Telecommunication and multimedia management method and apparatus

• US 8,321,581 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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): BATES, KEVIN T
• Application Number:
  US12/192,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 709/234, 709/235, 709/240, 379/93.08
• US Class Current: 709/234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• 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 65/4053 without floor control
• 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 reliably transferring media over a network from a sending node to a receiving node. The method includes ascertaining at the sending node if the media to be transmitted is either time-sensitive or not time-sensitive. For media ascertained as non time-sensitive, the media is transmitted by adjusting the rate of transmission at the sending node based on network conditions. As the non time-sensitive media is received, the receiving node generates one or more low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing non time-sensitive media lost during the transmission. The method also includes transmitting the time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node. As the time-sensitive media is received, the receiving node ascertains if a predetermined acceptable network transmission loss level is met. If met, the receiving node generates one or more low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing time-sensitive media lost during transmission. The sending node retransmits the missing time-sensitive and non time-sensitive media in response to the low priority requests when bandwidth on the network becomes available in excess of what is needed for the transmission of time-sensitive media.

Claims

1. A method for transferring media over a network, comprising:

ascertaining at a sending node if media to be transmitted over a network to a receiving node is either time-sensitive or not time-sensitive, the time-sensitivity of the media based on if a recipient is reviewing the media upon receipt;

transmitting the non time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node;

adjusting the rate of transmission of the non time-sensitive media at the sending node based on network conditions;

receiving at the sending node from the receiving node one or more first low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing non time-sensitive media lost during the transmission;

transmitting the time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node;

receiving at the sending node from the receiving node one or more second low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing time-sensitive media lost during transmission if a predetermined network transmission loss threshold is not exceeded such that the quality of the received time-sensitive media is decipherable upon receipt; and

retransmitting the missing time-sensitive media and the non time-sensitive media in response to the first and second low priority requests when bandwidth on the network becomes available in excess of what is needed for the transmission of time-sensitive media.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the sending node from the receiving node one or more high priority requests for the retransmission of any missing time-sensitive media lost during the transmission if the predetermined network transmission loss threshold is exceeded; and

retransmitting the missing time-sensitive media corresponding to the high priority requests as the high priority requests are received.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

noting any missing media as the non time-sensitive and the time-sensitive media is received at the receiving node; and

maintaining a data quality store at the receiving node for the media noted as missing.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more low priority request for the retransmission of the missing non time-sensitive media are generated by:

scanning the data quality store;

ascertaining the not time-sensitive media noted in the data quality store; and

generating and transmitting to the sending node one or more receipt reports, each of the receipt reports including the low priority request for the retransmission of the noted missing not time-sensitive media.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more low priority requests for the retransmission of the noted missing time-sensitive media are generated by:

scanning the data quality store;

ascertaining the time-sensitive media noted in the data quality store; and

generating and transmitting to the sending node one or more receipt reports, each of the receipt reports including the low priority request for retransmission of the noted missing time-sensitive media when the predetermined network transmission loss threshold is not exceeded.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more high priority requests for the retransmission of the missing time-sensitive media are generated by:

scanning the data quality store;

ascertaining the time-sensitive media noted in the data quality store; and

generating and transmitting to the sending node one or more receipt reports, each of the receipt reports including the high priority request for retransmission of the noted missing time-sensitive media when the predetermined network transmission loss threshold is exceeded.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising continually removing the notation of the missing media from the data quality store as the noted media is received at the receiving node as the requests for retransmission are fulfilled.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprises prioritizing the retransmission of the time-sensitive media in response to the high priority requests over the transmission of the time-sensitive media.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the rate of transmission of the non time-sensitive media further comprises:

continuously ascertaining available bandwidth on the network;

setting a packetization interval for transmitting packets of the media ascertained as not time-sensitive for network efficiency and adjusting the rate at which the packets are transmitted based on the ascertained available bandwidth,

whereby the adjusted rate of transmission of the media ascertained as not time-sensitive is set for network efficiency and reliable delivery relative to the timeliness of the delivery of the media ascertained as time-sensitive.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the continuously ascertained bandwidth is the instantaneous maximum bandwidth on the network in excess of what is needed for the transmission of media ascertained as time-sensitive.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node further comprises:

ascertaining available bandwidth on the network when the time-sensitive media is to be transmitted;

ascertaining if the available bandwidth is sufficient to transmit a full bit representation of the time-sensitive media at a bit rate sufficient for the full bit rate representation of the media to be reviewed upon receipt, where the full bit representation is derived from when the media was originally encoded; and

either;

(i) transmitting the full bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media if the available bandwidth on the network is sufficient;

or

(ii) transmitting a reduced bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media if the available bandwidth on the network is insufficient, the reduced bit rate representation of the media enhancing the ability of the recipient to review the media ascertained as time-sensitive upon receipt when the available bandwidth on the network is insufficient for transmitting the full bit rate representation.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating the reduced bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media further comprises using fewer bits per unit of time when packetizing the reduced bit rate representation of the media relative to the full bit rate representation of the media.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the reduced bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media further comprises using (a) one or more different codec settings, (b) one or more different codecs, (c) a compression algorithm;

or (d) any combination of (a) through (c) when packetizing the media for transmission.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating the reduced bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media by increasing the packetization interval.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating the reduced bit rate representation of the media by adjusting the rate at which packets containing the time-sensitive media are transmitted.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating the reduced bit rate representation of the media by performing one or more of the following:

(i) using fewer bits per unit of time when packetizing the reduced bit rate representation of the media relative to the full bit rate representation of the media;

(ii) increasing the packetization interval when transmitting the time-sensitive media;

(iii) adjusting the rate at which packets containing the time-sensitive media are transmitted;

or

(iv) any combination of (i) through (iii).

