Method and system for real-time synchronization across a distributed services communication network

• US 8,099,512 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxer IP LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Voxer IP LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Katis, Thomas E., Panttaja, James T., Panttaja, Mary G., Ranney, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs, Lashonda
• Application Number:
  US12/253,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20090168760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355

Abstract

A method for progressively synchronizing stored copies of indexed media transmitted between nodes on a network. The method includes progressively transmitting available indexed media from a sending node to a receiving node with a packet size and packetization interval sufficient to enable the near real-time rendering of the indexed media, wherein the near real-time rendering of the indexed media provides a recipient with an experience of reviewing the transmitted media live. At the receiving node, the transmitted indexed media is progressively receive and any indexed media that is not already locally stored at the receiving node is noted. The receiving node further continually generates and transmits to the sending node requests as needed for the noted indexed media. In response, the sending node transmits the noted indexed media to the receiving node. Both the sending node and the receiving node store the indexed media. As a result, both the sending node and the receiving node each have synchronized copies of the indexed media.

Claims

1. A method for progressively synchronizing stored copies of voice media transmitted over a network during a conversation that may be selectively conducted in a real-time mode and in a time-shifted mode, comprising:

(a) progressively receiving voice media transmitted from a sending node to a receiving node as the voice media is persistently stored at the sending node, the voice media transmitted with a packet size and packetization interval sufficient to enable the near real-time rendering of the voice media;

(b) progressively and persistently storing the transmitted voice media at the receiving node as the voice media is received;

(c) noting any voice media that was transmitted but not received and persistently stored at the receiving node;

(d) generating requests as needed for any noted voice media;

(e) receiving retransmissions of the noted voice media from the sending node to the receiving node in response to the requests;

(f) repeating (d) and (e) until the sending node and the receiving node each have complete copies of the voice media maintained in persistent storage; and

(g) selectively rendering the transmitted voice media at the receiving node either in the real-time mode as the voice media is received over the network or out of persistent storage in the time-shifted mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the receiving node of the voice media available for transmission.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the notification occurs either (i) prior to or (ii) substantially concurrent with the transmission.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein notifying the receiving node of the availability of the voice media available for transmission further comprises one of the following:

(i) receiving the available voice media transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node, whereby the notification occurs by virtue of the receipt of the transmission;

(ii) when the sending node logs onto the network;

(iii) each time the receiving node receives voice media from the sending node;

(iv) periodic notifications received by the receiving node from the sending node;

(v) the receiving node periodically asks the sending node for the status of voice media to be transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node;

(vi) the sending node sends to the receiving node a synchronization update message;

or

(vii) any combination of (i) through (vi).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

progressively encoding the voice media in an indexed format as the voice media is being created; and

progressively and persistently storing the encoded voice media at the sending node in the indexed format as the encoded voice media is progressively transmitted to the receiving node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending node comprises a communication device, the communication device consisting of one of the following:

land-line phone, wireless phone, cellular phone, satellite phone, computer, radio, server, satellite radio, tactical radio or tactical phone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving node comprises a communication device, the communication device consisting of one of the following:

land-line phone, wireless phone, cellular phone, satellite phone, computer, radio, server, satellite radio, tactical radio or tactical phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending node is a server hop on the network, between a node where the voice media was created and the recipient.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving node is a server hop on the network between a node where the voice media was originated created and the recipient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving node and the sending node are first and second server hops on the network respectively.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein either the sending node or the receiving node is a server on the network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein noting any voice media that was transmitted but not received and persistently stored further comprises:

checking the voice media received at the receiving node from the sending node;

noting missing, corrupted or reduced bit rate representations of the voice media as the media is received at the receiving node;

maintaining a data store at the receiving node for the noted voice media; and

removing the noted voice media from the data store as the noted media is received at the receiving node.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein generating requests as needed for any noted media that is not already locally stored at the receiving node further comprises:

scanning the data quality store;

generating receipt reports, the receipt reports including requests for retransmission of the voice media noted in the data store; and

transmitting the receipt reports from the receiving node to the sending node.

