Techniques for distributing data among nodes based on dynamic spatial/organizational state of a mobile node

• US 8,315,636 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moon, Billy, Miner, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehrpour, Melody
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEPHEN, EMEM O
• Application Number:
  US11/065,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20060188327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,826 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/445, 455/456.3, 455446-449, 370/338, 709/201, 709/244, 709/206
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/599 Spring biased manipulator

Abstract

Techniques for managing data in a distributed system include receiving first mobile data that includes non-routing data for a mobile node of multiple nodes in a distributed data system. The mobile node is associated with a first data item of multiple data items in the distributed data system. Non-routing data includes organizational data for data items in the distributed database or spatial data, or both. Spatial data includes at least one of a physical location, shape, size, and orientation. A non-topological relationship is determined between the first data item and a different second data item based on the non-routing data. Content is communicated with the mobile node based at least in part on the non-topological relationship. These techniques allow conservation of valuable network resources by communicating only data relevant to a recipient based on the spatial or organizational context of the communicating nodes.

Claims

1. A method for managing data in a distributed system implemented in a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving first mobile data that includes non-routing data describing a mobile node of a plurality of network nodes, each network node implemented as one of an end node configured to originate or terminate data communication via at least one network link or a network device configured to pass the data communication via the at least one network link, the first mobile data received from the mobile node via the network,

wherein

the mobile node is associated with a first data item of a plurality of data items in a distributed data system on the plurality of network nodes,

the non-routing data includes at least one of organizational data or spatial data describing a non-location spatial state of the mobile node,

the organizational data is associated with an organizational data item in a multi-level hierarchy of organizational data items in the distributed data system, and

the spatial data describing the non-location spatial state of the mobile node including at least one of a physical location, shape, size, or orientation;

the distributed system establishing a non-topological relationship, based on the non-routing data, between the first data item representing the mobile node and a different second data item of the plurality of data items and representing a physical object or a different second network node of the plurality of network nodes, wherein the non-topological relationship is at least one of a spatial relationship or an organizational relationship in the multi-level hierarchy; and

the distributed system causing content relevant to the non-topological relationship to be communicated between the mobile node and the second network node and to the mobile node based at least in part on the non-topological relationship, the distributed system further sending to the mobile node a command to improve network communications based on at least one of moving relative to another one of the network nodes or changing a radio characteristic of the mobile node, the command generated based on the spatial relationship between the mobile node and the physical object or the different second network node represented by the second data item.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

a first physical entity is associated with the first data item; and

a second physical entity is associated with the second data item.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates at least one of:

one of the first physical entity or the second physical entity is inside the other;

the first physical entity is a particular distance from the second physical entity;

or the first physical entity is oriented in a particular direction with respect to the second physical entity.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that at least one of the first physical entity or the second physical entity is visible to the other.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that the first physical entity and the second physical entity are within communication distance for a particular type of communications.

6. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that at least one of the first physical entity or the second physical entity is within a spatial volume of influence of the other.

7. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that one of the first physical entity or the second physical entity belongs to an organizational component of the other.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

at least some data items of the plurality of data items are related in a spatial tree data structure in the distributed data system different from a network topology tree data structure; and

a particular pair of data items with spatial data that indicates the data items are spatially nested form a parent-child relationship in the spatial tree.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein:

at least some data items of the plurality of data items are related in an organizational tree data structure in the distributed data system; and

a particular pair of data items that are organizationally nested form a parent-child relationship in the organizational tree.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising sending data from the second data item to the mobile node.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising associating with the second data item data included in the first mobile data.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising:

receiving second mobile data from the mobile node; and

associating the second mobile data with the second data item.

13. A method as recited in claim 8, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising causing spatial tree data that describes at least a portion of the spatial tree data structure to be communicated, wherein the portion is based on the non-topological relationship.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, said step of causing content to be communicated further comprising causing content formatted according to an extensible markup language (XML) to be communicated.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, said step of causing content to be communicated further comprising causing content to be communicated in a payload of a routing protocol data packet, which is designed to communicate data indicating a connection to a node of the plurality of network nodes.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising causing data to be generated by using a subscription stream to obtain data from a data item of the plurality of data items based at least in part on the non-topological relationship.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, said step of causing data for the mobile node to be generated further comprising causing a really simplified syndication (RSS) stream to generate change data from a data item formatted in an extensible markup language (XML) based at least in part on the non-topological relationship.

