System and method for delivering data streams of multiple data types at diffferent priority levels

• US 20050021806A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Richardson, John William, Cahnbley, Jens
• Application Number:
  US10/498,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021806A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5648 Packet discarding, e.g. EPD, PTD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5664 Support of Video, e.g. MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64792 Controlling the complexity of the content stream, e.g. by dropping packets intermediate media network packet handling H04L65/765; proxy provisioning conversion or adaptation for reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data H04L67/5651; negotiation of resources in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A Server (100) provides a data stream of data of a primary type and one or more secondary types and transmits the primary type data at a first designation and the data of the one or more secondary types at one or more other designations. A Router (600) routes data of the first designation through a Network (500) at a first priority and routes data of the one or more other designations through Network (500) at one or more priorities lower than the first priority such that, when congestion in Network (500) requires that data be discarded, Router (600) discards data of the one or more other designations before discarding data of the first designation. A Client (200) receives data of the first and of the one or more designations through Network (500) and combines the data to provide a representation of the data stream transmitted from Server (100).

Claims

1. A method for delivering over a network a data stream comprising data of a primary type and one or more secondary types such that processing the data stream requires processing data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types based on the data of the data stream of the primary type, the method comprising:

routing over the network data of the primary type at a first priority level and data of the one or more secondary types at one or more priority levels lower than the first priority level such that, when congestion in the network requires that data be discarded, data of the one or more secondary types is discarded before data of the primary type;

combining data of the primary and the one or more secondary types routed over the network to provide the data stream.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the data stream with data of the primary type being transmitted separately from data of the one or more secondary types;

and

wherein the combining comprises combining data of the primary and the one or more secondary types routes over the network to provide the data stream, the provided data stream being at least a representation of the transmitted data stream.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing the data stream; and

separating the data of the data stream of the primary type from the data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types prior to the transmitting.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the provided data stream for presentation to a user.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the data stream of the primary type in association with a first designation and the data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types in association with one or more designations other than the first designation;

wherein the routing comprises routing data associated with the first designation at the first priority level and data associated with the one or more designations other than the first designation at the one or more priority levels lower than the first priority level such that, when congestion in the network requires that data be discarded, data associated with the one or more designations other than the first designation is discarded before data associated with the first designation; and

wherein the combining comprises combining data associated with the first designation and data associated with the one or more designations other than the first designation routed over the network to provide the data stream that is at least a representation of the transmitted data stream.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types in association with a second designation;

and

wherein the combining comprises combining data associated with the first designation and data associated with the second designation routed over the network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting data of the data stream of one of the secondary types in association with a second designation and transmitting data of the data stream of another of the secondary types in association with a third designation;

wherein the routing comprises routing data associated with a first, a second, and a third designation at a first priority level, a second priority level lower than the first, and a third priority level lower than the second, respectively, such that, when congestion in the network requires that data be discarded, data associated with the third designation is discarded before data associated with the first and second designations, and data associated with the second designation is discarded before data associated with the first designation; and

wherein the combining comprises combining data associated with the first, the second, and the third designations routed over the network to provide the data stream that is at least a representation of the transmitted data stream.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitted data stream comprises a video stream,

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the video stream, wherein the key frames and the predictive frames of the video stream are transmitted separately;

wherein the routing comprises routing over the network key frames at a first priority level and predictive frames at one or more priority levels lower than the first priority level such that, when congestion in the network requires that data be discarded, predictive frames are discarded before key frames; and

wherein the combining comprises combining key frames and predictive frames routed over the network to provide the data stream that is at least a representation of the transmitted video stream.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting key frames of the video stream in association with a first port number and predictive frames of the video stream in association with one or more port numbers other than the first port number;

wherein the routing comprises routing data in association with a first port number at a first priority level and data in association with one or more port numbers other than the first port number at one or more priority levels lower than the first priority level such that, when congestion in the network requires that data to be routed be discarded, data to be routed in association with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number is discarded before data to be routed in association with the first port number; and

wherein the combining comprises combining data routed over the network associated with the first port number with data routed over the network associated with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number to provide the data stream that is at least a representation of the transmitted video stream.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first port number includes a first TCP/UDP port number and the one or more port numbers other than the first port number include one or more TCP/UDP port numbers other than the first TCP/UDP port number.

11. The method of claim 2, where data routed over the network is transmitted to a router, and wherein the router routes the data of the primary type in association with the first priority level and the data of the one or more secondary types in association with the one or more priority levels lower than the first priority level.

