U.S. patent application number 10/283990 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-29 for multi-channel communication system and method based on class of service requirements.
Invention is credited to Lane, Richard D., Lopez, Ricardo Jorge.
Application Number | 20040081199 10/283990 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32107574 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040081199 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lopez, Ricardo Jorge ; et
al. |
April 29, 2004 |
Multi-channel communication system and method based on class of
service requirements
Abstract
A communication transaction or use case is broken down into
constituent parts having different class of service (COS)
requirements. The parts are matched to different links or channels
having respective COS characteristics and communicated over the
links or channels, and then aggregated at the receiver.
Inventors: |
Lopez, Ricardo Jorge; (San
Marcos, CA) ; Lane, Richard D.; (San Diego,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Qualcomm Incorporated
Patents Department
5775 Morehouse Drive
San Diego
CA
92121-1714
US
|
Family ID: |
32107574 |
Appl. No.: |
10/283990 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/468 ;
370/395.43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04B 7/18595 20130101;
H04L 69/14 20130101; H04L 29/06 20130101; H04W 28/24 20130101; H04L
12/5692 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/468 ;
370/395.43 |
International
Class: |
H04L 012/56; H04J
003/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A communication system, comprising: at least a first node; and
at least a second node communicating with the first node pursuant
to a single use case having at least first and second portions
characterized by respective class of service (COS) requirements,
the nodes communicating with each other using respective first and
second channels for the first and second portions, the parts being
assigned to the respective channels based at least in part on the
COS requirements.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein each node aggregates received
portions.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one channel is
bidirectional.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein both channels are
bidirectional.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first node is an online game
server and the second node is a client station.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first channel is a satellite
link and the second channel is a terrestrial link.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the terrestrial link is used to
communicate at least one of: TCP acknowledgements, and
client-originated game choices, and the satellite link is used to
communicate at least game world state changes from the server to
the client station.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the use case has at least first,
second, and third portions communicated over respective first,
second, and third channels.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second node is a mobile
communication device, the first channel is a point-to-point
wireless communication link, the second channel is a 802.11 link,
and the third channel is a wireless broadcast link.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein service between the first node
and the wireless communication device is initiated over at least
one of: the first and second channel, and multimedia data is
communicated from the first node pursuant to the service over the
third channel.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least audio data originating
from a user of the wireless communication device is communicated to
the first node using the first channel, and TCP transactions are
communicated using the second channel.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein the point-to-point wireless
communication link is a CDMA link and the wireless broadcast link
is a VHF, UHF, SHF, or EHF link.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first node is a satellite,
the first channel is a satellite link, and the second channel is a
terrestrial link.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the satellite is a low Earth
orbit (LEO) satellite, the satellite link is at least one of: an L,
S, or C band LEO link or a Ku, K, or Ka band LEO/MEO/GEO link, and
the terrestrial link is a 1xEv-DO link.
15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first portion is a base
layer of a multimedia stream and the second portion is at least one
enhancement layer of the multimedia stream.
16. A method for communication during a single use case between a
first communication system node and second communication system
node, the use case having at least first and second parts
characterized by respective first and second communication service
requirements, the method comprising: establishing a first channel
based on the first service requirement; establishing a second
channel based on the second service requirement; and using the
first and second channels for communication between the nodes.
17. The method of claim 16, comprising: partitioning the use case
into the first and second parts; and identifying COS requirements
of the first and second parts.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: identifying
potentially available channels between the nodes; and identifying
COS characteristics of the channels.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: matching channels
to parts based at least in part on the identifying COS acts.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein each node aggregates received
parts.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one channel is
bidirectional.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein both channels are
bidirectional.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein the first node is an online
game server and the second node is a client station.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first channel is a
satellite link and the second channel is a terrestrial link.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the terrestrial link is used to
communicate at least one of: TCP acknowledgements, and
client-originated game choices, and the satellite link is used to
communicate at least game world state changes from the server to
the client station.
26. The method of claim 16, wherein the use case has at least
first, second, and third parts communicated over respective first,
second, and third channels.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the second node is a mobile
communication device, the first channel is a point-to-point
wireless communication link, the second channel is a 802.11 link,
and the third channel is a wireless broadcast link.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein service between the first node
and the wireless communication device is initiated over at least
one of: the first and second channel, and multimedia data is
communicated from the first node pursuant to the service over the
third channel.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein at least audio data originating
from a user of the wireless communication device is communicated to
the first node using the first channel, and TCP transactions are
communicated using the second channel.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein the point-to-point wireless
communication link is a CDMA link and the wireless broadcast link
is a VHF, UHF, SHF, or EHF link.
