System and method for multi-layered network communications

• US 7,720,908 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Toll, Roderick M., Newson, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia; Rupal D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swearingen; Jeffrey R
• Application Number:
  US09/800,394
• Time in Patent Office: 3,360 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/321 Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A multi-layered network for transporting data comprises a first network layer that provides a first session topology, and a second network layer that provides a second session topology. The second network layer uses the first network layer to transport data. In one embodiment of the invention, the data sent by the second layer is real-time audio data, such as voice. Each session topology may be either peer-to-peer or client/server. The first and second layers may have different topologies and/or different session hosts. A deterministic algorithm is provided whereby a new session host is selected when the current host leaves the session.

Claims

1. A method of sending first data from a first device to a destination device via a network to which a plurality of second devices are also connected, said first device being connected to a data session in a session/transport layer of the network, said data session of the session/transport layer of the network having a first session topology which defines a first set of one or more of said second devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said session/transport layer, said method comprising the acts of:

joining an audio session in an audio layer of the network, said audio session having a second session topology which defines a second set of one or more of said second devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said audio layer, the session topology of the audio session in said audio layer being different from the session topology of the data session in said session/transport layer such that said second set of devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said audio session of said audio layer is different from said first set of devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said session of said session/transport layer, said destination device being a member of said audio session, wherein the audio layer exposes an application programming interface (API) to the session/transport layer to establish a link with the session transport layer;

creating a first data package which contains;

(a) said first data; and

(b) a header;

addressing said first data package to said destination device in accordance with the session topology of said audio session of said audio layer; and

sending said first data package to said destination device via said data session of said session/transport layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first device is communicatively coupled to a microphone, and wherein said method further comprises:

capturing said first data using said microphone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said destination device is not one of said second devices to which said first data can be directly addressed in said data session of said session/transport layer, and wherein said sending act comprises:

appending a header to said first data package which indicates that said first data package is to be delivered to said destination device; and

sending said first data package to a host device in said session/transport layer different from said destination device, said host device being a member of said first set.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the acts of:

in said host device, receiving a second data package from a second device, said data package comprising;

(a) second data; and

(b) a header which indicates that said data package is to be delivered to said destination device; and

said host device sending to said destination device a mixed stream comprising said first data and said second data.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the acts of:

in said host device, receiving a second data package from a second device, said data package comprising;

(a) second data; and

(b) a header which indicates that said data package is to be delivered to said destination device; and

said host device sending said first and second data packages separately to said destination device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending act comprises sending said first data package using non-guaranteed delivery.

7. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions to perform a method of sending first data from a first device to a destination device via a network to which a plurality of second devices are also connected, said first device being connected to a data session in a session/transport layer of a network, said data session of the session/transport layer of the network having a first session topology which defines a first set of one or more of said second devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said session/transport layer, said method comprising the acts of:

joining an audio session in an audio layer of the network, said audio session having a second session topology which defines a second set of one or more of said second devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said audio layer, the session topology of the audio session in said audio layer being different from the session topology of the data session in said session/transport layer such that said second set of devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said audio session of said audio layer is different from said first set of devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said session of said session/transport layer, said destination device being a member of said audio session, wherein the audio layer exposes an application programming interface (API) to the session/transport layer to establish a link with the session transport layer;

creating a first data package which contains;

(a) said first data; and

(b) a header;

addressing said first data package to said destination device in accordance with said session topology of said audio session of said audio layer; and

sending said first data package to said destination device via said data session of said session/transport layer.

8. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein said device is communicatively coupled to a microphone, and wherein said method further comprises:

capturing said first data using said microphone.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein said destination device is not one of said second devices to which said first data can be directly addressed in said data session of said session/transport layer, and wherein said sending act comprises:

appending a header to said data package which indicates that said data package is to be delivered to said destination device; and

sending said data package to a host device in said session/transport layer different from said destination device, said host device being a member of said first set.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein said destination device is a member of said first set.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises the acts of:

in said host device, receiving a second data package from a second device, said data package comprising;

(a) second data; and

(b) a header which indicates that said data package is to be delivered to said destination device; and

said host device sending to said destination device a mixed stream comprising said first data and said second data.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises the acts of:

in said host device, receiving a second data package from a second device, said data package comprising;

(a) second data; and

(b) a header which indicates that said data package is to be delivered to said destination device; and

said host device sending said first and second data packages separately to said destination device.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein said sending act comprises sending said first data package using nonguaranteed delivery.

14. A method of sending first data from a first device to a destination device via a network to which a plurality of second devices are also connected, said first device being connected to a data session in a session/transport layer of the network, said data session of the transport/session layer of the network having a first session topology that comprises one of either a peer-to-peer session topology or a client-server topology and which defines a first set of one or more of said second devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said data session of the session/transport layer, said method comprising the acts of:

joining an audio session in an audio layer of the network, said audio session of the audio layer having a second session topology that is different from the session topology of the data session of the session/transport layer and comprises one of either a peer to-peer topology, a forwarding topology, a mixing topology or an echo topology and which defines a second set of one or more of said second devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said audio session of said audio layer, said second set of devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said audio session of said audio layer being different from said first set of devices to which data may be directly addressed from said first device in said data session of said session/transport layer, said destination device being a member of said second set, wherein the session/transport layer and the audio layer each exposes a respective application programming interface (API) to the other layer, and wherein the two layers establish a link between them by providing each other with pointers to their respective APIs;

creating a first data package which contains;

(a) said first data; and

(b) a header;

addressing said first data package to said destination device in accordance with said session topology of said audio session of said audio layer; and

sending said first data package to said destination device via said data session of said session/transport layer.