Protocol information processing system and method information processing device and method recording medium and program

• US 20050182850A1
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redwood Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kohno, Michinari
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1628 List acknowledgements, i.e. the acknowledgement message consisting of a list of identifiers, e.g. of sequence numbers H04L1/1614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1809 Selective-repeat protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1858 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of acknowledgement message

Abstract

This invention relates to a protocol, an information processing system, an information processing method for use with the system, information processing apparatuses, information processing methods for use with the apparatuses, storage media, and programs for allowing two-way network status to be known. An RTCP packet analysis unit 66 analyzes an RTCP packet in a receiver report RR received through an RTCP port 65 from a user terminal over a network. Based on an RTCP sequence number obtained from the analyzed RTCP packet, a packet loss detection unit 67 calculates a packet loss rate with respect to the user terminal on the network. An RTCP packet creation unit 69 attaches the calculated packet loss rate to a sender report SR and transmits the sender report at predetermined time intervals to the user terminal over the network. This invention applies to system that offer streaming content transmissions and real-time data deliveries over the network.

Claims

1. A protocol based on real time control protocol (RTCP) and paired with real-time transport protocol (RTP) for allowing a plurality of information processing apparatuses to communicate data in packets over a network, said protocol including a provision requiring a sequence number to be attached to each RTCP packet.

2. An information processing system for allowing a first information processing apparatus to transmit data in packets to a second information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission;

wherein said first information processing apparatus is allowed to receive a receiver report from said second information processing apparatus, acquire a sequence number from said receiver report, calculate a loss rate of said packets based on the acquired sequence number, control error correction based on the calculated packet loss rate, attach said packet loss rate to a sender report, and transmit said sender report to said second information processing apparatus; and

wherein said second information processing apparatus is allowed to receive said data from said first information processing apparatus, acquire information about lost packets from said data, and control repeat request of said lost packets from said first information processing apparatus in keeping with said packet loss rate in said sender report coming from said first information processing apparatus.

3. An information processing method for use with an information processing system for allowing a first information processing apparatus to transmit data in packets to a second information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said information processing method including the steps of:

allowing said first information processing apparatus to receive a receiver report from said second information processing apparatus, acquire a sequence number from said receiver report, calculate a loss rate of said packets based on the acquired sequence number, control error correction based on the calculated packet loss rate, attach said packet loss rate to a sender report, and transmit said sender report to said second information processing apparatus; and

allowing said second information processing apparatus to receive said data from said first information processing apparatus, acquire information about lost packets from said data, and control repeat request of said lost packets from said first information processing apparatus in keeping with said packet loss rate in said sender report coming from said first information processing apparatus.

4. An information processing apparatus for transmitting data in packets to another information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said information processing apparatus including:

acquiring means for acquiring a sequence number from a receiver report transmitted from said another information processing apparatus;

calculating means for calculating a loss rate of said packets based on said sequence number acquired by said acquiring means; and

transmitting means for transmitting a sender report to said another information processing apparatus after attaching to said sender report the packet loss rate calculated by said calculating means.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said protocol for packetized data transmission is a combination of real-time transport protocol (RTP) and real time control protocol (RTCP).

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, further including controlling means for controlling a method for correcting any transmission errors in said data in keeping with said packet loss rate calculated by said calculating means.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said controlling means further includes:

first determining means for determining whether said packet loss rate calculated by said calculating means is greater than a first reference value; and

setting means for setting the method for correcting said transmission errors in said data in keeping with what is determined by said determining means.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said controlling means further includes second determining means which, if said first determining means determines that said packet loss rate is smaller than said first reference value, then determines whether said packet loss rate is greater than a second reference value;

and

wherein, if said second determining means determines that said packet loss rate is smaller than said second reference value, then said setting means inhibits the correction of said transmission errors in said data.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, if said first determining means determines that said packet loss rate is greater than said first reference value, then said setting means sets FEC as the method for correcting said transmission errors in said data;

and

wherein, if said first determining means determines that said packet loss rate is smaller than said first reference value and if said second determining means determines that said packet loss rate is greater than said second reference value, then said setting means sets automatic repeat request (ARQ) as the method for correcting said transmission errors in said data.

10. An information processing method for use with an information processing apparatus for transmitting data in packets to another information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said information processing method including the steps of:

acquiring a sequence number from a receiver report transmitted from said another information processing apparatus;

calculating a loss rate of said packets based on said sequence number acquired in said acquiring step; and

transmitting a sender report to said another information processing apparatus after attaching to said sender report the packet loss rate calculated in said calculating step.

11. A storage medium which stores a program in a manner readable by a computer for use with an information processing apparatus for transmitting data in packets to another information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said program including the steps of:

acquiring a sequence number from a receiver report transmitted from said another information processing apparatus;

calculating a loss rate of said packets based on said sequence number acquired in said acquiring step; and

transmitting a sender report to said another information processing apparatus after attaching to said sender report the packet loss rate calculated in said calculating step.

12. A program executable by a computer for controlling an information processing apparatus for transmitting data in packets to another information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said program including the steps of:

acquiring a sequence number from a receiver report transmitted from said another information processing apparatus;

calculating a loss rate of said packets based on said sequence number acquired in said acquiring step; and

transmitting a sender report to said another information processing apparatus after attaching to said sender report the packet loss rate calculated in said calculating step.

13. An information processing apparatus for receiving data in packets from another information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said information processing apparatus including:

receiving means for receiving said data from said another information processing apparatus;

acquiring means for acquiring information about lost packets from said data received by said receiving means;

controlling means for controlling repeat request of said lost packets about which the information was acquired by said acquiring means, in keeping with a loss rate of said packets in a sender report coming from said another information processing apparatus; and

transmitting means for transmitting a repeat request of said lost packets to said another information processing apparatus under control of said controlling means.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said protocol for packetized data transmission is a combination of real-time transport protocol (RTP) and real time control protocol (RTCP).

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, if automatic repeat request (ARQ) is used as a method for correcting any transmission errors in said data and if the packet loss rate is greater than a reference value, then said controlling means controls the repeat request of said lost packets in a redundant manner.

16. An information processing method for use with an information processing apparatus for receiving data in packets from another information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said information processing method including the steps of:

receiving said data from said another information processing apparatus;

acquiring information about lost packets from said data received in said receiving step;

controlling repeat request of said lost packets about which the information was acquired in said acquiring step, in keeping with a loss rate of said packets in a sender report coming from said another information processing apparatus; and

transmitting a repeat request of said lost packets to said another information processing apparatus under control of said controlling step.

17. A storage medium which stores a program in a manner readable by a computer for use with an information processing apparatus for receiving data in packets from another information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said program including the steps of:

receiving said data from said another information processing apparatus;

acquiring information about lost packets from said data received in said receiving step;

controlling repeat request of said lost packets about which the information was acquired in said acquiring step, in keeping with a loss rate of said packets in a sender report coming from said another information processing apparatus; and

transmitting a repeat request of said lost packets to said another information processing apparatus under control of said controlling step.

18. A program executable by a computer for controlling an information processing apparatus for receiving data in packets from another information processing apparatus over a network under a protocol for packetized data transmission, said program including the steps of:

receiving said data from said another information processing apparatus;

acquiring information about lost packets from said data received in said receiving step;

controlling repeat request of said lost packets about which the information was acquired in said acquiring step, in keeping with a loss rate of said packets in a sender report coming from said another information processing apparatus; and

transmitting a repeat request of said lost packets to said another information processing apparatus under control of said controlling step.