METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME SYNCHRONIZATION ACROSS A DISTRIBUTED SERVICES COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20090104894A1
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxer IP LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rebelvox LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Inventors: RANNEY, Matthew J., PANTTAJA, James T., PANTTAJA, Mary G., KATIS, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,782,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4053 without floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355

Abstract

A method and network for progressively transmitting a voice message from a sender to one or more recipients across the network. The method and network includes a plurality of servers interconnected by a plurality of network connections. A first server among the plurality of servers provides access to the network for a sender of a voice message intended for one or more recipients. One or more second servers among the plurality of servers provide access to the network for the one or more recipients respectively. The first server and any intermediate server hops between the first server and the one or more second servers are each configured (i) store a copy of the voice message, (ii) ascertain the next server hop or hops on the network to deliver the voice message from the sender to the one or more second servers and (iii) progressively transmit only a single copy of the voice message to the ascertained next server hop or hops on the network regardless if the voice message is to be delivered to more than one recipient through any of the ascertained next server hop or hops. The progressive transmission of the voice message from server hop to hop across the network enables the one or more recipients to review the voice message in real-time. In addition, a synchronization element provide at each server hop is provided to synchronize in real-time the stored copies of the voice message at each server.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

associating a first access server on the network with a sender;

progressively receiving a voice message from the sender at the first access server, the voice message intended for delivery over the network to one or more recipients;

ascertaining at the first access server one or more access servers on the network associated with the one or more recipients respectively, each of the one or more access servers responsible for delivering the voice message to the one or more recipients once the voice message is delivered to the one or more access servers over the network respectively;

progressively delivering the voice message from the first access server to the one or more access servers over the network by;

(a) ascertaining at the first access server the next hop or hops on the network required to deliver the voice message to the one or more access servers associated with the one or more recipients respectively;

(b) progressively transmitting only a single copy of the voice message to the ascertained next hop or hops regardless if the message is to be delivered to more than one recipient through any of the ascertained next hop or hops respectively;

(c) storing the copy of the voice message at the first access server; and

(d) repeatedly performing at each of the ascertained next hop or hops until the voice message is delivered to all of the one or more access servers, the following;

(i) storing the copy of the voice message at the hop;

(ii) ascertaining the next hop or hops required to deliver the voice message to the one or more access servers associated with the one or more recipients respectively; and

(iii) progressively transmitting only a single copy of the voice message to the ascertained next hop or hops regardless if the message is to be delivered to more than one recipient through any of the ascertained next hop or hops respectively;

configuring the one or more access servers to store the copy of the voice message upon receipt and to progressively transmit the voice message to the one or more recipients so the one or more recipients may review the voice message in real-time; and

performing a real-time synchronization of the stored copies of the voice message across the network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining at the first access server one or more home servers on the network associated with the one or more recipients respectively, each of the one or more home servers responsible for storing the voice message for the one or more recipients respectively;

progressively delivering the voice message from the first access server to the one or more home servers over the network by;

(e) ascertaining at the first access server the next hop or hops on the network required to deliver the voice message to the one or more home servers associated with the one or more recipients respectively;

(f) progressively transmitting only a single copy of the voice message to the ascertained next hop or hops regardless if the message is to be delivered to more than one home server through any of the ascertained next hop or hops respectively,

(g) storing the copy of the voice message at the first access server; and

(h) repeatedly performing at each of the ascertained next hop or hops until the voice message is delivered to all of the one or more home servers, the following;

(i) storing the copy of the voice message at the hop;

(ii) ascertaining the next hop or hops required to deliver the voice message to the one or more access home servers; and

(iii) progressively transmitting only a single copy of the voice message to the ascertained next hop or hops regardless if the message is to be delivered to more than one home server;

configuring the one or more home servers to store the copy of the voice message upon receipt; and

performing real-time synchronization for the stored copies of the voice message on the one or more home servers with the other copies of the voice message stored across the network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising deleting the stored copy of the voice message stored at the access server and each of the ascertained next hop or hops including the one or more access servers after confirmation of the delivery of the voice message to the one or more recipients and/or the one or more home servers respectively.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more ascertained hops is defined by a sending and receiving pair of nodes on the network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the individual sending and/or receiving nodes of each pair consisting of one of the following types of devices:

(i) a sending communication device used by the sender;

(ii) a receiving communication device used by one of the one or more recipients;

(iii) an access server device;

(iv) a home server device;

or

(v) a server on the network.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein performing a synchronization of the stored copies of the voice message across the network, for each sending and receiving pair of nodes, comprises the following:

storing the voice message at the sending node;

generating a notice at the sending node notifying the receiving node of the voice message;

generating a request at the receiving node requesting all voice media associated with the voice message not already locally stored at the receiving node;

transmitting the requested voice media to the receiving node in response to the request; and

storing the requested voice media at the receiving node so that the sending node and the receiving node have synchronized copies of the voice message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the notice notifying the receiving node of the voice message further comprises one of the following:

(i) transmitting the voice message from the sending node to the receiving node, whereby the notification occurs by virtue of the transmission;

(ii) when the sending node logs onto the network;

(iii) each time the sending node sends voice media associated with the voice message to the receiving node;

(iv) the sending node periodically notifies the receiving node;

(v) the receiving node periodically asks the sending node for the status of the voice media associated with the voice message to be transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node;

(vi) the sending node sends to the receiving node a synchronization update message;

or

(vii) any combination of (i) through (vi).

8. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the request at the receiving node requesting all voice media associated with the voice message not already locally stored at the receiving node further comprises:

maintaining a data quality store at the receiving node;

checking the voice media of the voice message received at the receiving node from the sending node;

noting missing, corrupted and/or reduced bit rate representations of the voice media as the voice media of the voice message is received at the receiving node;

scanning the data quality store; and

generating receipt reports, the receipt reports including requests for transmission of the voice media noted in the data quality store.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the voice message on one or more receiving communication devices as the voice message is progressively transmitted from the one or more access servers to the one or more recipients respectively; and

enabling the one or more recipients to each render the voice message at an arbitrary point in time after storing the voice message on the one or more receiving communication devices by retrieving and rendering the voice message from storage respectively.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises one or more servers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more servers of the network are each configured to perform one or more of the following server functions:

(i) an access server that provides an access point for one or more users to connect to the network;

(ii) a home server for one or more users, the home server storing the voice messages associated with the one or more users respectively;

(iii) a gateway server that straddles the network and a second network, the gateway server performing one or more of the following functions when routing traffic between the network and the second network;

mapping, trans-coding, re-encapsulation, and/or security;

(iv) a gateway client server that acts as an intermediary for a communication device connected to the network but unable to store the voice message, the gateway client server storing the voice message on behalf of the communication device;

(v) a directory server for maintaining a directory of the access and home servers for each user of the network;

or

(vi) any combination of (i) through (v).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein progressively transmitting only a single copy of the voice message for each next hop, where each hop is defined by a sending node and a receiving node pair, further comprises:

(i) defining a transmission loop at the sending node;

(ii) determining voice media of the voice message available for transmission during the defined transmission loop at the sending node;

(iii) ascertaining the bandwidth on the network between the sending node and the receiving node during the transmission loop;

(v) comparing the ascertained bandwidth on the network between the sending node and the receiving node with the bandwidth necessary to transmit the available voice media; and

(vi) transmitting the available voice media to the receiving node if the ascertained bandwidth is sufficient during the transmission loop.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

(vii) determining if the ascertained bandwidth on the network between the sending node and the receiving node is not sufficient for transmitting the available voice media during the transmission loop;

(viii) generating a reduced bit rate representation of the available voice media; and

(iix) transmitting the reduced bit rate representation of the available voice media to the receiving node when the available bandwidth on the network is not sufficient during the transmission loop,

whereby the transmission of the reduced bit rate representation of the voice media enhances the timeliness of the delivery of the voice message so as to increase the ability of the one or more recipients to review the voice media in real-time upon receipt when the available bandwidth on the network is otherwise not sufficient for supporting the review of the voice media in real-time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the reduced bit rate representation of the available voice media further comprises performing one or more of the following:

(a) using fewer bits per media unit of time when packetizing the reduced bit rate representation of the voice media relative to a full bit rate representation of the voice media as originally encoded;

(b) adjusting the packetization interval for packets used to packetized the reduced bit rate representation of the voice media;

(c) adjusting the rate of transmission of the packets used to packetized the reduced bit rate representation of the voice media;

or

(d) any combination of (a) through (c).

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising continually defining transmission loops and performing (i) through (iix) and (a) through (d) as needed for each transmission loop.

16. The method claim 1, further comprising including in the voice message one or more of the following types of media:

video, audio, still pictures, text, sensor data, position or GPS information, radio signals, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender uses a communication device to create and send the voice message, the communication device consisting of one of the following:

land-line phone, wireless phone, cellular phone, satellite phone, computer, radio, server, satellite radio, tactical radio or tactical phone.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more recipients use a communication device to render the voice message, the communication device consisting of one of the following:

land-line phone, wireless phone, cellular phone, satellite phone, computer, radio, server, satellite radio, tactical radio or tactical phone.

19. A network, comprising:

a plurality of servers interconnected by a plurality of network connections;

a first server among the plurality of servers providing access for a sender of a voice message to the network, the first server configured to receive the voice message from the sender and intended for one or more recipients; and

a one or more second servers among the plurality of servers providing access to the network for the one or more recipients respectively;

wherein the first server and any intermediate server hops between the first server and the one or more second servers are each configured (i) store a copy of the voice message;

(ii) ascertain the next server hop or hops on the network to deliver the voice message from the sender to the one or more second servers providing access to the network for the one or more recipients respectively and (iii) progressively transmit only a single copy of the voice message to the ascertained next server hop or hops on the network regardless if the voice message is to be delivered to more than one recipient through any of the ascertained next server hop or hops; and

a plurality of synchronization elements provided at the first server and the intermediate server hops between the first server and the one or more second servers respectively, the plurality of synchronization elements configured to cooperate to synchronize all the copies of the voice message stored at the servers.