18. A method for managing data in a distributed system, comprising the steps of:

receiving first mobile data that includes non-location spatial data describing a corresponding non-location spatial attribute of a mobile node of a plurality of network nodes, the first mobile data received from the mobile node,

wherein

the mobile node is associated with a first data item of a plurality of data items in a distributed data system on the plurality of network nodes, and

the non-location spatial data describing at least one of a physical shape, size, or orientation of the mobile node;

the distributed system establishing a spatial relationship between the first data item and a different second data item of the plurality of data items based on the first mobile data, the second data item associated with a physical object; and

the distributed system causing communications to the mobile node of a different third data item of the plurality of data items, based at least in part on the spatial relationship established relative to the mobile node and the physical object, the third data item commanding the mobile node to improve network communications based on at least one of moving relative to another of the network nodes or changing a radio characteristic of the mobile node, the command generated based on the spatial relationship between the mobile node and the physical object.

19. An apparatus for managing data in a distributed system implemented in a network, comprising:

means for receiving first mobile data that includes non-routing data describing a mobile node

of a plurality of network nodes, each network node implemented as one of an end node configured to originate or terminate data communication via at least one network link or a network device configured to pass the data communication via the at least one network link, the first mobile data received from the mobile node via the network,

wherein

the mobile node is associated with a first data item of a plurality of data items in a distributed data system on the plurality of network nodes,

the non-routing data includes at least one of organizational data or spatial data describing a non-location spatial state of the mobile node,

the organizational data is associated with an organizational data item in a multi-level hierarchy of organizational data items in the distributed data system, and

the spatial data describing the non-location spatial state of the mobile node including at least one of a physical location, shape, size, or orientation;

means for establishing a non-topological relationship, based on the non-routing data, between the first data item representing the mobile node and a different second data item of the plurality of data items and representing a physical object or a different second network node of the plurality of network nodes, wherein the non-topological relationship is at least one of a spatial relationship or an organizational relationship in the multi-level hierarchy; and

means for causing content relevant to the non-topological relationship to be communicated between the mobile node and the second network node and to the mobile node based at least in part on the non-topological relationship, the distributed system further sending to the mobile node a command to improve network communications based on at least one of moving relative to another one of the network nodes or changing a radio characteristic of the mobile node, the command generated based on the spatial relationship between the mobile node and the physical object or the different second network node represented by the second data item.

20. An apparatus for managing data in a distributed system, comprising:

means for receiving first mobile data that includes non-location spatial data describing a corresponding non-location spatial attribute of a mobile node of a plurality of network nodes, the first mobile data received from the mobile node,

wherein

the mobile node is associated with a first data item of a plurality of data items in a distributed data system on the plurality of network nodes, and

the non-location spatial data includes describing at least one of a physical shape, size, or orientation of the mobile node;

means for establishing a spatial relationship between the first data item and a different second data item of the plurality of data items based on the first mobile data, the second data item associated with a physical object; and

means for causing communications to the mobile node of a different third data item of the plurality of data items, based at least in part on the spatial relationship established relative to the mobile node and the physical object, the third data item commanding the mobile node to improve network communications based on at least one of moving relative to another of the network nodes or changing a radio characteristic of the mobile node, the command generated based on the spatial relationship between the mobile node and the physical object.