14. The method claim 1, further comprising receiving and persistently storing at the receiving node, in addition to the voice media, one or more of the following types of media:

video, text, sensor data, position or GPS information, radio signals, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the persistently stored voice media at the sending node and the receiving node is synchronized when the sending node and the receiving node each have complete copies of the voice media.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein persistently storing means at least one of the following:

(i) storage at the receiving node beyond what is needed to render the voice media in real-time as the voice media is received;

(ii) storage at the sending beyond what is needed to transmitted the voice media in real-time as the voice media is transmitted;

or

(iii) both (i) and (ii).

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice media is synchronized when the sending node and the receiving node each have persistently stored complete copies of the voice media as originally encoded when created.

18. A system for progressively synchronizing stored copies of voice media transmitted over a network during a conversation that may be selectively conducted in a real-time mode and in a time-shifted mode, the system comprising:

(a) a receiver element at a receiving node configured to progressively receive voice media transmitted from a sending node to the receiving node as the voice media is persistently stored at the sending node, the voice media transmitted with a packet size and packetization interval sufficient to enable the near real-time rendering of the voice media;

(b) a storage element at the receiving node configured to progressively and persistently store the transmitted voice media at the receiving node as the voice media is received;

(c) a notation element at the receiving node configured to note any voice media that was transmitted but not received and persistently stored at the receiving node;

(d) a request generator element at the receiving node configured to generate retransmission requests as needed for voice media noted by the notation element, the request generator element generating the retransmission requests until the sending node and the receiving node, in response to retransmissions, each have complete copies of the voice media maintained in persistent storage; and

(e) a render element at the receiving node configured to selectively render the transmitted voice media (i) as the voice media is received over the network in the real-time mode and (ii) out of persistent storage at an arbitrary later time after the voice media was received in the time-shifted mode.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiving node is notified of the voice media available for transmission by the sending node.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the notification occurs either (i) prior to or (ii) substantially concurrent with the transmission.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the notification comprises one of the following:

(i) receiving the available voice media transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node, whereby the notification occurs by virtue of the receipt of the transmission;

(ii) when the sending node logs onto the network;

(iii) each time the receiving node receives voice media from the sending node;

(iv) periodic notifications received by the receiving node from the sending node;

(v) the receiving node periodically asks the sending node for the status of voice media to be transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node;

(vi) the sending node sends to the receiving node a synchronization update message;

or

(vii) any combination of (i) through (vi).

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the voice media is persistently stored in an indexed format at both the sending node and the receiving node.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the sending node comprises a communication device, the communication device consisting of one of the following:

land-line phone, wireless phone, cellular phone, satellite phone, computer, radio, server, satellite radio, tactical radio or tactical phone.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiving node comprises a communication device, the communication device consisting of one of the following:

land-line phone, wireless phone, cellular phone, satellite phone, computer, radio, server, satellite radio, tactical radio or tactical phone.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein sending node is a server hop on the network between a node where the voice media was created and a recipient.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiving node is a server hop on the network between a node where the voice media was created and a recipient.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiving node and the sending node are first and second servers hops on the network respectively.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein either the sending node or the receiving node is a server on the network.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the notation element notes any voice media that was transmitted but not received and persistently stored at the receiving node by:

checking the voice media received at the receiving node from the sending node;

noting missing, corrupted or reduced bit rate representations of the voice media as the voice media is received at the receiving node;

maintaining a data store at the receiving node for the noted voice media; and

removing the noted voice media from the data store as the noted media is received at the receiving node.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the request generator element is configured to generate the requests as needed for any voice media noted by the notation element by:

scanning the data store;

generating receipt reports, the receipt reports including requests for retransmission of the media noted in the data store; and

transmitting the receipt reports from the receiving node to the sending node.

31. The system claim 18, wherein the receiving node is further configured to receive and persistently store, in addition to the voice media, one or more of the following types of media:

video, text, sensor data, position or GPS information, radio signals, or a combination thereof.

32. The system of claim 18, further comprising synchronizing in substantially real-time the persistently stored voice media at the sending node and the receiving node.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein persistently storing at the receiving node means storage beyond what is needed to render the voice media in real-time as the voice media is received.

34. The system of claim 18, wherein persistently storing at the sending node means storage beyond what is needed to transmitted the voice media in real-time as the voice media is transmitted.

35. The system of claim 18, wherein the persistently stored voice media at the sending node and the receiving node is synchronized when the sending node and the receiving node each have complete copies of the voice media.