20. The network of claim 19, wherein each hop on the network is defined by a sending and receiving pair of nodes on the network.

21. The network of claim 20, wherein each sending and receiving pair of nodes is configured to progressively transmit only a single copy of the voice message by:

(i) defining a transmission loop at the sending node;

(ii) determining voice media of the voice message available for transmission during the defined transmission loop;

(iii) ascertaining the bandwidth on the network connection between the sending node and the receiving node during the transmission loop;

(v) comparing the ascertained bandwidth on the network connection between the sending node and the receiving node with the bandwidth necessary to transmit the available voice media; and

(vi) transmitting the available voice media to the receiving node if the ascertained bandwidth is sufficient during the transmission loop.

22. The network of claim 21, wherein each sending and receiving pair of nodes is configured to progressively transmit only a single copy of the voice message further by:

(vii) determining if the ascertained bandwidth on the network connection between the sending node and the receiving node is not sufficient for transmitting the available voice media during the transmission loop;

(viii) generating a reduced bit rate representation of the available voice media; and

(iix) transmitting the reduced bit rate representation of the available voice media to the receiving node when the available bandwidth on the network connection is not sufficient during the transmission loop,

whereby the transmission of the reduced bit rate representation of the voice media enhances the timeliness of the delivery of the voice message so as to increase the ability of the one or more recipients to review the voice media in real-time upon receipt when the available bandwidth on the network is otherwise not sufficient for supporting the review of the voice media in real-time.

23. The network of claim 22, wherein the sending node is configured to generate the reduced bit rate representation of the available voice media by performing one or more of the following:

(a) using fewer bits per media unit of time when packetizing the reduced bit rate representation of the voice media relative to a full bit rate representation of the voice media as originally encoded;

(b) adjusting the packetization interval for packets used to packetized the reduced bit rate representation of the voice media;

(c) adjusting the rate of transmission of the packets used to packetized the reduced bit rate representation of the voice media;

or

(d) any combination of (a) through (c).

24. The network of claim 22, wherein each sending and receiving pair of nodes is configured to progressively transmit only a single copy of the voice message further by continually defining transmission loops and performing (i) through (iix) and (a) through (d) as needed for each transmission loop.

25. The network of claim 20, wherein the synchronization elements of each sending and receiving pair of nodes are configured to synchronize their respective copies of the voice message by:

storing the voice message at the sending node;

generating a notice at the sending node notifying the receiving node of the voice message;

generating a request at the receiving node requesting all voice media associated with the voice message not already locally stored at the receiving node;

transmitting the requested voice media to the receiving node in response to the request; and

storing the requested voice media at the receiving node so that the sending node and the receiving node have synchronized copies of the voice message.

26. The network of claim 25, wherein generating the notice notifying the receiving node of the voice message further comprises one of the following:

(i) transmitting the voice message from the sending node to the receiving node, whereby the notification occurs by virtue of the transmission;

(ii) when the sending node logs onto the network;

(iii) each time the sending node sends voice media associated with the voice message to the receiving node;

(iv) the sending node periodically notifies the receiving node;

(v) the receiving node periodically asks the sending node for the status of the voice media associated with the voice message to be transmitted from the sending node to the receiving node;

(vi) the sending node sends to the receiving node a synchronization update message;

or

(vii) any combination of (i) through (vi).

27. The network of claim 25, wherein generating the request at the receiving node requesting all voice media associated with the voice message not already locally stored at the receiving node further comprises:

maintaining a data quality store at the receiving node;

checking the voice media of the voice message received at the receiving node from the sending node;

noting missing, corrupted or reduced bit rate representations of the voice media as the voice media of the voice message is received at the receiving node;

scanning the data quality store; and

generating receipt reports, the receipt reports including requests for retransmission of the voice media noted in the data quality store.

28. The network of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of servers on the network is configured to perform one or more of the following server functions:

(i) an access server that provides an access point for one or more users to connect to the network;

(ii) a home server for one or more users, the home server storing the media associated with the one or more users respectively;

(iii) a gateway server that straddles the network and a second network, the gateway server performing one or more of the following functions when routing traffic between the network and the second network;

mapping, trans-coding, re-encapsulation, and/or security;

(iv) a gateway client server that acts as an intermediary for a communication device connected to the network but unable to store the voice message, the gateway client server storing the voice message on behalf of the communication device;

(v) a directory server for maintaining a directory of the access and home servers for each user of the network;

or

(vi) any combination of (i) through (v).

29. The network claim 19, further comprising including in the voice message one or more of the following types of media:

video, audio, still pictures, text, sensor data, position or GPS information, radio signals, or a combination thereof.