17. The method of claim 1, wherein retransmitting the missing time-sensitive media in response to the low priority requests further comprises deferring the retransmission of the missing time-sensitive media until bandwidth on the network in excess of what is needed for the transmission of any time-sensitive media becomes available.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the transmission of the time-sensitive media over the retransmission of the missing time-sensitive media corresponding to the low priority requests for retransmission.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the transmission of the time-sensitive media over the retransmission of the missing non time-sensitive media in response to the low priority requests for retransmission.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising simultaneously transmitting the time-sensitive media and the non time-sensitive media when both types of media are available for transmission and the bandwidth on the network is sufficient to support the transmission of both types of media.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the transmission and the retransmission of the time-sensitive media over the transmission of the non-time sensitive media when both types of media are available for transmission.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the media is ascertained as time-sensitive when the recipient has indicated an intention to review the media as it is created and received over the network in a near real-time mode.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the media is ascertained as time-sensitive when the recipient retrieves the media from a remote storage location on the network and the recipient has indicated an intent to immediately review the media upon receipt.

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the media is locally generated at the sending node.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending node is a hop on the network between a remote device transmitting the media and the receiving node.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving node is a hop on the network between the sending node and the recipient.

29. The method claim 1, wherein the media further comprises one or more of the following types of media:

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

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient of the transmitted media is a person.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient of the transmitted media is a service running on a device connected to the network.

32. A communication application embedded in a non-transitory computer readable medium and intended to run on a sending node connected to a network, the application comprising:

a media module configured to ascertain at the sending node if media to be transmitted over the network to a receiving node is either time-sensitive or not time-sensitive, the time-sensitivity of the media based on if a recipient is to render the media immediately upon receipt;

a transmission module configured to transmit the non time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node and to adjust the rate of transmission of the non time-sensitive media at the sending node based on network conditions; and

a retransmission receipt-request module configured to receive at the sending node from the receiving node one or more first low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing non time-sensitive media lost during the transmission;

the transmission module further configured to transmit the time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node;

the retransmission receipt-request module further configured to receive at the sending node from the receiving node one or more second low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing time-sensitive media lost during transmission when a predetermined network transmission loss threshold is not exceeded such that the quality of the received time-sensitive media is decipherable upon receipt;

the transmission module further configured to retransmit the missing time-sensitive media and the non time-sensitive media in response to the first and second low priority requests when bandwidth on the network becomes available in excess of what is needed for the transmission of time-sensitive media.

33. The application of claim 32, wherein the retransmission receipt-request module is further configured to receive from the receiving node one or more high priority requests for the retransmission of any missing time-sensitive media lost during the transmission when the predetermined network transmission loss threshold is exceeded.

34. The application of claim 33, wherein the transmission module is further configured to prioritize the retransmission of the time-sensitive media in response to the high priority requests over the transmission of the time-sensitive media and the non time-sensitive media.

35. The application of claim 32, wherein the transmission module adjusts the rate of transmission of the non time-sensitive media by:

continuously ascertaining available bandwidth on the network;

setting a packetization interval for transmitting packets of the media ascertained as not time-sensitive for network efficiency and adjusting the rate at which the packets are transmitted based on the ascertained available bandwidth,

whereby the adjusted rate of transmission of the media ascertained as not time-sensitive is set for network efficiency and reliable delivery relative to the timeliness of the delivery of the media ascertained as time-sensitive.

36. The application of claim 32, wherein the transmission module is further configured to transmit the time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node by:

ascertaining available bandwidth on the network when the time-sensitive media is to be transmitted;

ascertaining if the available bandwidth is sufficient to transmit a full bit representation of the time-sensitive media at a bit rate sufficient for the full bit rate representation of the media to be rendered upon receipt, where the full bit representation is derived from when the media was originally encoded; and

either;

(i) transmitting the full bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media if the available bandwidth on the network is sufficient;

or

(ii) transmitting a reduced bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media if the available bandwidth on the network is insufficient, the reduced bit rate representation of the media enhancing the ability of the recipient to review the media ascertained as time-sensitive upon receipt when the available bandwidth on the network is insufficient for transmitting the full bit rate representation.

37. The application of claim 36, wherein the transmission module is further configured to generate the reduced bit rate representation of the media by performing one or more of the following:

(i) using fewer bits per unit of time when packetizing the reduced bit rate representation of the media relative to the full bit rate representation of the media;

(ii) increasing the packetization interval when transmitting the time-sensitive media;

(iii) adjusting the rate at which packets containing the time-sensitive media are transmitted;

or

(iv) any combination of (i) through (iii).

