Remote communication system, server apparatus, remote communication method, and program

• US 9,553,815 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ozawa, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Chery, Dady
• Application Number:
  US14/419,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20150195208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/235, 370351-358
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks

Abstract

A server apparatus recognizes start of a voice call including the first terminal based on an operation signal received from the first terminal. The server apparatus allows a packet storing voice data to go through to the first terminal when the packet is received from a second terminal connected via the network in a case where start of the voice call is recognized. The server apparatus estimates a bandwidth of the network based on a first response packet sent from the first terminal in response to a packet sent to the first terminal, calculates a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth, and notifies the first terminal of the calculated bit rate. The first terminal switches a bit rate of the voice call according to the notified bit rate.

Claims

1. A server apparatus, comprising:

a control unit that recognizes start of a voice call including a first terminal connected via a network based on an operation signal received from the first terminal;

a packet through unit that allows a packet storing voice data to go through to the first terminal when the packet is received from a second terminal connected via the network in a case where start of the voice call is recognized;

an estimation unit that estimates a bandwidth of the network based on a first response packet sent from the first terminal in response to a packet sent to the first terminal, calculates a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth, and notifies the first terminal of the calculated bit rate; and

the first response packet includes first information indicating a data size included in a packet sent from the server apparatus to the first terminal, a time when the first terminal receives the packet, and a data size included in the first response packet.

2. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit recognizes start of the voice call when the operation signal is a signal for launching an application for the voice call on a virtual client provided in the server apparatus.

3. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the estimation unit estimates a bandwidth in a downlink direction from the server apparatus to the first terminal based on the first information, and estimates a bandwidth in an uplink direction from the first terminal to the server apparatus based on the first information and a time when the server apparatus receives the first response packet.

4. The server apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the estimation unit calculates a bit rate of the voice call in the downlink direction from the server apparatus to the first terminal according to the bandwidth in the downlink direction from the server apparatus to the first terminal and notifies the first terminal of the calculated bit rate of the voice call in the downlink direction, and

the estimation unit calculates a bit rate of the voice call in the uplink direction from the first terminal to the server apparatus according to the bandwidth in the uplink direction from the first terminal to the server apparatus and notifies the first terminal of the calculated bit rate of the voice call in the uplink direction.

8. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the estimation unit notifies the calculated bit rate based on CMR (Codec Mode Request) or SDP (Session Description Protocol).

5. A server apparatus, comprising:

a control unit that recognizes a start of a voice call including a first terminal connected via a network based on an operation signal received from the first terminal;

a packet through unit that allows a packet storing voice data to go through to the first terminal when the packet is received from a second terminal connected via the network in a case where start of the voice call is recognized; and

an estimation unit that;

estimates a bandwidth of the network based on a first response packet sent from the first terminal in response to a packet sent to the first terminal,

calculates a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth, and

notifies the first terminal of the calculated bit rate, wherein

the packet through unit allows a packet storing voice data to go through to the second terminal when receiving the packet from the first terminal in a case where start of the voice call is recognized,

the estimation unit estimates a bandwidth of the network based on a second response packet sent from the second terminal in response to a packet sent to the second terminal, calculates a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth, and notifies the second terminal of the calculated bit rate, and

the second response packet includes second information indicating a data size included in a packet sent from the server apparatus to the second terminal, a time when the second terminal receives the packet, and a data size included in the second response packet.

6. The server apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the estimation unit estimates a bandwidth in a downlink direction from the server apparatus to the second terminal based on the second information, and estimates the bandwidth in an uplink direction from the second terminal to the server apparatus based on the second information and a time when the server apparatus receives the second response packet.

7. The server apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the estimation unit calculates a bit rate of the voice call in the downlink direction from the server apparatus to the second terminal according to the bandwidth in the downlink direction from the server apparatus to the second terminal and notifies the second terminal of the calculated bit rate of the voice call in the downlink direction, and

the estimation unit calculates a bit rate of the voice call in the uplink direction from the second terminal to the server apparatus according to the bandwidth in the uplink direction from the second terminal to the server apparatus and notifies the second terminal of the calculated bit rate of the voice call in the uplink direction.

9. A remote communication system, comprising:

a server apparatus; and

a first terminal connected to the server apparatus via a network, wherein

the server apparatus comprises;

a control unit that recognizes start of a voice call including the first terminal based on an operation signal received from the first terminal;

a packet through unit that allows a packet storing voice data to go through to the first terminal when the packet is received from a second terminal connected via the network in a case where start of the voice call is recognized; and

an estimation unit that estimates a bandwidth of the network based on a first response packet sent from the first terminal in response to a packet sent to the first terminal, calculates a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth, and notifies the first terminal of the calculated bit rate, wherein the first response packet includes first information indicating a data size included in a packet sent from the server apparatus to the first terminal, a time when the first terminal receives the packet, and a data size included in the first response packet, and

the first terminal switches a bit rate of the voice call according to the notified bit rate.

