Method and system for transmitting a message between two isolated locations based on limited range communication means

• US 7,869,353 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Marmigere, Gerard, Bauchot, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shand; Roberta A
• Application Number:
  US11/447,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20070019546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/235, 370/238, 370/351, 370/389, 370/230, 370/237, 709238-241
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding

Abstract

A system, method and computer program for ensuring a safe and efficient transmission of a datagram between two isolated points, the datagram being transmitted by a chain of couriers. Limited range communication means are used to pass the datagram from a courier to another, said limited range communication means being based on either a wired or wireless communication equipment. To take the best advantage of the plurality of routes available between two points, a plurality of instances of a same datagram are created. A given credit for the creation of instances is assigned to each datagram, once created. A datagram instance split operation is performed each time two couriers are within range. When a datagram instance is divided into several datagram instances, each datagram instance receives a portion of the credit of the original datagram instance and the total number of credits remains unchanged.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for transmitting a datagram, the method comprising:

using a computer device to obtain a datagram including a credit, wherein the obtaining includes;

receiving the datagram with the credit and an address of a destination courier;

determining whether the address of the destination courier can be reached using any conventional communication equipment; and

storing the datagram with the credit if the address cannot be reached;

using the computer device to monitor for a presence of a courier within a communication range; and

upon detecting a courier within the communication range;

creating a new instance of the datagram;

assigning at least a portion of the credit to the new datagram instance;

providing the new datagram instance including the at least a portion of the credit for processing on the courier;

subtracting the at least a portion of the credit from the credit for the datagram; and

removing the datagram if the credit for the datagram is null.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication range comprises a limited communication range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the datagram further includes:

an address of a destination courier where the datagram must finally be delivered;

an address of a courier that created the datagram;

information data; and

a time to live for the datagram.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining further includes creating the datagram, wherein the creating includes assigning the credit for the datagram, the credit limiting a total number of datagram instances that can exist.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the creating further includes including a time to live value.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the creating further includes obtaining a class of service with the datagram instance, wherein the class of service is used to determine a time to live value of the datagram.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the datagram for processing by the destination courier if the address can be reached.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving includes:

determining whether the datagram is already stored; and

if the datagram is already stored;

removing an already stored datagram instance; and

storing the received datagram.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving includes sending an acknowledgement message for processing by a source courier of the datagram, the acknowledgement message including a negative of the associated credit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing includes:

decrementing a time to live value associated with the datagram at regular time intervals; and

removing the datagram when the time to live value reaches zero.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the subtracting includes:

receiving an acknowledgement message from the courier, the acknowledgement message including a negative of the at least a portion of the credit; and

adding the negative of the at least a portion of the credit to the credit for the datagram.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the credit comprises one of:

a predetermined amount of credit or a predetermined portion of the credit.

13. A system for transmitting a datagram, the system comprising:

at least one computer device including;

a system for obtaining a datagram having a credit, wherein the system for obtaining performs a method comprising;

receiving the datagram with the credit and an address of a destination courier, determining whether the address of the destination courier can be reached using any conventional communication equipment, and storing the datagram with the credit if the address cannot be reached;

a system for monitoring for a presence of a courier within a communication range; and

a system for, upon detecting a courier within the communication range;

creating a new instance of the datagram;

assigning at least a portion of the credit to the new datagram instance;

providing the new datagram instance including the at least a portion of the credit for processing on the courier;

subtracting the at least a portion of the credit from the credit for the datagram; and

removing the datagram if the credit for the datagram is null.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the system for obtaining further includes a system for creating the datagram, wherein the system for creating assigns the credit for the datagram, the credit limiting a total number of datagram instances that can exist.

15. A computer program stored on a computer-readable storage medium, which when executed by a computer system enables the computer system to transmit a datagram, the computer program comprising instructions that enable the computer system to:

obtain a datagram having a credit, wherein the instructions that enable the computer system to obtain, enable the computer system to receive the datagram with the credit and an address of a destination courier, determine whether the address of the destination courier can be reached using any conventional communication equipment, and store the datagram with the credit if the address cannot be reached;

monitor for a presence of a courier within a communication range; and

upon detecting a courier within the communication range;

create a new instance of the datagram;

assign at least a portion of the credit to the new datagram instance;

provide the new datagram instance including the at least a portion of the credit for processing on the courier;

subtract the at least a portion of the credit from the credit for the datagram; and

remove the datagram if the credit for the datagram is null.

16. The computer program of claim 15, wherein the instructions that enable the computer system to obtain, further enable the computer system to create the datagram, wherein the creating assigns the credit for the datagram, the credit limiting a total number of datagram instances that can exist.

17. A method of deploying a system for transmitting a datagram, the method comprising:

providing a computer system operable to;

obtain a datagram having a credit, wherein the obtaining includes;

receiving the datagram with the credit and an address of a destination courier, determining whether the address of the destination courier can be reached using any conventional communication equipment, and storing the datagram with the credit if the address cannot be reached;

monitor for a presence of a courier within a communication range; and

upon detecting a courier within the communication range;

create a new instance of the datagram;

assign at least a portion of the credit to the new datagram instance;

provide the new datagram instance including the at least a portion of the credit for processing on the courier;

subtract the at least a portion of the credit from the credit for the datagram; and

remove the datagram if the credit for the datagram is null.