System and method of streaming data over a distributed infrastructure

• US 8,812,718 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Dawson, Christopher J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Waters, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGA, BRENDAN Y
• Application Number:
  US14/011,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20140025838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 709213-216, 709223-226, 709230-234, 725 86-104
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• 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: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method of streaming data in real time and, more particularly, a system and method of real time streaming of data over a grid network or other distributed infrastructure. The method and system includes updating a content directory of a root server with end resource information. The method and system further includes processing the end resource information to determine connection locations for streaming data to at least one requesting end resource in a network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

Updating a content directory of a root directory with information related to a connected end user resource receiving a stream of data in a network, the information associating the end user resource with a location in the network and one or more applications that are accessing the stream of data;

creating a hierarchy of end user resources as the end user resource is connected with a root server;

determining a connection location within the hierarchy of end user resources, including the root server, for receiving streaming data from the root server, the determining being based on the information in the content directory;

tagging each of the connected end user resources in the hierarchy with a value indicating a quality tier of the streamed data available from the respective end user resources, the value of each quality tier being determined based on a number of hops away that each of the connected end user resources is from the root server; and

updating the content directory with the quality tier of each of the connected end user resources is from the root server,

wherein at least the step of updating the content directory is performed using a processor of a computer device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchy is dynamically configured as the streamed data is broadcasting in real-time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the connected end resource.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the end resource sends a connection request command to the root server to request a particular data stream.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the connection request includes at least one of information on a level of quality that the end resource wishes to receive and amount of bandwidth that the end resource is willing to use up to receive the streamed data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the content directory is updated after authentication of the connected end resource.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the tagging is based on pieces of content received from the root directory or other end resource.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the end user resource receives the streamed data directly from the root server and is tagged as a first tier streaming resource and another of the end user resources receives the streamed data from the first tier streaming resource is tagged as a second tier streaming resource.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the end user resources is configured to act independently of one another.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the content directory is dynamically built, in real-time, as each of the end user resource connects to the root server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes information and/or characteristics of and associated with the end user resources, including:

listings of locations of connected end user resources;

data requested from the end user resources;

bandwidth requests and/or bandwidth capabilities of the end user resources;

quality of data which is requested to be received from the root server;

delays of the streamed data that the connected end user resources are receiving; and

listings of pieces of the streamed data that the connected end user resources are receiving from which of the connected end user resources.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising buffering a predetermined amount of content stream on the end user resources to provide content to other end user resources or to ensure that the content is not interrupted when a streaming server stops or pauses the streamed data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the end user resources are two or more end user resources which are dynamically created into a hierarchical set of streaming data resources as the streamed data is broadcast in real-time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the streamed data is streamed from the root server, one or more of the end user resources or a combination thereof based on the value of the quality tier of the streamed data available from the respective end user resources.

41. The method of claim 21, further comprising at least one of creating, maintaining and supporting a computer infrastructure that performs the steps of claim 1.

15. A system comprising:

a server having a database containing data associated with one or more end user resources and connection information, the data associating the one or more end user resources with a location in a network and one or more applications that are accessing a data stream; and

at least one of a hardware and software component for dynamically creating a data source hierarchy of the end user resources based on the data, the at least one of a hardware and software component providing connection locations to each of the end user resources that request access to the data stream, wherein each of the end user resources that request access to the data stream becomes part of the data source hierarchy, wherein;

the at least one of a hardware and software component;

tags each connected end user resource in the data source hierarchy with a hierarchy level designation indicating a quality tier of the streamed data available from the respective end user resources, the hierarchy level designation of each quality tier being based on a number of hops away that each connected end user resource is from a root server; and

updates the database with the quality tier of each connected end user resource is from the root server.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one of a hardware and software component resides on a server provided by a service provider.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the end user resource receiving the data stream directly from the root server is tagged as a first tier streaming resource and another of the end user resources receiving the data stream from the first tier streaming resource is tagged as a second tier streaming resource.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein:

each of the end user resources connects to at least one of the connection locations to receive the data stream; and

each of the end user resources connects to the root server to request access to the data stream when the at least one of the connections locations becomes unavailable.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device or memory having readable program code stored in the device or memory, the computer program product includes at least one component to:

update a content directory of a root server with end resource information of a plurality of end resources receiving a stream of data in a network, the end resource information associating each of the plurality of end resources with a location in the network and one or more applications that are accessing the streaming data;

process the end resource information by a first end resource included in the plurality of end resources to determine connection locations for accessing the stream of data;

stream the stream of data by the first end resource from one or more of the connection locations based on one or more types of the applications accessing the stream of data at the first end resource; and

tag the plurality of end resources with hierarchy level designations indicating a quality of the stream of data available from each of the plurality of end resources.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the at least one component is further configured to update the content directory each time a new connection is made to the root server or a triggering event occurs.