38. The application of claim 32, wherein the transmission module is further configured to defer the retransmission of the missing time-sensitive media until bandwidth on the network in excess of what is needed for the transmission of time-sensitive media becomes available.

39. The application of claim 32, wherein the transmission module is further configured to prioritize the transmission of the time-sensitive media over the retransmission of the missing time-sensitive media corresponding to the low priority requests for retransmission.

40. The application of claim 32, wherein the transmission module is further configured to simultaneously transmit the time-sensitive media and the non time-sensitive media when both types of media are available for transmission and the bandwidth on the network is sufficient to support the transmission of both types of media.

41. The application of claim 32, wherein the transmission module is further configured to prioritize the transmission and the retransmission of the time-sensitive media over the transmission of the non-time sensitive media when both types of media are available for transmission.

42. The application of claim 32, wherein the sending node intended to run the application comprises one of the following:

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

43. The application claim 32, wherein the media further comprises one or more of the following types of media:

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

44. A sending node connected to a network, the sending node comprising:

a central processing unit and a memory;

a media element configured to ascertain at the sending node if media to be transmitted over the network to a receiving node is either time-sensitive or not time-sensitive, the time-sensitivity of the media based on if a recipient is to render the media immediately upon receipt;

a transmission element configured to transmit the non time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node and to adjust the rate of transmission of the non time-sensitive media at the sending node based on network conditions; and

a retransmission receipt-request element configured to receive at the sending node from the receiving node one or more first low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing non time-sensitive media lost during the transmission;

the transmission element further configured to transmit the time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node;

the retransmission receipt-request element further configured to receive at the sending node from the receiving node one or more second low priority requests for the retransmission of any missing time-sensitive media lost during transmission when a predetermined network transmission loss threshold is not exceeded such that the quality of the received time-sensitive media is decipherable upon receipt;

the transmission element further configured to retransmit the missing time-sensitive media and the non time-sensitive media in response to the first and second low priority requests when bandwidth on the network becomes available in excess of what is needed for the transmission of time-sensitive media.

45. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the retransmission receipt-request element is further configured to receive from the receiving node one or more high priority requests for the retransmission of any missing time-sensitive media lost during the transmission when the predetermined network transmission loss threshold is exceeded.

46. The sending node of claim 45, wherein the transmission element is further configured to prioritize the retransmission of the time-sensitive media in response to the high priority requests over the transmission of the time-sensitive media and the non time-sensitive media.

47. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the transmission element adjusts the rate of transmission of the non time-sensitive media by:

continuously ascertaining available bandwidth on the network;

setting a packetization interval for transmitting packets of the media ascertained as not time-sensitive for network efficiency and adjusting the rate at which the packets are transmitted based on the ascertained available bandwidth,

whereby the adjusted rate of transmission of the media ascertained as not time-sensitive is set for network efficiency and reliable delivery relative to the timeliness of the delivery of the media ascertained as time-sensitive.

48. The sending mode of claim 44, wherein the transmission element is further configured to transmit the time-sensitive media from the sending node to the receiving node by:

ascertaining available bandwidth on the network when the time-sensitive media is to be transmitted;

ascertaining if the available bandwidth is sufficient to transmit a full bit representation of the time-sensitive media at a bit rate sufficient for the full bit rate representation of the media to be rendered upon receipt, where the full bit representation is derived from when the media was originally encoded; and

either;

(i) transmitting the full bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media if the available bandwidth on the network is sufficient;

or

(ii) transmitting a reduced bit rate representation of the time-sensitive media if the available bandwidth on the network is insufficient, the reduced bit rate representation of the media enhancing the ability of the recipient to review the media ascertained as time-sensitive upon receipt when the available bandwidth on the network is insufficient for transmitting the full bit rate representation.

49. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the transmission element is further configured to generate the reduced bit rate representation of the media by performing one or more of the following:

(i) using fewer bits per unit of time when packetizing the reduced bit rate representation of the media relative to the full bit rate representation of the media;

(ii) increasing the packetization interval when transmitting the time-sensitive media;

(iii) adjusting the rate at which packets containing the time-sensitive media are transmitted;

or

(iv) any combination of (i) through (iii).

50. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the transmission element is further configured to defer the retransmission of the missing time-sensitive media until bandwidth on the network in excess of what is needed for the transmission of time-sensitive media becomes available.

51. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the transmission element is further configured to prioritize the transmission of the time-sensitive media over the retransmission of the missing time-sensitive media corresponding to the low priority requests for retransmission.

52. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the transmission element is further configured to simultaneously transmit the time-sensitive media and the non time-sensitive media when both types of media are available for transmission and the bandwidth on the network is sufficient to support the transmission of both types of media.

53. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the transmission element is further configured to prioritize the transmission and the retransmission of the time-sensitive media over the transmission of the non-time sensitive media when both types of media are available for transmission.

54. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the sending node comprises one of the following:

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

55. The sending node of claim 44, wherein the media further comprises one or more of the following types of media:

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