12. A method for facilitating the delivery of a data stream comprising data of a primary type and one or more secondary types such that processing the data stream requires processing data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types based on the data of the data stream of the primary type, the method comprising:

providing the data stream;

separating the data of the data stream of the primary type from the data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types; and

transmitting data of the data stream of the primary type in association with a first designation and data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types in association with one or more designations other than the first designation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data stream comprises a video stream;

wherein the providing comprises providing the video stream;

wherein the separating comprises separating I frames of the video stream from P and B frames of the video stream; and

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the I frames of the video stream in association with a first designation and the P and B frames of the video stream in association with one or more designations other than the first designation.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the I frames of the video stream in association with a first port number and the P and B frames of the video stream in association with one or more port numbers other than the first port number.

15. A method for presenting a data stream to a user, comprising:

receiving data in association with a first designation and data in association with one or more designations other than the first designation;

combining the data received in association with the first designation with the data received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation to provide the data stream; and

processing the data stream for presentation to the user by processing the data of the data stream received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation based on the data of the data stream received in association with the first designation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the data stream comprises a video stream;

wherein the receiving comprises receiving I frames in association with a first designation and P and B frames in association with one or more designations other than the first designation;

wherein the combining comprises combining the I frames received in association with the first designation with the P and B frames received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation to provide the video stream; and

wherein the processing comprises processing the video stream for presentation to the user by processing the P and B frames of the video stream received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation based on the I frames of the video stream received in association with the first designation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving comprises receiving I frames in association with a first port number and P and B frames in association with one or more port numbers other than the first port number;

wherein the combining comprises combining the I frames received in association with the first port number with the P and B frames received in association with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number to provide the video stream; and

wherein the processing comprises processing the video stream for presentation to the user by processing the P and B frames of the video stream received in association with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number based on the I frames of the video stream received in association with the first port number.

18. A system for presenting a data stream to a user, the data stream comprising data of a primary type and one or more secondary types such that processing the data stream requires processing data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types based on the data of the data stream of the primary type, the system comprising:

a first computer for providing the data stream and transmitting the data of the data stream of the primary type in association with a first designation and data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types in association with one or more designations other than the first designation;

a router for receiving the data transmitted by the first computer in association with the first designation and routing this data associated with the first designation through a network in accordance with a first priority level and for receiving the data transmitted by the first computer in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation and routing this data associated with the one or more designations other than the first designation through the network in accordance with one or more priority levels lower than the first priority level such that, when congestion in the network requires that data received at the router be discarded, data received at the router in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation is discarded before data received at the router in association with the first designation;

a second computer for receiving data through the network from the router associated with the first designation and the one or more designations other than the first designation, combining the data received through the network from the router associated with the first designation with the data received through the network from the router associated with the one or more designations other than the first designation to provide a data stream representative of the data stream provided by the first computer, and processing the representative data stream for presentation to the user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the data stream comprises a video stream;

wherein the first computer provides the video stream and transmits I frames of the video stream in association with a first designation and P and B frames in association with one or more designations other than the first designation; and

wherein the second computer combines the data received through the network from the router associated with the first designation with the data received through the network from the router associated with the one or more designations other than the first designation to provide a video stream representative of the video stream provided by the first computer, and processes the representative video stream to display the video encoded therein to the user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first computer transmits I frames of the video stream in association with a first port number and P and B frames in association with one or more port numbers other than the first port number;

wherein the router receives the data transmitted by the first computer in association with the first port number and routes this data associated with the first port number through a network in accordance with the first priority level and for receiving the data transmitted by the first computer in association with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number and routes this data associated with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number through the network in accordance with the one or more priority levels lower than the first priority level such that, when congestion in the network requires that data received at the router be discarded, data received at the router in association with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number is discarded before data received at the router in association with the first port number; and

wherein the second computer receives data through the network from the router associated with the first port number and the one or more port numbers other than the first port number, and combines the data received through the network from the router associated with the first port number with the data received through the network from the router associated with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number to provide the video stream representative of the video stream provided by the first computer.

