for reproducing said data, said control information including port numbers and a used port count of said plurality of first transmission steps;

a second transmission step for transmitting said control information generated by said generation step by a second protocol of said transport layer; and

a control step for controlling data to be transmitted by a protocol of a session layer so as to be transmitted in accordance with each of operation states of said plurality of first transmission steps.

14. A recording medium in which a computer-readable program is recorded which causes a transmitter to execute a method of transmitting data, comprising:

a plurality of first transmission control steps for controlling transmission of data by a first protocol of a transport layer by the transmitter;

a generation control step for controlling generation of control information for reproducing said data, said control information including port numbers and a used port count of said plurality of first transmission steps;

a second transmission control step for controlling transmission, by a second protocol of said transport layer, said control information generated by said generation control step; and

an operation control step for controlling data to be transmitted by a protocol of a session layer so as to be transmitted in accordance with each of operation states of said plurality of first transmission control steps.

15. A reception apparatus comprising:

a plurality of first reception units configured to receive data by a first protocol of a transport layer;

a second reception unit configured to receive control information for reproducing said data by a second protocol of said transport layer, said control information including port numbers and a used port count of said plurality of first reception units; and

a reproduction unit configured to reproduce, as data received by a protocol of a session layer, said data on the basis of said control information.

16. The reception apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said data is a plurality of divided data;

said plurality of first reception units receive said plurality of divided data; and

said reproduction unit combines, for reproduction, said plurality of divided data as received data of said protocol in said session layer on the basis of said control information including information for combining said divided data and reproducing the combined data in addition to said port numbers and said used port count received by said second reception unit.

17. The reception apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said data is a plurality of the same data;

said plurality of first reception units receive each of said plurality of the same data; and

said reproduction unit reproduces data received first as received data of said protocol in said session layer among said plurality of first reception units on the basis of said control information including information for identifying said data in addition to said port numbers and said used port count received by said second reception unit.

18. The reception apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said second protocol is TCP.

19. The reception apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said protocol in said session layer is RTP.

20. The reception apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first protocol in said transport layer is a protocol that does not confirm the arrival of transmitted data.

21. The reception apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said first protocol, which does not confirm the arrival of transmitted data, in said transport layer is UDP.

22. The reception apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first protocol in said transport layer is TCP.

23. A reception method comprising:

a plurality of first reception steps for receiving data by a first protocol of a transport layer by a receiving unit;

a second reception step for receiving control information for reproducing said data by a second protocol of said transport layer, said control information including port numbers and a used port count of said plurality of first reception steps; and

a reproduction step for reproducing said data on the basis of said control information as data received by a protocol of a session layer.

24. A recording medium in which a computer-readable program is recorded, which causes a receiver to execute a method of receiving data, comprising:

a plurality of first reception control steps for controlling reception of data by a first protocol of a transport layer by the receiver;

a second reception control step for controlling reception of control information for reproducing said data by a second protocol of said transport layer, said control information including port numbers and a used port count of said plurality of first reception control steps; and

a reproduction control step for controlling reproduction of said data on the basis of said control information as data received by a protocol of a session layer.

25. A communication system based on a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus,

said transmission apparatus comprising:

a plurality of transmission units configured to transmit data by a protocol of a transport layer;

a generation unit configured to generate control information for reproducing said data, said control information including port numbers and a used port count of said plurality of first transmission units;

a second transmission unit configured to transmit, by a second protocol of said transport layer, said control information generated by said generation unit; and

a control unit configured to control data for transmission by a protocol of a session layer such that said data is allocated to said plurality of first transmission units in accordance with each of operation states and the allocated data is transmitted;

said reception apparatus comprising;

a reception unit configured to receive data by a protocol of a transport layer;

a second reception unit configured to receive control information for reproducing said data by a second protocol of said transport layer, said control information including port numbers and a used port count of said first reception units; and

a reproduction unit configured to reproduce said data on the basis of said control information as data received by a protocol of a session layer.