31. The method of claim 16, wherein the first node is a satellite,
the first channel is a satellite link, and the second channel is a
terrestrial link.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the satellite is a low Earth
orbit (LEO) satellite, the satellite link is at least one of: an L,
S, or C band LEO link or a Ku, K, or Ka band LEO/MEO/GEO link, and
the terrestrial link is a IxEv-DO link.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first part is a base layer
of a multimedia stream and the second part is at least one
enhancement layer of the multimedia stream.
34. A client station capable of communicating over at least two
communication links, each with a respective COS, for communicating
with at least a first node using both links incident to a single
use case, comprising: at least one processor assigning at least
first and second parts of the use case to the first and second
links based on the respective COS.
35. The client station of claim 34, wherein the processor
aggregates parts received from the first node over the first and
second links.
36. The client station of claim 34, wherein at least one link is
bidirectional.
37. The client station of claim 36, wherein both links are
bidirectional.
38. The client station of claim 34, wherein the first node is an
online game server.
39. The client station of claim 38, wherein the first link is a
satellite link and the second link is a terrestrial link.
40. The client station of claim 39, wherein the terrestrial link is
used to communicate at least one of: TCP acknowledgements, and
client-originated game choices, and the satellite link is used to
communicate at least game world state changes from the server to
the client station.
41. The client station of claim 34, wherein at least first, second,
and third parts communicated over respective first, second, and
third links.
42. The client station of claim 41, wherein the client station is a
mobile communication device, the first link is a point-to-point
wireless communication link, the second link is a 802.11 link, and
the third link is a wireless broadcast link.
43. The client station of claim 42, wherein service between the
first node and the client station is initiated over at least one
of: the first and second link, and multimedia data is communicated
from the first node pursuant to the service over the third
link.
44. The client station of claim 43, wherein at least audio data
originating from a user of the client station is communicated to
the first node using the first link, and TCP transactions are
communicated using the second link.
45. The client station of claim 42, wherein the point-to-point
wireless communication link is a CDMA link and the wireless
broadcast link is a VHF, UHF, SHF, or EHF link.
46. The client station of claim 34, wherein the first node is a
satellite, the first link is a satellite link, and the second link
is a terrestrial link.
47. The client station of claim 46, wherein the satellite is a low
Earth orbit (LEO) satellite, the satellite link is at least one of:
an L, S, or C band LEO link or a Ku, K, or Ka band LEO/MEO/GEO
link, and the terrestrial link is a IxEv-DO link.
48. The client station of claim 46, wherein the first part is a
base layer of a multimedia stream and the second part is at least
one enhancement layer of the multimedia stream.
49. A system for communication during a single use case between a
first communication system node and second communication system
node, the use case having at least first and second parts
characterized by respective first and second communication service
requirements, comprising: means for establishing a first channel
based on the first service requirement; means for establishing a
second channel based on the second service requirement; and means
for using the first and second channels for communication between
the nodes.
50. The system of claim 49, comprising: means for partitioning the
use case into the first and second parts; and means for identifying
COS requirements of the first and second parts.
51. The system of claim 50, further comprising: means for
identifying available channels between the nodes; and means for
identifying COS characteristics of the channels.
52. The system of claim 51, further comprising: means for matching
channels to parts based at least in part on the identifying COS
acts.
Description
I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to computer-based
communication systems.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Nodes such as server platforms, client stations, peer
stations, and intermediate station nodes in current communication
systems typically must select a single channel or single link or
other communication interface incident to undertaking a data
transfer transaction or a so-called "use case" (essentially, one or
more transactions or constituent use cases directed to a common
goal), such as the wireless transmission of multimedia data or the
downloading of a Web page. This is so even though the nodes
themselves might be capable of communicating over a number of
diverse channels or links.
[0003] The goal--the use case--is the downloading of the page. But
it entails around seventy hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)
transactions, each of which might in turn entail one or more TCP
transactions. The various parts of the use case--in this case, the
various HTTP and TCP transactions--might have various class of
service (COS) requirements, e.g., different latency requirements
and/or different bandwidth requirements and/or different error
quality requirements, to name three COS variables, yet only a
single communication link will be chosen for the entire use
case.