36. The system of claim 18, wherein persistently storing means at least one of the following:

(i) storage at the receiving node beyond what is needed to render the voice media in real-time as the voice media is received;

(ii) storage at the sending beyond what is needed to transmitted the voice media in real-time as the voice media is transmitted;

or

(iii) both (i) and (ii).

37. The system of claim 18, wherein the voice media is synchronized when the sending node and the receiving node each have persistently stored complete copies of the voice media as originally encoded when created.

38. An application embedded in a non-transitory computer readable medium and intended to run on a receiving node connected to a network, the application comprising:

(a) a receiver module configured to progressively receive voice media transmitted from a sending node to the receiving node to the receiving node as the voice media is created and persistently stored at the sending node, the voice media transmitted with a packet size and packetization interval sufficient to enable the near real-time rendering of the voice media;

(b) a storage module configured to progressively and persistently store the transmitted voice media at the receiving node as the voice media is received;

(c) a notation module configured to note any voice media that was transmitted but not received and persistently stored at the receiving node;

(d) a request generator module configured to generate retransmission requests as needed for voice media noted by the notation module, the request generator module generating the retransmission requests until the sending node and the receiving node, in response to retransmissions, each have complete copies of the voice media maintained in persistent storage; and

(e) a render module configured to selectively render the transmitted voice media (i) as the voice media is received over the network in the real-time mode and (ii) out of persistent storage in the time-shifted mode.

39. The application of claim 38, wherein the receiving module is notified of the voice media available for transmission by the sending node.

40. The application of claim 39, wherein the notification occurs either (i) prior to or (ii) substantially concurrent with the transmission.

41. The application of claim 39, wherein the notification comprises one of the following:

(i) receiving the available voice media transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node, whereby the notification occurs by virtue of the receipt of the transmission;

(ii) when the sending node logs onto the network;

(iii) each time the receiving node receives voice media from the sending node;

(iv) periodic notifications received by the receiving node from the sending node;

(v) the receiving node periodically asks the sending node for the status of voice media to be transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node;

(vi) the sending node sends to the receiving node a synchronization update message;

or

(vii) any combination of (i) through (vi).

42. The application of claim 38, wherein the voice media is persistently stored in an indexed format by the storage module.

43. The application of claim 38, wherein the receiving node running the application comprises a communication device, the communication device consisting of one of the following:

land-line phone, wireless phone, cellular phone, satellite phone, computer, radio, server, satellite radio, tactical radio or tactical phone.

44. The application of claim 38, wherein the receiving node running the application is a server hop on the network between a node where the voice media was created and a recipient.

45. The application of claim 38, wherein the notation module notes any voice media that was transmitted but not received and persistently stored at the receiving node by:

checking the voice media received at the receiving node from the sending node;

noting missing, corrupted or reduced bit rate representations of the voice media as the voice media is received at the receiving node;

maintaining a data store at the receiving node for the noted voice media; and

removing the noted voice media from the data store as the noted media is received at the receiving node.

46. The application of claim 45, wherein the request generator module is configured to generate the requests as needed for any voice media noted by the notation element by:

scanning the data store;

generating receipt reports, the receipt reports including requests for retransmission of the media noted in the data store; and

transmitting the receipt reports from the receiving node to the sending node.

47. The application claim 38, wherein the receiver module is further configured to receive and persistently store, in addition to the voice media, one or more of the following types of media:

video, text, sensor data, position or GPS information, radio signals, or a combination thereof.

48. The application of claim 38, wherein persistently storing at the receiving node means storage beyond what is needed to render the voice media in real-time as the voice media is received.

49. The application of claim 38, wherein persistently storing at the sending node means storage beyond what is needed to transmitted the voice media in real-time as the voice media is transmitted.

50. The application of claim 38 wherein the persistently stored voice media at the sending node and the receiving node is synchronized when the sending node and the receiving node each have complete copies of the voice media.

51. The application of claim 38, wherein persistently storing means at least one of the following:

(i) storage at the receiving node beyond what is needed to render the voice media in real-time as the voice media is received;

(ii) storage at the sending beyond what is needed to transmitted the voice media in real-time as the voice media is transmitted;

or

(iii) both (i) and (ii).

52. The application of claim 38, wherein the voice media is synchronized when the sending node and the receiving node each have persistently stored complete copies of the voice media as originally encoded when created.