System and method for managing performance between multiple peers in a peer-to-peer environment

• US 7,941,482 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Berkey, Howard, Bates, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwari; Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US10/832,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20040260799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,570 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1059 Inter-group management mechanisms, e.g. splitting, merging or interconnection of groups
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/107 with limitation or expansion of the discovery scope

Abstract

A method of dynamically balancing a load on a fully connected grid (FCG) in a peer-to-peer environment includes determining if a first number of peers connected in a first FCG is greater than a preselected limit. If the first number of peers connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit, then partitioning the first FCG into two or more subdivided FCGs, wherein each of the subdivided FCGs includes at least one peer connection that was previously connected in the first FCG. A subdivided location identifier can also be published for each respective resource included in each peer connection. A system for dynamically balancing a load on a fully connected grid (FCG) in a peer-to-peer environment is also described.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically balancing a load on a fully connected grid (FCG) in a peer-to-peer environment, comprising:

determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected in a first FCG is greater than a preselected limit, wherein at least one of the peer computing devices includes computer readable code for determining if the first number of peer computing devices connected in to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit, wherein the first FCG provides direct links between each of the peer computing devices connected to the first FCG, and wherein each peer computing device in the first FCG receives and retains a notification of all the resources available in all of the peer computing devices in the first FCG wherein the notification includes a corresponding location identifier and corresponding resources provided by each of the peer computing devices in the first FCG; and

partitioning the first FCG into two or more subdivided FCGs when the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit, wherein each of the subdivided FCGs includes at least two peer computing devices that were previously connected in the first FCG and wherein each peer computing device in the two or more subdivided FCGs includes a subdivided location identifier relationship to a location identifier for the first FCG.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising publishing a subdivided location identifier for each respective resource included in each peer connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the subdivided location identifiers are related to a location identifier for the first FCG.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein partitioning the first FCG into the subdivided FCGs includes partitioning the first FCG into octrees.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein partitioning the first FCG into two or more new FCGs includes partitioning the first FCG into two or more stacked FCGs.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining if a total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit;

if the total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit, then collapsing the subdivided FCGs into the first FCG; and

publishing a location identifier for each respective resource included in each peer computing device connection to the first FCG.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the peer-to-peer environment is connected to the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the peer-to-peer environment enables an interactive gaining application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a game console includes at least one peer computing device.

10. A system for managing load in a peer-to-peer environment, comprising:

a plurality of peer computing devices connected in a first fully connected grid (FCG) in the peer-to-peer environment, wherein the first FCG provides direct links between each of the plurality of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG, and wherein each peer computing device in the first FCG receives and retains a notification of all the resources available in all of the peer computing devices in the first FCG wherein the notification includes a corresponding location identifier and corresponding resources provided by each of the peer computing devices in the first FCG;

logic for determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than a preselected limit is included in at least one of the plurality of peer computing devices; and

logic for partitioning the first FCG into subdivided FCGs, if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit is included in at least one of the plurality of peer computing devices, wherein each of the subdivided FCGs includes at least two peer computing devices that were previously connected in the first FCG and wherein each peer computing device in the two or more subdivided FCGs includes a subdivided location identifier relationship to a location identifier for the first FCG.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of peer computing devices includes the logic for determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than a preselected limit and the logic for partitioning the first FCG into subdivided FCGs, if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising logic for publishing a subdivided location identifier for each respective resource included in each peer computing device connection.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the subdivided location identifiers are related to a location identifier for the first FCG.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the logic for partitioning the first FCG into the subdivided FCGs includes logic for partitioning the first FCG into octrees.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the logic for partitioning the first FCG into the subdivided FCGs includes logic for partitioning the first FCG into two or more stacked FCGs.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

logic for determining if a total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than a preselected limit;

logic for collapsing the subdivided FCGs into the first FCG, if the total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit; and

logic for publishing a location identifier for each respective resource included in each peer computing device connection to the first FCG.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the peer-to-peer environment enables an interactive gaining application.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising a game console that includes at least one peer computing devices in the peer-to-peer environment.

