Organic data network having a dynamic topology

• US 20020116492A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nonend Inventions, N.V.
• Original Assignee: Nonend Inventions, N.V.
• Inventors: Oldenborgh, Marc Van, Gnirrep, Martijn
• Granted Patent: US 7,065,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, comprising

a data processing unit,

at least one data connection to a data network to which several devices provided with a data processing unit are connected by means of a data connection, and

software having

a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting device in the data network,

a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from the transmitting device or devices in the data network to at least one receiving device that is connected to the data network, independent of the transmitting device or devices.

Additionally the invention relates to a method and software for data packages received from a transmitting device to at least one receiving device, independent of said transmitting device.

A device according to the invention can be used in for instance mobile phones, streaming internet applications and cable television.

Claims

1. A device for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, comprising

a data processing unit,

at least one data connection to a data network to which several devices provided with a data processing unit are connected by means of a data connection, and

software having

a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting device in said data network,

a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting device or devices in said data network to at least one receiving device that is connected to said data network, independent of said transmitting device or devices.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software is provided with a transmission routine for transmitting said software together with said data packages independent of said transmitting device.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software is provided with a test routine for testing connections with other devices in said data network.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software is provided with a transmission routine for transmitting data packages to receiving devices in said data network, devices, other than said transmitting and receiving devices in the network ordering to that end.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software comprises a conversion routine for either converting or transforming said data packages.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software is provided with an evaluation routine for evaluating the quality of said data connections.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software is further provided with an inventory routine for making an inventory of at least a number of said other devices in the data network, and trying out the connection to another device in said data network for transmitting and/or receiving when the existing connections are broken off or come below a threshold value.

8. The device according to claim 1, furthermore provided with a memory for storing a data network address of at least one other device in said data network.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software is provided with a decision routine which on the basis of predetermined criteria decide to make a new connection to either an additional device or another transmitting device.

10. The device according to claim 1, furthermore provided with an environment evaluation routine for asking for addresses of devices that are connected to devices consisting of the group of transmitting devices and receiving devices.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said receiving routine comprises a request subroutine for requesting data packages from at least one transmitting device in said data network.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein said transmission routine comprises a request handling subroutine for handling a request from at least one receiving device for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting device or devices in said data network to said at least one receiving device.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein said receiving routine comprises a request subroutine for requesting data packages from at least one transmitting device in said data network, and said transmission routine comprises a request handling subroutine for handling a request from at least one receiving device for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting device or devices in said data network to said at least one receiving device.

16. Software according to claim 15, further comprising a decision routine for deciding to set up connections to new transmitters and closing down connections to transmitters based upon evaluation parameters.

17. Software according to claim 15, further comprising an evaluation routine for evaluating the quantity, time intervals and quality of the incoming flow of data packages, and for providing evaluation parameters to the decission routine.

18. Software according to claim 15, further comprising a search routine for searching new potential transmitters via transmitters and receivers, and a test routine for testing the quality of data connections to new potential transmitters.

19. Software according to claim 15, further comprising a management routine for keeping up the data packages received, data packages transmitted, addresses of transmitters and receivers of data packages, and for providing input data to the evaluation routine.

14. A device for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, comprising

a data processing unit,

at least one data connection to a data network to which several devices provided with a data processing unit are connected by means of a data connection, and

software comprising

a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting device in said data network, comprising a request subroutine for requesting data packages from at least one transmitting device in said data network, and

a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting device or devices in said data network to at least one receiving device that is connected to said data network, independent of said transmitting device or devices, said transmission routine comprising a request handling subroutine for handling a request from at least one receiving device for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting device or devices in said data network to said at least one receiving device.

15. Software for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, comprising

a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting device in the data network,

a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from the transmitting device or devices in the data network to at least one receiving device that is connected to the data network, independent of the transmitting device or devices.

20. Data carrier provided with software according to claims 15.

21. A method for setting up and maintaining an organic data network, of which the nodes are provided with a data processing unit and software having

a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting device in the data network,

a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from the transmitting device or devices in the data network to at least one receiving device that is connected to the data network, independent of the transmitting device or devices,

wherein the software either receives content, split up in data packages, from one or more transmitting devices, or retrieves content from the device itself and either delivers or passes on the content, which may or may not be in the form of data packages, to one or more receiving devices, independent of the transmitting devices.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the software, when the quality of a connection with the transmitting device deteriorates or appears to be insufficient, asks for addresses of other devices from the transmitting and receiving devices connected to the device, contacts at least one of said other devices, tests the quality of the connection to one or more other devices, and subject to satisfactory performance of one or more of those connections effects a connection to suitable other devices and adds it to the device as transmitting devices, and repeats the asking until the total receipt of data packages complies with a predetermined criterion.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the software breaks off a connection to a transmitting device when the quality is lower than a predetermined criterion.

25. The communication system according to claim 24, wherein said receiving routine comprises a request subroutine for requesting data packages from at least one transmitting communication system in said data network, and said transmission routine comprises a request handling subroutine for handling a request from at least one receiving communication system for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting communication system or systemss in said data network to said at least one receiving communication system.

27. The media player according to claim 26, wherein said receiving routine comprises a request subroutine for requesting data packages from at least one transmitting player in said data network, and said transmission routine comprises a request handling subroutine for handling a request from at least one receiving player for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting player or players in said data network to said at least one receiving player.

29. The traffic information system according to claim 28, wherein said receiving routine comprises a request subroutine for requesting data packages from at least one transmitting traffic information system in said data network, and said transmission routine comprises a request handling subroutine for handling a request from at least one receiving system for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting system or systems in said data network to said at least one receiving system.

24. A communication system, including mobile communication systems and satelite communication, comprising a device for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, said device comprising

a data processing unit

at least one data connection to a data network to which several communication systems provided with a data processing unit are connected by means of a data connection, and

software having

a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting communication system in said data network,

a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting system or systems in said data network to at least one receiving system that is connected to said data network, independent of said transmitting system or systems.

26. A media player comprising a device for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, said device comprising

a data processing unit,

at least one data connection to a data network to which several media players provided with a data processing unit are connected by means of a data connection, and

software having

a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting media player in said data network,

a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting player or players in said data network to at least one receiving media player that is connected to said data network, independent of said transmitting player or players.

28. A traffic information system comprising a device for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, said device comprising

a data processing unit,

at least one data connection to a data network to which several trafic information systems provided with a data processing unit are connected by means of a data connection, and

software having

a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting system in said data network,

a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from said transmitting system or systems in said data network to at least one receiving trafic information system that is connected to said data network, independent of said transmitting system or systems.

30. Software for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having a dynamic topology, comprising a receiving routine for receiving data packages of various transmitters, a transmission routine for transmitting data packages to various receivers, a management routine for keeping up the data packages received, data packages transmitted, addresses of transmitters and receivers of data packages, an evaluation routine for evaluating the quantity, time intervals and quality of the incoming flow of data packages, a search routine for searching new potential transmitters via transmitters and receivers, a test routine for testing the quality of data connections to new potential transmitters, and a decision routine for deciding to set up connections to new transmitters and closing down connections to transmitters.

31. Software according to claim 30, further comprising a request handling routine for handling requests from new receivers for receiving data packages and for granting permission to the transmitting routine for transmitting data packages to new receivers.

32. A communication system comprising the software according to claim 31.

33. A media player comprising the software according to claim 31.

34. A traffic information system comprising the software according to claim 31.