10. A remote communication method, comprising:

by a computer, recognizing start of a voice call including a first terminal connected via a network based on an operation signal received from the first terminal;

allowing a packet storing voice data to go through to the first terminal when the packet is received from a second terminal connected via the network in a case where start of the voice call is recognized;

estimating a bandwidth of the network based on a first response packet sent from the first terminal in response to a packet sent to the first terminal, wherein the first response packet includes first information indicating a data size included in a packet sent from the server apparatus to the first terminal, a time when the first terminal receives the packet, and a data size included in the first response packet; and

calculating a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth and notifying the first terminal of the calculated bit rate.

11. The remote communication method according to claim 10, wherein

the computer recognizes start of the voice call when the operation signal is a signal for launching an application for the voice call on a virtual client provided in the server apparatus.

12. The remote communication method according to claim 10, wherein

the computer estimates a bandwidth in a downlink direction from the server apparatus to the first terminal based on the first information, and estimates a bandwidth in an uplink direction from the first terminal to the server apparatus based on the first information and a time when the server apparatus receives the first response packet.

13. The remote communication method according to claim 12, comprising:

by the computer, calculating a bit rate of the voice call in the downlink direction from the server apparatus to the first terminal according to the bandwidth in the downlink direction from the server apparatus to the first terminal and notifying the first terminal of the calculated bit rate of the voice call in the downlink direction; and

calculating a bit rate of the voice call in the uplink direction from the first terminal to the server apparatus according to the bandwidth in the uplink direction from the first terminal to the server apparatus and notifying the first terminal of the calculated bit rate of the voice call in the uplink direction.

14. The remote communication method according to claim 10, comprising:

by the computer, allowing a packet storing voice data to go through to the second terminal when the packet is received from the first terminal in a case where start of the voice call is recognized;

estimating a bandwidth of the network based on a second response packet sent from the second terminal in response to a packet sent to the second terminal, wherein the second response packet includes second information indicating a data size included in a packet sent from the server apparatus to the second terminal, a time when the second terminal receives the packet, and a data size included in the second response packet; and

calculating a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth and notifying the second terminal of the calculated bit rate.

15. The remote communication method according to claim 14, wherein

the computer estimates a bandwidth in a downlink direction from the server apparatus to the second terminal based on the second information, and estimates a bandwidth in an uplink direction from the second terminal to the server apparatus based on the second information and a time when the server apparatus receives the second response packet.

16. The remote communication method according to claim 15, comprising:

by the computer, calculating a bit rate of the voice call in the downlink direction from the server apparatus to the second terminal according to the bandwidth in the downlink direction from the server apparatus to the second terminal and notifying the second terminal of the calculated bit rate of the voice call in the downlink direction; and

calculating a bit rate of the voice call in the uplink direction from the second terminal to the server apparatus according to the bandwidth in the uplink direction from the second terminal to the server apparatus and notifying the second terminal of the calculated bit rate of the voice call in the uplink direction.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, storing a program that cause a computer to execute:

recognizing start of a voice call including a first terminal connected to the computer via a network based on an operation signal received from the first terminal;

allowing a packet storing voice data to go through to the first terminal when the packet is received from a second terminal connected via the network in a case where start of the voice call is recognized;

estimating a bandwidth of the network based on a first response packet sent from the first terminal in response to a packet sent to the first terminal, wherein the first response packet includes first information indicating a data size included in a packet sent from the server apparatus to the first terminal, a time when the first terminal receives the packet, and a data size included in the first response packet; and

calculating a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth and notifying the first terminal of the calculated bit rate.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein

the program causes the computer to execute recognizing start of the voice call when the operation signal is a signal for launching an application for the voice call on a virtual client provided in the server apparatus.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein

the program causes the computer to execute estimating a bandwidth in a downlink direction from the server apparatus to the first terminal based on the first information, and estimating a bandwidth in an uplink direction from the first terminal to the server apparatus based on the first information and a time when the server apparatus receives the first response packet.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein

the program causes the computer to execute:

allowing a packet storing voice data to go through to the second terminal when the packet is received from the first terminal in a case where start of the voice call is recognized;

estimating a bandwidth of the network based on a second response packet sent from the second terminal in response to a packet sent to the second terminal, wherein the second response packet includes second information indicating a data size included in a packet sent from the server apparatus to the second terminal, a time when the second terminal receives the packet, and a data size included in the second response packet; and

calculating a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth and notifying the second terminal of the calculated bit rate.