21. A system for facilitating the delivery of a data stream comprising data of a primary type and one or more secondary types such that processing the data stream requires processing data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types based on the data of the data stream of the primary type, the system comprising:

means for providing the data stream;

means for separating the data of the data stream of the primary type from the data of the data stream of the one or more secondary type; and

means for transmitting data of the data stream of the primary type in association with a first designation and data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types in association with one or more designations other than the first designation.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the data stream comprises a video stream;

wherein the means for providing comprises means for providing the video stream;

wherein the means for separating comprises means for separating the I frames of the video stream from the P and B frames of the video stream; and

wherein the means for transmitting comprises means for transmitting the I frames of the video stream in association with a first designation and the P and B frames of the video stream in association with one or more designations other than the first designation.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for transmitting comprises means for transmitting the I frames of the video stream in association with a first port number and the P and B frames of the video stream in association with one or more port numbers other than the first port number.

24. A system for presenting a data stream to a user, comprising:

means for receiving data in association with a first designation and data in association with one or more designations other than the first designation;

means for combining the data received in association with the first designation with the data received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation to provide the data stream; and

means for processing the data stream for presentation to the user by processing the data of the data stream received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation based on the data of the data stream received in association with the first designation.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the data stream comprises a video stream;

wherein the means for receiving comprises means for receiving I frames in association with a first designation and P and B frames in association with one or more designations other than the first designation;

wherein the means for combining comprises means for combining the I frames received in association with the first designation with the P and B frames received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation to provide the video stream; and

wherein the means for processing comprises means for processing the video stream for presentation to the user by processing the P and B frames of the video stream received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation based on the I frames of the video stream received in association with the first designation.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for receiving comprises means for receiving I frames in association with a first port number and P and B frames in association with one or more port numbers other than the first port number;

wherein the means for combining comprises means for combining the I frames received in association with the first port number with the P and B frames received in association with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number to provide the video stream; and

wherein the means for processing comprises means for processing the video stream for presentation to the user by processing the P and B frames of the video stream received in association with the one or more port numbers other than the first port number based on the I frames of the video stream received in association with the first port number.

27. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code, when executed, causing a computer to implement a method for facilitating the delivery of a data stream comprising data of a primary type and one or more secondary types such that processing the data stream requires processing data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types based on the data of the data stream of the primary type, the method comprising:

providing the data stream;

separating the data of the data stream of the primary type from the data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types; and

transmitting data of the data stream of the primary type in association with a first designation and data of the data stream of the one or more secondary types in association with one or more designations other than the first designation.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the data stream comprises a video stream;

wherein, in the implemented method, the providing comprises providing the video stream;

wherein, in the implemented method, the separating comprises separating the I frames of the video stream from the P and B frames of the video stream; and

wherein, in the implemented method, the transmitting comprises transmitting the I frames of the video stream in association with a first designation and the P and B frames of the video stream in association with one or more designations other than the first designation.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein, in the implemented method, the transmitting comprises transmitting the I frames of the video stream in association with a first TCP/UDP port number and the P and B frames of the video stream in association with one or more TCP/UDP port numbers other than the first TCP/UDP port number.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the data stream comprises a video stream;

wherein, in the implemented method, the receiving comprises receiving I frames in association with a first designation and P and B frames in association with one or more designations other than the first designation;

wherein, in the implemented method, the combining comprises combining the I frames received in association with the first designation with the P and B frames received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation to provide the video stream; and

wherein, in the implemented method, the processing comprises processing the video stream for presentation to the user by processing the P and B frames of the video stream received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation based on the I frames of the video stream received in association with the first designation.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein, in the implemented method, the receiving comprises receiving I frames in association with a first TCP/UDP port number and P and B frames in association with one or more TCP/UDP port numbers other than the first TCP/UDP port number;

wherein, in the implemented method, the combining comprises combining the I frames received in association with the first TCP/UDP port number with the P and B frames received in association with the one or more TCP/UDP port numbers other than the first TCP/UDP port number to provide the video stream; and

wherein, in the implemented method, the processing comprises processing the video stream for presentation to the user by processing the P and B frames of the video stream received in association with the one or more TCP/UDP port numbers other than the first TCP/UDP port number based on the I frames of the video stream received in association with the first TCP/UDP port number.

30. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code, when executed, causing a computer to implement a method for presenting a data stream to a user, the method comprising:

receiving data in association with a first designation and data in association with one or more designations other than the first designation;

combining the data received in association with the first designation with the data received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation to provide the data stream; and

processing the data stream for presentation to the user by processing the data of the data stream received in association with the one or more designations other than the first designation based on the data of the data stream received in association with the first designation.