21. An apparatus for managing data in a distributed system implemented in a network, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media; and

one or more sequences of instructions carried by the computer-readable media, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of;

receiving first mobile data that includes non-routing data describing a mobile node of a plurality of network nodes, each network node implemented as one of an end node configured to originate or terminate data communication via at least one network link or a network device configured to pass the data communication via the at least one network link, the first mobile data received from the mobile node,

wherein

the mobile node is associated with a first data item of a plurality of data items in a distributed data system on the plurality of network nodes,

the non-routing data includes at least one of organizational data or spatial data describing a non-location spatial state of the mobile node,

the organizational data is associated with an organizational data item in a multi-level hierarchy of organizational data items in the distributed data system, and

the spatial data describing the non-location spatial state of the mobile node including at least one of a physical location, shape, size, or orientation;

establishing a non-topological relationship, based on the non-routing data, between the first data item representing the mobile node and a different second data item of the plurality of data items and representing a physical object or a different second network node of the plurality of network nodes, wherein the non-topological relationship is at least one of a spatial relationship or an organizational relationship in the multi-level hierarchy; and

causing content relevant to the non-topological relationship to be communicated between the mobile node and the second network node and to the mobile node based at least in part on the non-topological relationship, the distributed system further sending to the mobile node a command to improve network communications based on at least one of moving relative to another one of the network nodes or changing a radio characteristic of the mobile node, the command generated based on the spatial relationship between the mobile node and the physical object or the different second network node represented by the second data item.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein:

a first physical entity is associated with the first data item; and

a second physical entity is associated with the second data item.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates at least one of:

one of the first physical entity and the second physical entity is inside the other;

the first physical entity is a particular distance from the second physical entity;

or

the first physical entity is oriented in a particular direction with respect to the second physical entity, wherein oriented indicates a direction that the first physical entity is facing.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that at least one of the first physical entity or the second physical entity is visible to the other.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that the first physical entity and the second physical entity are within communication distance for a particular type of communications.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that at least one of the first physical entity or the second physical entity is within a spatial volume of influence of the other.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that one of the first physical entity and the second physical entity belongs to an organizational component of the other.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein:

at least some data items of the plurality of data items are related in a spatial tree data structure in the distributed data system different from a network topology tree data structure; and

a particular pair of data items with spatial data that indicates the data items are spatially nested form a parent-child relationship in the spatial tree.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein:

at least some data items of the plurality of data items are related in an organizational tree data structure in the distributed data system; and

a particular pair of data items that are organizationally nested form a parent-child relationship in the organizational tree.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising causing spatial tree data that describes at least a portion of the spatial tree data structure to be communicated, wherein the portion is based on the non-topological relationship.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising sending data from the second data item to the mobile node.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising associating with the second data item data included in the first mobile data.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein:

a second node, different from the mobile node, is associated with the second data item; and

said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprises causing the second node to communicate the content with the mobile node.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, said step of causing content to be communicated further comprising causing content formatted according to an extensible markup language (XML) to be communicated.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, said step of causing content to be communicated further comprising causing content to be communicated in a payload of a routing protocol data packet, which is designed to communicate data indicating a connection to a node of the plurality of network nodes.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising causing data to be generated by using a subscription stream to obtain data from an data item of the plurality of data items based at least in part on the non-topological relationship.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 36, said step of causing data for the mobile node to be generated further comprising causing a really simplified syndication (RSS) stream to generate change data from a data item formatted in an extensible markup language (XML) based at least in part on the non-topological relationship.

38. An apparatus for managing data in a distributed system, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to a network for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media; and

one or more sequences of instructions carried by the computer-readable media, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of;

receiving first mobile data that includes non-location spatial data for describing a corresponding non-location spatial attribute of a mobile node of a plurality of network nodes, the first mobile data received from the mobile node,

wherein

the mobile node is associated with a first data item of a plurality of data items in a distributed data system on the plurality of network nodes, and

the non-location spatial data describing at least one of a physical shape, size, or orientation of the mobile node;

establishing a spatial relationship between the first data item and a different second data item of the plurality of data items based on the first mobile data, the second data item associated with a physical object; and

causing communications to the mobile node of a different third data item of the plurality of data items, based at least in part on the spatial relationship established relative to the mobile node and the physical object, the third data item commanding the mobile node to improve network communications based on at least one of moving relative to another of the network nodes or changing a radio characteristic of the mobile node, the command generated based on the spatial relationship between the mobile node and the physical object.

39. A system for managing data in a distributed system implemented in a network, comprising:

a plurality of network nodes connected by a plurality of communication links, wherein each network node includes

a network interface that is coupled to a communication link for communicating one or more packet flows therewith;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media; and

one or more sequences of instructions carried by the computer-readable media;

a plurality of data items stored on the computer readable media of the plurality of network nodes, wherein the plurality of data items includes

a first plurality of data items that represent the plurality of network nodes, and

a second plurality of data items that represent a plurality of spatial entities where the plurality of network nodes may be located;

wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of;

receiving first mobile data that includes non-routing data describing a mobile node of the plurality of network nodes, the first mobile data received from the mobile node, wherein the non-routing data includes at least one of organizational data or spatial data describing a non-location spatial state of the mobile node, the organizational data is associated with a data item in a multi-level hierarchy of organizational data items in the distributed database, and the spatial data describing the non-location state of the mobile node including at least one of a physical location, shape, size, or orientation;

establishing a non-topological relationship, based on the non-routing data, between a first data item of the plurality of data items and representing the mobile node and a different second data item of the plurality of data items and representing a physical object or a different second network node of the plurality of network nodes, wherein the non-topological relationship is at least one of a spatial relationship or an organizational relationship in the multi-level hierarchy; and

causing content relevant to the non-topological relationship to be communicated between the mobile node and the second network node and to the mobile node based at least in part on the non-topological relationship, the distributed system further sending to the mobile node a command to improve network communications based on at least one of moving relative to another one of the network nodes or changing a radio characteristic of the mobile node, the command generated based on the spatial relationship between the mobile node and the physical object or the different second network node represented by the second data item.

40. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein the plurality of data items includes a third plurality of data items that represent organizational units of an organization that is associated with at least one of the network of mobile nodes or the plurality of spatial entities.

41. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein:

a first data item of the plurality of data items is associated with the mobile node;

a first physical entity is associated with the first data item; and

a different second physical entity is associated with a different second data item of the plurality of data items.

42. A system as recited in claim 41, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates at least one of:

one of the first physical entity and the second physical entity is inside the other;

the first physical entity is a particular distance from the second physical entity;

or the first physical entity is oriented in a particular direction with respect to the second physical entity.

43. A system as recited in claim 41, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that at least one of the first physical entity or the second physical entity is visible to the other.

44. A system as recited in claim 41, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that the first physical entity and the second physical entity are within communication distance for a particular type of communications.

45. A system as recited in claim 41, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that at least one of the first physical entity or the second physical entity is within a spatial volume of influence of the other.

46. A system as recited in claim 41, wherein the non-topological relationship indicates that one of the first physical entity and the second physical entity belongs to an organizational component of the other.

47. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein:

at least some data items of the plurality of data items are related in a spatial tree data structure in the distributed data system different from a network topology tree data structure; and

a particular pair of data items with spatial data that indicates the data items are spatially nested form a parent-child relationship in the spatial tree.

48. A system as recited in claim 47, wherein:

at least some data items of the plurality of data items are related in an organizational tree data structure in the distributed data system; and

a particular pair of data items that are organizationally nested form a parent-child relationship in the organizational tree.

49. A system as recited in claim 47, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising causing spatial tree data that describes at least a portion of the spatial tree data structure to be communicated, wherein the portion is based on the non-topological relationship.

50. A system as recited in claim 39, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising:

receiving second mobile data from the mobile node; and

associating the second mobile data with the second data item.

51. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein:

a second node, different from the mobile node, is associated with the second data item; and

said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprises causing the second node to communicate the content with the mobile node.

52. A system as recited in claim 39, said step of causing content to be communicated further comprising causing content formatted according to an extensible markup language (XML) to be communicated.

53. A system as recited in claim 39, said step of causing content to be communicated further comprising causing content to be communicated in a payload of a routing protocol data packet, which is designed to communicate data indicating a connection to a node of the plurality of network nodes.

54. A system as recited in claim 39, said step of causing content to be communicated with the mobile node further comprising causing data to be generated by using a subscription stream to obtain data from an data item of the plurality of data items based at least in part on the non-topological relationship.

55. A system as recited in claim 54, said step of causing data for the mobile node to be generated further comprising causing a really simplified syndication (RSS) stream to generate change data from a data item formatted in an extensible markup language (XML) based at least in part on the non-topological relationship.