US6041359A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Data delivery system and method for delivering computer data over a broadcast network
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1997-06-09
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Granted: 2000-03-21
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Expires: 2017-06-09
Abstract
Abstract A data delivery system facilitates broadcast delivery of computer data and other content from multiple content servers to multiple clients. The servers are connected to a broadcast center via a bi-directional data network, such as an ATM network or an Ethernet. The data is served over the data network from the content servers to the broadcast center where it is broadcast over a broadcast network (i.e., satellite, RF, microwave, etc.) to the clients. The clients are equipped to receive broadcast transmissions from the broadcast center. Due to the unidirectional broadcast link, the clients are unable to communicate with the servers to acknowledge receipt or pre-reserve bandwidth over the data network. The broadcast center performs this task on behalf of the clients. To assure delivery of the data from the servers over the data network to the broadcast center for retransmission, the content servers generate requests for reservation of bandwidth on the data network for an upcoming time period and submit the requests over the data network to the broadcast center prior to the time period. The broadcast network schedules reservations of the bandwidth for the upcoming time period and, when the time period arrives, reserves the bandwidth at the time the communication link between the server and the broadcast center is being established.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth J. Birdwell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 21:07
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; H04L12/18; H04L12/1863; H04L12/1877; H04L47/00; H04L47/70; H04L47/72; H04L47/724; H04L47/74; H04L47/745; H04L47/78; H04L47/781; H04L47/80; H04L47/806; H04L47/82; H04L47/822; H04L47/826; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/104; H04L67/1074; H04L67/1076; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L12/189
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A data delivery system for delivering data over a unidirectional broadcast network, comprising: multiple content servers connected to serve data over a bi-directional data network; a broadcast center connected to receive the data served from the content servers over the bi-directional data network and to broadcast the data over the unidirectional broadcast network to multiple clients; the content servers generating requests for reservation of bandwidth on the data network for an upcoming time period and submitting the requests over the data network to the broadcast center before the time period; and the broadcast center reserving the bandwidth for the content servers in response to the requests.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A data delivery system for delivering data over a unidirectional broadcast network, comprising: multiple content servers connected to serve data over a bi-directional data network; a broadcast center connected to receive the data served from the content servers over the bi-directional data network and to broadcast the data over the unidirectional broadcast network to multiple clients; the content servers generating requests for reservation of bandwidth on the data network for an upcoming time period and submitting the requests over the data network to the broadcast center before the time period; and the broadcast center reserving the bandwidth for the content servers in response to the requests.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A data delivery system as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast center evaluates whether the bandwidth requested by the content servers is available for allocation and reserves the bandwidth if it is available for allocation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A data delivery system as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast center maintains a list of bandwidth reservations for the content servers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
A data delivery system as recited in claim 1, wherein: a particular content server submits a bandwidth reservation request for a particular quantity of bandwidth during a particular time period; and the broadcast center compares the bandwidth reservation request to other requests involving the time period and determines an actual quantity of bandwidth that can be allocated during the time period.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A data delivery system as recited in claim 4, wherein the broadcast center reserves the actual quantity of bandwidth for the time period for allocation to the particular content server.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A data delivery system as recited in claim 5, wherein: the broadcast center sends the reservation to the particular content over the data network; and the particular content server determines whether to accept or cancel the reservation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A data delivery system as recited in claim 1, wherein, for a particular time period, the broadcast center sends bandwidth reservation messages over the data network to reserve the bandwidth on the data network to assure delivery of the data from the content servers to the broadcast center.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
A data delivery system as recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast center comprises: a reservation computing unit coupled to the bi-directional data network to handle the bandwidth reservation requests from the content servers; a signal generator to generate a broadcast signal to carry the data served from the content servers over the broadcast network; and a transmitter coupled to the signal generator to send the broadcast signal over the broadcast network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
138 words
A broadcast center for receiving data from multiple content servers over a bi-directional data network and broadcasting that data over a broadcast network to multiple clients, comprising: a reservation computing unit which receives bandwidth reservation requests from the content servers, each bandwidth reservation request specifying a quantity of bandwidth and a time slot in which a requesting content server desires to serve data over the data network for broadcast by the broadcast center; the reservation computing unit determining whether the quantity of bandwidth requested can be accommodated, and if so, reserving the bandwidths at corresponding time slots requested by the content servers; a signal generator to generate a broadcast signal carrying the data served by the content servers; and a transmitter, coupled to the signal generator, to broadcast the broadcast signal over the broadcast network to the clients.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
138 words