[0004] From the above discussion, it can be appreciated that the
selection of the channel or link might be independent of the COS
requirements of the transaction or use case to be fulfilled. For
instance, as mentioned above a client station typically selects a
statically configured link for all communications with the Internet
that is independent of any particular transaction or use case that
is to be fulfilled. The particular selection might be based only on
a desire to obtain the channel that has a COS which provides a
highest overall communication quality without regard to actual
needs for a particular transaction, or to obtain the lowest cost
channel without regard to actual quality needs for a particular
transaction. In any case, this "one size fits all" circumstance is
based in part on the desire to avoid the complexity that would
attend layering communication protocols together, a technique that
has been used for making a link (such as a satellite link) perform
better than it otherwise would.
[0005] The present invention recognizes that not only do different
transactions/use cases have different COS requirements, but
different portions of a single transaction/use case might have
differing COS requirements. To continue with the above Web page use
case example in a bit more detail, the user computer ordinarily has
a low latency COS demand for HTTP transactions related to
establishing a connection with a server, but, once connected,
subsequent HTTP transactions might have high-bandwidth, latency
insensitive COS as data (such as multimedia data) is communicated
from the server to the user. As recognized by the present
invention, using just one channel having a single set of COS
characteristics for both portions of the use case results in
inefficiencies in the use of the communication capabilities of
clients, servers, and other nodes in modern communication
systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A communication system includes a first node and a second
node communicating with the first node pursuant to a single use
case. The use case, defined as one or more transactions directed at
a common goal, has at least first and second portions that are
characterized by respective class of service (COS) requirements.
The nodes communicate with each other using respective first and
second channels for the first and second portions. According to
present principles, the channels are established based on the COS
requirements.
[0007] In preferred embodiments, each node aggregates received
portions. As disclosed further below, the channels may be
bidirectional.
[0008] In a non-limiting exemplary implementation, the first node
is an online game server and the second node is a client station.
In this implementation, the first channel is a satellite link and
the second channel is a terrestrial link. The terrestrial link is
used to communicate TCP acknowledgements and client-originated game
choices, and the satellite link is used to communicate game world
state changes from the server to the client station.
[0009] In another non-limiting implementation, the use case has
first, second, and third portions communicated over respective
first, second, and third channels. In this implementation, the
second node is a mobile communication device, the first channel is
a point-to-point wireless communication link, the second channel is
a 802.11 link, and the third channel is a VHF, UHF, or even SHF or
EHF wireless broadcast link. Service between the first node and the
wireless communication device is initiated over the wireless
point-to-point link or the 802.11 link, whereas multimedia data is
communicated from the first node pursuant to the service over the
V/UHF broadcast link. Also, audio data originating from a user of
the wireless communication device can be communicated to the first
node using the wireless point-to-point link, and TCP transactions
can be communicated using the 802.11 link.
[0010] In still another non-limiting implementation, the first node
can be a satellite, the first channel can be a satellite link, and
the second channel can a terrestrial link. In a specific
implementation, the satellite link can be at least one of: an L, S,
or C band LEO link or a Ku, K, or Ka band LEO/MEO/GEO link, and the
terrestrial link can be a 1xEv-DO link, or a 1x link, 3x link,
1xEv-DV link, or 802.16 (sometimes called "wireless cable") link.
In any case, the first portion of the use case is a base layer of a
multimedia stream that is communicated over the satellite link, and
the second portion is at least one enhancement layer of the
multimedia stream that is communicated over the terrestrial link.
While the enhancement layer generally is less important than the
base layer, a more general way to regard an enhancement layer is
that it is a partition of a stream of bits that depend on other
partitions for their correct interpretation and/or recognition.
[0011] In another aspect, a method is disclosed for communication
during a single use case between a first communication system node
and second communication system node. The use case has at least
first and second parts characterized by respective first and second
communication service requirements. The method includes
establishing a first channel based on the first service
requirement, establishing a second channel based on the second
service requirement, and using the first and second channels for
communication between the nodes.
[0012] In still another aspect, a client station is capable of
communicating over at least two communication links, each with a
respective COS, for communicating with a first node using both
links incident to a single use case. The client station includes a
processor that assigns at least first and second parts of the use
case to the first and second links based on the respective COS.