19. A system, comprising:

a peer computing device, wherein the peer computing device is one of a plurality of peer computing devices connected to a first fully connected grid (FCG) in peer-to-peer environment, wherein the first FCG provides direct links between each of the plurality of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG, and wherein each peer computing device in the first FCG receives and retains a notification of all the resources available in all of the peer computing devices in the first FCG, wherein the notification includes a corresponding location identifier and corresponding resources provided by each of the peer computing devices in the first FCG, the peer computing device including;

logic for communicating with at least another one of the plurality of peer computing devices;

logic for determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than a preselected limit; and

logic for coordinating subdivision of the first FCG into two or more subdivided FCGs with at least two of the plurality of peer computing devices, if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit and wherein each peer computing device in the two or more subdivided FCGs includes a subdivided location identifier relationship to a location identifier for the first FCG.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein each of the subdivided FCGs includes at least one peer computing device connection that was previously connected to the first FCG.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising logic for publishing a subdivided location identifier for each respective resource included in each peer computing device connection.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the peer computing device is a game console.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

logic for determining if a total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit; and

logic for coordinating collapsing the subdivided FCGs into the first FCG, if the total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit.

24. A system, comprising:

a first fully connected grid (FCG) in a peer-to-peer environment;

a plurality of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG, wherein the first FCG provides direct links between each of the plurality of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG, and wherein each peer computing device in the first FCG receives and retains a notification of all the resources available in all of the peer computing devices in the first FCG, wherein the notification includes a corresponding location identifier and corresponding resources provided by each of the peer computing devices in the first FCG;

a computer readable code segment embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than a preselected limit is included in at least one of the plurality of peer computing devices; and

a computer readable code segment embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for partitioning the first FCG into two or more subdivided FCGs is included in at least one of the plurality of peer computing devices, if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit, wherein each of the subdivided FCGs includes at least two peer computing devices that were previously connected to the first FCG and wherein each peer computing device in the two or more subdivided FCGs includes a subdivided location identifier relationship to a location identifier for the first FCG.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the plurality of peer computing devices includes the computer readable code segment embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than a preselected limit and the computer readable code segment embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for partitioning the first FCG into two or more subdivided FCGs, if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the peer computing device is a game console.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a second game console that includes at least one peer computing device in the peer-to-peer environment.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a computer readable code segment embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for determining if a total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit; and

a computer readable code segment embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for collapsing the subdivided FCGs into the first FCG, if the total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the computer readable code segment embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for partitioning the first FCG into two or more subdivided FCGs includes a computer readable code segment for partitioning the first FCG into octrees.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the computer readable code segment embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for partitioning the first FCG into two or more subdivided FCGs includes a computer readable code segment for partitioning the first FCG into two or more stacked FCGs.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein at least a portion of the peer-to-peer environment is connected to the Internet.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein at least a portion of the peer-to-peer environment enables an interactive gaining application.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium includes a propagated data signal.

34. A peer-to-peer network comprising:

a universal grid;

at least two subdivided fully connected grids (FCGs), each subdivided FCGs having a location identifier related to a parent location identifier for a parent FCG each of the subdivided FCGs having at least two peer computing devices that were previously connected in the parent FCG; and

a plurality of peer computing devices, each one of the plurality of peer computing devices being a member of the universal grid, and at least a portion of the plurality of peer computing devices being members of at least one of the at least two subdivided FCGs, wherein each one of the two or more subdivided FCGs provides direct links between each of the portion of the plurality of peer computing devices being members of the respective at least two subdivided FCGs, and wherein each peer computing device in the at least two subdivided FCGs receives and retains a notification of all the resources available in all of the peer computing devices in the respective one of the at least two subdivided FCGs, wherein the notification includes a corresponding location identifier and corresponding resources provided by each of the peer computing devices in the parent FCG, and wherein each peer computing device in the two or more subdivided FCGs includes a subdivided location identifier relationship to a location identifier for the first FCG.

35. The peer-to-peer network of claim 34, wherein the at least two subdivided FCGs are octrees of the parent FCG.

36. The peer-to-peer network of claim 34, wherein the at least two subdivided FCGs are stacked FCGs.

37. The peer-to-peer network of claim 34, wherein the peer-to-peer network is connected to the Internet.

38. The peer-to-peer network of claim 34, wherein at least a portion of the peer-to-peer network supports an interactive gaining application.

39. The peer-to-peer network of claim 34, further comprising a game console that includes at least one peer computing device in the peer-to-peer environment.

