Data acquisition system and transmission control device

• US 8,629,907 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Odaka, Toshiyuki, Toumura, Kunihiko, Nakayama, Mariko, Hiroike, Atsushi, Kagehiro, Tatsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Christensen, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cloud, Joiya M
• Application Number:
  US12/697,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20100194894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2475 for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/26 using explicit feedback to the source, e.g. choke packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/267 sent by the destination endpoint network streaming of media packets with control of the source by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A transmit-side transmission control device for sending data generated by a data generator device to a data utilization point receives and retains notification of the allowable data transmission quantity from a receive-side transmission control device, and adjusts the data quantity sent from the data generator device so as to fit within that allowable data transmission quantity range, and/or when a request is issued to change that data transmission quantity, the receive-side transmission control device is notified of that allowable data transmission quantity change request. The receive-side transmission control device retains the respective allowable data transmission quantities for transmit-side transmission control device, and when a change request is issued, reallocates the allowable data transmission quantities for all transmit-side transmission control devices to fit within the data processing load range stored beforehand within the data utilization point, and notifies the corresponding transmit-side transmission control device of these reallocated allowable data transmission quantities.

Claims

1. A data acquisition system for collecting data over a network, from data generator devices at a plurality of respective data generating points, into a data utilization device at a data utilization point, comprising at least:

a plurality of transmit-side transmission control devices, each including a CPU, on the data generating point side of the network for sending data generated by the data generator devices to the data utilization point side; and

a receive-side transmission control device, including a CPU, on the data utilization point side for aggregating the data from the plurality of transmit-side transmission control devices, and sending the data to the data utilization device,

wherein the transmit-side transmission control device

receives notification of an allowable data transmission quantity from the receive-side transmission control device,

retains that allowable data transmission quantity,

adjusts the data quantity sent from the data generator device so as to fit within that allowable data transmission quantity range,

generates a request to change the allowable transmission data quantity based on a transfer need request from a data generator device among the data generating points, and

sends the request to change the allowable transmission data quantity to the receive-side transmission control device,

wherein the receive-side transmission control device

retains the respective allowable data transmission quantities for the plurality of transmit-side transmission control devices,

upon receiving the request to change the allowable transmission data quantity, reallocates the allowable data transmission quantities among the transmit-side transmission control devices to fit within the data processing load range within the data utilization point, and

notifies the corresponding transmit-side transmission control devices of the reallocated allowable data transmission quantities.

2. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein

the allowable data transmission quantity change request is a request from an optional device within the data utilization point, to change the allowable data transmission quantity of at least one of the plurality of transmit-side transmission control devices.

3. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein

the allowable data transmission quantity change request is a request received from an optional device within the data generating point, to change the allowable data transmission quantity;

and that the transmit-side transmission control device sends to the receive-side transmission control device.

4. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein

the allowable data transmission quantity change request is a request received from an optional device within the data utilization point, to change the allowable data transmission quantity of at least one of the plurality of transmit-side transmission control devices;

or is a request received from an optional device within the data generating point to change the data transmission quantity, and that the transmit-side transmission control device sends to the receive-side transmission control device.

5. The data acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the transmit-side transmission control device transfers a portion of the data that was transferred from the data generator device and discards a portion so that the data transmission quantity is within the range of the retained allowable data transmission quantity.

6. The data acquisition system according to claim 1,

wherein the data generator device is a camera device that captures images, and

wherein the transmit-side transmission control device transfers a portion of the image data that was transferred from the camera device and discards a portion so that the data transmission quantity is within the range of the retained allowable data transmission quantity.

7. The data acquisition system according to claim 1,

wherein the data generator device is a camera device that captures images, and

wherein the transmit-side transmission control device converts the resolution of the image data that was transferred from the camera device so that the data transmission quantity is within the range of the retained allowable data transmission quantity.

8. A receive-side transmission control device to receive data at a data utilization point from a plurality of data generator devices at data generating points by way of a plurality of transmit-side transmission control devices, comprising:

a processing unit and a memory unit,

wherein the memory unit retains an allowable data transmission quantity set in the plurality of respective transmit-side transmission control devices,

wherein the processing unit reallocates the allowable data transmission quantities among the transmit-side transmission control devices to fit within the data processing load range within the data utilization point upon receiving a request to change the allowable transmission data quantity, and

notifies the corresponding transmit-side transmission control devices of the reallocated allowable data transmission quantities.

9. The receive-side transmission control device according to claim 8, wherein

the allowable data transmission quantity change request is a request from an optional device within the data utilization point, to change the allowable data transmission quantity of at least one of the plurality of transmit-side transmission control devices.

10. The receive-side transmission control device according to claim 8, wherein

the allowable data transmission quantity change request is a request received from an optional device within the data generating point, to change the allowable data transmission quantity;

and that is sent by the transmit-side transmission control device.

11. A transmit-side transmission control device to transfer data generated by a plurality of data generator devices at data generating points to a data utilization device at a data utilization point, comprising:

a processing unit and a memory unit,

wherein the memory unit retains an allowable data transmission quantity of the applicable transmit-side transmission control device that was notified from the data utilization point side, and

wherein the processing unit adjusts the data transmission quantity sent from the data generator device so as to fit the data transmission quantity within the range of the retained allowable transmission data quantity,

generates a request to change the allowable transmission data quantity based on a transfer need request from a data generator device among the data generating points, and

sends the request to change the allowable transmission data quantity of the data utilization point side.

12. The transmit-side transmission control device according to claim 11, wherein

the processing unit transfers a portion of the data that was transferred from the data generator device and discards a portion so that the data transmission quantity is within the range of the allowable data transmission quantity retained in the memory unit.

13. The transmit-side transmission control device according to claim 11,

wherein the data generator device is a camera device that captures images, and

wherein the processing unit transfers a portion of the image data that was transferred from the camera device and discards a portion so that the data transmission quantity is within the range of the allowable data transmission quantity retained in the memory unit.

14. The transmit-side transmission control device according to claim 11,

wherein the data generator device is a camera device that captures images, and

wherein the processing unit converts the resolution of the image data that was transferred from the camera device so that the data transmission quantity is within the range of the retained allowable data transmission quantity.

15. The transmit-side transmission control device according to claim 11,

wherein the data generator device is a camera device that captures images, and

wherein the processing unit processes the image data from the camera device, and sets camera device importance level information and, when the importance level information has changed, the processing unit sends an allowable data transmission quantity change request to the data utilization point side.

16. The transmit-side transmission control device according to claim 11,

wherein the data generator device is a camera device that captures images, and

wherein the processing unit sets the camera device importance level information based on information detected from a sensor node installed for the corresponding camera device and when the importance level information has changed, the processing unit sends an allowable data transmission quantity change request to the data utilization point side.

17. The transmit-side transmission control device according to claim 16, wherein

the sensor node includes an infrared node installed in the vicinity of the camera device and, a mobile node capable of infrared communication with the infrared node.