[0013] The details of the present invention, both as to its
structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to
like parts, and in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a simplified system; and
[0015] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the process for breaking down use
cases or transactions into their constituent parts based on COS
requirements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] Referring initially to FIG. 1, a system is shown, generally
designated 10, that includes plural nodes, such as a server 12 and
a client station 14, although the nodes can be peers in the system
10. The server 12 has a processor 16 and the client station 14 has
a processor 18 for undertaking the communication logic disclosed
herein.
[0017] Also, as shown the client station 14 includes at least first
and second communication systems 20, 22 for communicating with the
server 12 over respective first and second channels or links 24,
26. That is, the communication systems 20, 22 are configured for
communicating over the respective links 24, 26. Thus, if the link
24 is a satellite link, the communication system 20 is a satellite
communication system. On the other hand, if the link 26 is a
wireless point-to-point link, the communication system 22 is a
wireless point-to-point system such as CDMA or GSM. The client
station 14 can include additional or different communication
systems, such as a 802.11 communication system.
[0018] The channels or links 24, 26 have different class of service
(COS) characteristics. For example, the first link 24 can have a
higher or lower bandwidth than the second link 26, and/or more or
less latency, and/or greater or lesser error quality
characteristics, and/or other different COS variables. Non-limiting
examples of the types of links or channels to which the invention
applies includes wireless communication point-to-point links,
UHF/VHF/SHF/EHF broadcast links, landline broadcast links, infrared
(IR) links, ethernet links, 802.11 type links, satellite links,
etc. In any case, as set forth further below, the present invention
executes a single use case, defined to be one or more transactions,
by partitioning the use case into at least first and second parts
each of which has its own COS requirements, matching the parts with
the links 24, 26 based on the COS requirements of the parts and COS
capabilities of the links, and transmitting the parts over their
respective matched links.
[0019] In one non-limiting embodiment, the client station 14 can be
a "mobile station ("MS"), such as a mobile telephone-type device
made by Kyocera, Samsung, or other manufacturer that uses Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA) principles and CDMA over-the-air
(OTA) communication air interface protocols such as defined in but
not limited to IS-95A, IS-95B, WCDMA, IS-2000, and others to
communicate with wireless infrastructure, although the present
invention applies to GSM, Personal Communications Service (PCS) and
cellular systems, such as Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) and
the following digital systems: CDMA, Time Division Multiple Access
(TDMA), and hybrid systems that use both TDMA and CDMA
technologies. A CDMA cellular system is described in the
Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronic Industries
Association (TIA/EIA) Standard IS-95. Combined AMPS and CDMA
systems are described in TIA/EIA Standard IS-95. Other
communications systems are described in the International Mobile
Telecommunications System 2000/Universal Mobile Telecommunications
Systems (IMT-2000/UM), standards covering what are referred to as
wideband CDMA (WCDMA), cdma2000 (such as cdma2000 1x or 3x air
interface standards, for example) or TD-SCDMA.
[0020] The client station 14 may also be a computer that wirelessly
access the Internet and/or that access the Internet through a
landline.
[0021] The process of the present invention can be appreciated in
reference to FIG. 2, which can be undertaken using a computer.
Commencing at block 28, the particular transaction or use case to
be achieved is identified, and at block 30 it is partitioned into
its constituent parts. For example, a use case might be broken down
into its constituent transactions, which can be further partitioned
into sub-parts.
[0022] Proceeding to block 32, the COS requirements of the various
parts are identified. For instance, the bandwidth, latency, and
error quality of each part might be determined. Then, moving to
block 34, the communication capabilities of the server and client,
along with the associated COS of each link/channel that might be
used, is identified.
[0023] Once the COS requirements of the parts of a use case (or of
a transaction) are identified and the available COS capabilities
identified, the process moves to block 36. At block 36, the parts
of the use case/transaction are matched with one of the available
links, e.g., the links 24, 26 shown in FIG. 1, based on how well
the COS capability of the link matches the COS requirements of the
particular part.
[0024] At block 38 the use case/transaction is executed by
partitioning the use case/transaction into its constituent parts at
the transmitter and then communicating the parts over their
respective links as determined at block 36. Then, at block 40 the
parts are reassembled, i.e., are aggregated, from the various
links/channels at the receiver.
[0025] The following non-limiting examples of specific
implementations of the present invention are provided for
illustration. In a first example, the client station 14 may be a
personal computer or other user computer that has a high bandwidth,
high latency GEO satellite link and a low bandwidth low latency
terrestrial link. Absent the present invention, a client station
wishing to participate in so-called "Massively Multi-player Online
Games" will be unable to do so when using either of the available
links exclusively, because the high latency of the satellite link
renders unacceptable lag and the player is ejected from the game
server, whereas the low bandwidth of the terrestrial link renders
unacceptable queuing delay and again the user is ejected from the
game server.