40. A peer-to-peer network:

a universal grid;

at least two subdivided fully connected grids (FCGs), each subdivided FCGs having a location identifier means related to a parent location identifier means for a parent FCG;

a plurality of peer computing devices, each one of the plurality of peer computing devices being a member of the universal grid, and at least a portion of the plurality of peer computing devices being members of at least one of the at least two subdivided FCGs, wherein each one of the at least two subdivided FCGs provides direct links between each of the portion of the plurality of peer computing devices being members of the respective at least two subdivided FCGs, and wherein each peer computing device in the at least two subdivided FCGs receives and retains a notification of all the resources available in all of the peer computing devices in the respective one of the at least two subdivided FCGs, wherein the notification includes a corresponding location identifier and corresponding resources provided by each of the peer computing devices in the first FCG;

means for determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected to the parent FCG is greater than a preselected limit; and

means for partitioning the parent FCG into the two or more subdivided FCGs, if the first number of peers connected to the parent FCG is greater than the preselected limit and wherein each peer computing device in the two or more subdivided FCGs includes a subdivided location identifier relationship to a location identifier for the first FCG each of the two or more subdivided FCGs having at least two peer computing devices that were previously connected in the parent FCG.

41. The peer-to-peer network of claim 40, wherein at least one of the plurality of peer computing devices includes the means for determining if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the parent FCG is greater than the preselected limit and the means for partitioning the parent FCG into the two or more subdivided FCGs, if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the parent FCG is greater than the preselected limit.

42. The peer-to-peer network of claim 40, further comprising means for publishing a subdivided location identifier for each respective resource included in each peer computing device connection.

43. The peer-to-peer network of claim 40, further comprising:

means for determining if a total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than a preselected limit; and

means for collapsing the subdivided FCGs into the parent FCG, if the total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit.

44. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer readable code segment for balancing a load on a fully connected grid (FCG) in a peer-to-peer environment, comprising:

a computer readable code segment for determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected in a first FCG is greater than a preselected limit is included in at least one of a plurality of peer computing devices in the peer-to-peer environment, wherein the FCG provides direct links between each of the plurality of peer computing devices connected to the FCG, and wherein each peer computing device in the first FCG receives and retains a notification of all the resources available in all of the peer computing devices in the first FCG, wherein the notification includes a corresponding location identifier and corresponding resources provided by each of the peer computing devices in the first FCG; and

a computer readable code segment for partitioning the first FCG into two or more subdivided FCGs, if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit, wherein each of the subdivided FCGs includes at least two peer computing devices that were previously connected in the first FCG is included in at least one of the plurality of peers in the peer-to-peer environment and wherein each peer computing device in the two or more subdivided FCGs includes a subdivided location identifier relationship to a location identifier for the first FCG.

45. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein at least one of a plurality of peers in the peer-to-peer environment includes the computer readable code segment for determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than a preselected limit and the computer readable code segment for partitioning the first FCG into subdivided FCGs, if the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is greater than the preselected limit.

46. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 44, further comprising a computer readable code segment for publishing a subdivided location identifier for each respective resource included in each peer computing device connection.

47. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein the subdivided location identifiers are related to a location identifier for the first FCG.

48. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 47, further comprising:

a computer readable code segment for determining if a total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit;

a computer readable code segment for collapsing the subdivided FCGs into the first FCG, if the total number of peer computing devices connected to the subdivided FCGs is less than the preselected limit; and

a computer readable code segment for publishing a location identifier for each respective resource included in each peer computing device connection to the first FCG.

49. A method of dynamically balancing a load on a fully connected grid (FCG) in a peer-to-peer environment, comprising:

determining if a first number of peer computing devices connected in a first FCG is less than a preselected limit, wherein at least one of the peer computing devices includes computer readable code for determining if the first number of peer computing devices connected in to the first FCG is less than the preselected limit, wherein the first FCG provides direct links between each of the peer computing devices connected to the first FCG, and wherein each peer computing device in the first FCG receives and retains a notification of all the resources available in all of the peer computing devices in the first FCG, wherein the notification includes a corresponding location identifier and corresponding resources provided by each of the peer computing devices in the first FCG; and

merging the first FCG with a second FGC to form a merged FGC when the first number of peer computing devices connected to the first FCG is less than the preselected limit, the merged FGC having a merged location identifier that is related to the first FCG and the second FGC and wherein each peer computing device in the merged FCGs includes a location identifier relationship to a corresponding location identifier for the respective first FCG or second FCG.