21. A method, comprising:

updating a content directory of a root server with end resource information of a plurality of end resources receiving a stream of data in a network, the end resource information associating each of the plurality of end resources with a location in the network and one or more applications that are accessing the streaming data;

processing the end resource information by a first end resource included in the plurality of end resources to determine connection locations for accessing the stream of data;

streaming the stream of data by the first end resource from one or more of the connection locations based on one or more types of the applications accessing the stream of data at the first end resource; and

tagging the plurality of end resources with hierarchy level designations indicating a quality of the stream of data available from each of the plurality of end resources.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising updating the content directory each time a new connection is made to the root server or a triggering event occurs.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein one of plurality of end resources is a streaming server, responsive to a request by another of the plurality of end resources.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the streaming server streams the streaming data to the another of the plurality of end resources over the network.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the streaming server is tagged with a first tag associated with a first tier streaming resource;

the another of the requesting end resources is tagged with a second tag associated with a second tier streaming resource; and

the first tag indicates higher quality data than the second tag.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising updating the content directory with new information concerning the streaming server including at least one of a tag type and a type of data which is streaming to the another of the requesting end resources.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of end resources is configured to act independently of one another.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the root server is designated as a master stream server for broadcasting the stream of data in real-time to the first end resource.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the content directory is dynamically built, in real-time, as the first end resource connects to the root server.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the end resource information includes information and/or characteristics of and associated with the first end resource.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the end resource information includes:

listings of locations of the plurality of end resources;

data requested from the first end resource;

bandwidth requests and/or bandwidth capabilities of the first end resource;

quality of data which is requested to be received from the root server;

delays of the streaming data that the plurality of end resources are receiving; and

listings of pieces of the streaming data that the plurality of end resources are receiving from which of the plurality of end resources.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein resource connection information is used by the first end resource to make a connection determination to the root server and/or another end resource.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the first end resource is at least one of:

data storage resources on a grid infrastructure, multiple end user machines running over the network, a server, in a client server relationship, a user workstation and a personal computer.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising buffering a predetermined amount of stream of data on the first end resource to provide content to other of the plurality of end resources or to ensure that the stream of data is not interrupted when a streaming server stops or pauses the stream of data.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein the first end resource is two or more requesting end resources which are dynamically created into a hierarchical set of streaming data resources as the stream of data is broadcast in real-time.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein the root server receives a request from the first end resource and the root server adds address information and broadcast requests of the first end resource into the content directory.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the stream of data is streamed to the first end resource from the root server, another one of the plurality of end resources or a combination thereof based on the quality of the available stream indicated by the hierarchy level designations of the plurality of end resources.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein initially there is only one streaming server, and as multiple new end resources request the stream of data, the root server provides information to the plurality of end resources for making a connection determination to any number of machines.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein the first end resource obtains pieces of the stream of data from the root server, one or more of the plurality of end resources, or a combination thereof.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first end resource locally recombines the pieces into the stream of data.

42. The method of claim 21, wherein a service provider, on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis, provides the updating and/or processing.

43. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the first end resource connects to the at least one of the connection locations to receive the stream of data; and

the first end resource connects to the root server to request access to the stream of data when the at least one of the connection locations becomes unavailable.

44. The method of claim 21, further comprising updating the content directory of the root server with the end resource information when a triggering event occurs, the triggering event comprising a pause event of the stream of data at the first end resource.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

tagging the first end resource with a tier 1 tag when the first end resource receives the stream of data from the root server; and

tagging the first end resource with a tier 2 tag when the first end resource receives the stream of data from at least one other requesting end resource which receives the streaming data from the root server.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising processing the end resource information to determine the connection locations for streaming the stream of data to the first end resource in the network when the first end resource which streams the stream of data to the at least one requesting end resource, becomes unavailable for a pause event of the stream of data at the at least one other requesting end resource.

47. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the end resource information includes;

listings of locations of connected requesting end resources;

data requested from the at least one requesting end resource;

bandwidth requests and/or bandwidth capabilities of the at least one requesting end resource;

quality of data which is requested to be received from the root server;

delays of the streaming data that the connected requesting end resources are receiving; and

listings of pieces of the streaming data that the connected requesting end resources are receiving from which of the connected requesting end resources; and

the streaming the stream of data by the first end resource from one or more of the connection locations comprises;

requesting an audio piece of the stream of data from a first of the one or more connection locations based on a first tag associated with the a first of the one or more connection locations; and

requesting a video piece of the stream of data from a second one of the one or more connection locations based on a second tag associated with the a second of the one or more connection locations,

wherein;

the first tag is associated with higher quality data than the second tag, and

one or more of the plurality of end resources are tagged with more than one hierarchy level designation corresponding to different pieces of the stream of data being streamed to other ones of the plurality of end resources.