[0026] With the present invention, however, the low latency
terrestrial link can be used to convey TCP acknowledgements and
user originated game choices (move, attack, etc.), while the high
bandwidth satellite link can be used to convey world state changes
(perhaps in the forward direction only, with user acknowledgements
flowing on the terrestrial link). That is, the COS requirements of
the transactions that include TCP acknowledgements and user
originated game choices can be matched to the COS capabilities of
the terrestrial link, while the COS requirements of world status
transactions can be matched to the COS capabilities of the
satellite link. The game server can continue to serve the user with
minimal visual lag for the user between games choices and their
rendering on the client station. This example demonstrates a
deployable API and Software Library making use of the methods and
apparatus of this invention.
[0027] As another example, consider a client station 14 that is a
mobile communication device that has, e.g., point-to-point wireless
IS-95 CDMA capabilities, 802.11B capabilities, and broadcast VHF
and/or UHF and/or SHF or EHF capabilities, preferably one-way but
potentially two-way. That is, in this example three links are
possible. Assume that it is desired that the mobile device
facilitate rendering to a student of the service of an interactive
multicast college lecture. The multimedia portion along with
possible HTML/XML media can be originated from a communication node
or server on the campus. The students, each having the exemplary
device, can originate both audio and interactive question and
answer HTML/XML media.
[0028] In this example, service establishment (having COS
requirements that include relatively low latency and low bandwidth)
can be initiated over either the IS-95 CDMA channel or 802.11B
channel, since the COS capabilities of these links most nearly
match the required COS. Service provisioning, on the other hand,
requiring, as it does, relatively higher bandwidth but also
tolerant of a bit higher latency, can best be matched to the COS
capabilities of the VHF/UHF/SHF/EHF channel for multicast
transmission of the multimedia portion and HTML/XML media
originating from the campus node or server. Further, the IS-95 CDMA
channel can be used for student audio (on a standby voice activated
basis possibly) and the 802.11B channel can be used for TCP/IP
transactions.
[0029] Note that although the multimedia portion is a best effort
multicast, that is, you get it or you don't, the HTML/XML media is
coat tailing on the multicast as quasi point-to-point use case. The
server might expect independent acknowledgment from each student
for the media transported, with unacknowledged media being
re-multicast to be processed by those who have not yet received it.
In the event of the loss or unavailability of the 802.11 or IS-95
CDMA channel, the remaining channel can stand in to support the
full service commitment, possessing, as it does, the requisite COS
capabilities.
[0030] As yet another example, consider a multi-mode mobile
multimedia client station device with a terrestrial IxEv-DO link
and a L/S/C band Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite link. The service
provider can broadcast a multimedia base layer over the
geographically broader LEO satellite downlink such that all devices
within the geographic coverage of the LEO downlink can receive this
layer and thus render a base quality of the broadcast media.
However, clients desiring additional quality can receive
enhancement layers of the multimedia stream over the terrestrial
broadcast link. The service provider may choose to limit low count
clients of a given cell when bandwidth resources are not available
within that cell. The advantage of this use of multiple channels
includes reduced bandwidth utilization by many base stations of the
same multimedia material and therefore a greater availability of
bandwidth for the enhancement layers.
[0031] In still another example, a high capacity channel can be
used to deliver high bandwidth COS demand of the dictionary portion
of a compression stream, while a lower capacity point-to-point,
multicast, or broadcast channel may be used to carry the actual
stream elements.
[0032] While the particular MULTI-CHANNEL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND
METHOD BASED ON CLASS OF SERVICE REQUIREMENTS as herein shown and
described in detail is fully capable of attaining the
above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood
that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present
invention and is thus representative of the subject matter which is
broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of
the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may
become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of
the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other
than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the
singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless
explicitly so stated, but rather "one or more". All structural and
functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described
preferred embodiment that are known or later come to be known to
those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated
herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the
present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or
method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the
present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims.
Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present
disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of
whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly
recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed
under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. '112, sixth paragraph, unless the
element is expressly recited using the phrase "means for" or, in
the case of a method claim, the element is recited as a "step"
instead of an "act".
* * * * *