A broadcast center for receiving data from multiple content servers over a bi-directional data network and broadcasting that data over a broadcast network to multiple clients, comprising: a reservation computing unit which receives bandwidth reservation requests from the content servers, each bandwidth reservation request specifying a quantity of bandwidth and a time slot in which a requesting content server desires to serve data over the data network for broadcast by the broadcast center; the reservation computing unit determining whether the quantity of bandwidth requested can be accommodated, and if so, reserving the bandwidths at corresponding time slots requested by the content servers; a signal generator to generate a broadcast signal carrying the data served by the content servers; and a transmitter, coupled to the signal generator, to broadcast the broadcast signal over the broadcast network to the clients.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A broadcast center as recited in claim 9, wherein the reservation computing unit comprises a router.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A broadcast center as recited in claim 9, wherein the reservation computing unit notifies the content servers of the reserved bandwidths.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A broadcast center as recited in claim 9, wherein the reservation computing unit evaluates whether the bandwidths requested by the content servers are available for allocation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A broadcast center as recited in claim 9, wherein the reservation computing unit compares the bandwidth reservation requests for a particular time slot and determines an actual quantity of bandwidth that can be allocated to the content servers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A broadcast center as recited in claim 13, wherein the reservation computing unit reserves the actual quantity of bandwidth for the time slot.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A broadcast center as recited in claim 9, wherein the reservation computing unit sends bandwidth reservation messages at reserved time slots to particular ones of the content servers to reserve bandwidth on the bi-directional data network between the particular content servers and the reservation computing unit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
A broadcast center as recited in claim 9, wherein the reservation computing unit converts data received in a first format from the content servers into a second format which is passed onto the signal generator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a network system having multiple content servers serving data to multiple clients over a distribution network with a bi-directional link and a unidirectional broadcast link, the content servers sending the data over the bi-directional link in a first format, a reservation computing unit comprising: a network port to provide access to the bi-directional link of the distribution network, the network port receiving bandwidth reservation requests from the content servers requesting reservation of bandwidth on the data network; a scheduler to schedule bandwidth reservations for the content servers in response to the requests; a second port to provide access to the unidirectional broadcast link of the distribution network; and a data format converter to convert the data from the first format into a second format for transmission over the unidirectional broadcast link of the distribution network.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a network system having multiple content servers serving data to multiple clients over a distribution network with a bi-directional link and a unidirectional broadcast link, the content servers sending the data over the bi-directional link in a first format, a reservation computing unit comprising: a network port to provide access to the bi-directional link of the distribution network, the network port receiving bandwidth reservation requests from the content servers requesting reservation of bandwidth on the data network; a scheduler to schedule bandwidth reservations for the content servers in response to the requests; a second port to provide access to the unidirectional broadcast link of the distribution network; and a data format converter to convert the data from the first format into a second format for transmission over the unidirectional broadcast link of the distribution network.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
A reservation computing unit as recited in claim 17, wherein the scheduler generates reservation notices to inform the content servers that the bandwidths are reserved, the network port transmitting the reservation notices to the content servers over the bi-directional link of the distribution network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A reservation computing unit as recited in claim 17, wherein the scheduler evaluates whether the bandwidths requested by the content servers are available for allocation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A reservation computing unit as recited in claim 17, further comprising a bandwidth reservation table to store the bandwidth reservations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
50 words
A reservation computing unit as recited in claim 20, wherein the scheduler compares individual bandwidth reservation requests to the reservations stored in the bandwidth reservation table for a time slot and determines an actual quantity of bandwidth that can be allocated for the requesting content servers during that time slot.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
A reservation computing unit as recited in claim 21, wherein the scheduler reserves the actual quantity of bandwidth for the time slot.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
57 words
A reservation computing unit as recited in claim 17, wherein during a particular time slot, the scheduler generates bandwidth reservation messages which are sent by the network port over the bi-directional link of the distribution network to particular content servers to reserve bandwidth on the distribution network between the particular content servers and the reservation computing unit.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
111 words
In a data delivery system in which data is delivered from a server to a client at least partly over a unidirectional broadcast network in which the client is unable to communicate with the server to reserve bandwidth for the data delivery, a client surrogate computing unit interposed between the server and the client and capable of conducting bi-directional communication with the server, the client surrogate computing unit being configured to reserve bandwidth on behalf of the client for the data delivery from the server to the client and to convert the data received from the server into a format for broadcast delivery of the data over the unidirectional broadcast network.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
111 words
In a data delivery system in which data is delivered from a server to a client at least partly over a unidirectional broadcast network in which the client is unable to communicate with the server to reserve bandwidth for the data delivery, a client surrogate computing unit interposed between the server and the client and capable of conducting bi-directional communication with the server, the client surrogate computing unit being configured to reserve bandwidth on behalf of the client for the data delivery from the server to the client and to convert the data received from the server into a format for broadcast delivery of the data over the unidirectional broadcast network.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
128 words
In a data delivery system in which data from multiple content servers is sent over a data network to a broadcast center for broadcast over a unidirectional broadcast network to multiple clients, a method comprising the following steps: generating, at a requesting content server, a bandwidth reservation request for reservation of bandwidth on the data network for an upcoming time period; sending the bandwidth reservation request over the data network to the broadcast center before the time period; reserving the bandwidth on the data network for the time period requested by the requesting content server; sending the data from the requesting content server over the data network to the broadcast center; and broadcasting the data from the broadcast center over a unidirectional broadcast network to the multiple clients.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
128 words
In a data delivery system in which data from multiple content servers is sent over a data network to a broadcast center for broadcast over a unidirectional broadcast network to multiple clients, a method comprising the following steps: generating, at a requesting content server, a bandwidth reservation request for reservation of bandwidth on the data network for an upcoming time period; sending the bandwidth reservation request over the data network to the broadcast center before the time period; reserving the bandwidth on the data network for the time period requested by the requesting content server; sending the data from the requesting content server over the data network to the broadcast center; and broadcasting the data from the broadcast center over a unidirectional broadcast network to the multiple clients.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the step of evaluating, at the broadcast center, whether the bandwidth requested by the requesting content server is available for allocation.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the step of storing the bandwidth reservation request at the broadcast center.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the following steps: comparing the bandwidth reservation request with other requests for the time period; and determining an actual quantity of bandwidth that can be allocated to the requesting content server during the time period.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as recited in claim 28, further comprising the following steps: reserving the actual bandwidth for the requesting content server; sending a reservation for the actual bandwidth from the broadcast center to the requesting content server over the data network; and determining, at the requesting content server, whether to accept or cancel the reservation.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the step of initiating from the broadcast center, at commencement of the time period, a bandwidth reservation message for reserving the bandwidth on the data network to assure delivery of the data from the content server to the broadcast center.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
26 words
Computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions executable at the broadcast center and the content servers for performing the steps of the method as recited in claim 25.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
148 words
In a data delivery system in which data from multiple content servers is sent over a data network to a broadcast center for broadcast over a broadcast network to multiple clients, a method for operating the broadcast center comprising the following steps: reserving, in advance, bandwidth on the data network to be used by a content server to send data over the data network during an upcoming time period; before commencement of the time period, generating bandwidth reservation messages and sending the bandwidth reservation messages over the data network to the content servers to timely reserve network resources to assure transmission of the data from the content servers to the broadcast center during the time period; receiving the data from the content server over the data network during the time period; and broadcasting the data from the broadcast center over a unidirectional broadcast network to the multiple clients.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
148 words
In a data delivery system in which data from multiple content servers is sent over a data network to a broadcast center for broadcast over a broadcast network to multiple clients, a method for operating the broadcast center comprising the following steps: reserving, in advance, bandwidth on the data network to be used by a content server to send data over the data network during an upcoming time period; before commencement of the time period, generating bandwidth reservation messages and sending the bandwidth reservation messages over the data network to the content servers to timely reserve network resources to assure transmission of the data from the content servers to the broadcast center during the time period; receiving the data from the content server over the data network during the time period; and broadcasting the data from the broadcast center over a unidirectional broadcast network to the multiple clients.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as recited in claim 32, further comprising the following steps: receiving a bandwidth reservation request from the content server requesting reservation of a quantity of bandwidth at a particular time period; and evaluating whether the quantity of bandwidth requested by the content server is available for allocation.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method as recited in claim 32, further comprising the following steps: receiving a bandwidth reservation request from the content server requesting reservation of a quantity of bandwidth at a particular time period; and comparing the bandwidth reservation request with other bandwidth reservation requests for the particular time period to determine an actual quantity of bandwidth that can be allocated to the requesting content server.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 32, further comprising the following steps: receiving multiple bandwidth reservation requests from multiple content servers requesting reservation of bandwidth at different time periods; and storing the bandwidth reservation requests.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
A computer programmed to perform the steps recited in the method of claim 32.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
18 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of the method as recited in claim 32.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-21 | 2003-09-20 | 2004-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-21 | 2007-09-20 | 2008-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-21 | 2011-09-20 | 2012-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |