Patent Application
20070011287
This invention relates generally to streaming data applications, and more particularly to systems and methods for seamless handover in a streaming data application.
In a multitasking operating environment it is common for streaming data having audio and/or video components to experience undesirable jitter and/or periodic interruptions.
Embodiments in accordance with the invention provide systems and methods for seamless handover in a streaming data application.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a multiprocessing system operating according to a method includes the steps of receiving streaming data, delegating portions of the streaming data to a plurality of processes, detecting that one or more of said processes is affected by an interruption that would inhibit further processing of the portions of streaming data delegated thereto, and rerouting to other available processes the portions of streaming data supplied to the one or more affected processes at a desired quality of service level.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium includes computer instructions for receiving streaming data, delegating portions of the streaming data to a plurality of processes, detecting that one or more of said processes is affected by an interruption that would inhibit further processing of the portions of streaming data delegated thereto, and rerouting to other available processes the portions of streaming data supplied to the one or more affected processes at a desired quality of service level.
In a third embodiment of the present invention, a device has a memory coupled to a computing device. Said computing device is programmed to receive streaming data, delegate portions of the streaming data to a plurality of processes operating on said computing device, detect that one or more of said processes is affected by an interruption that would inhibit further processing of the portions of streaming data delegated thereto, and reroute to other available processes the portions of streaming data supplied to the one or more affected processes at a desired quality of service level.
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of embodiments of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the embodiments of the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.
In a supplemental embodiment, the device 100 can also include one or more among a group of circuits comprising a transceiver 106, a display 108, an audio system 110 and a power supply 112. The transceiver 106 can be a conventional wireless transceiver (as represented by the hashed antenna) and/or a wired transceiver. The wireless transceiver 106 can be used for communicating with a conventional radio communication system (not shown), while a wired transceiver 106 can be used to communicate with a conventional wired communication system such as a cable modem or a PSTN (Public Switch Telephone Network) interface. The display 108, the audio system 110 and the power supply each utilize conventional technology for conveying images and audible signals to a user of the device 100, and for supply power to the components of the device 100, respectively.
In the aforementioned embodiments, the device 100 can take the form of a conventional cellular phone or other radio communication devices such as a wireless PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) coupled to a wireless network operating according to a protocol such as EEE 802.11g. Alternatively, the device 100 can be used for interconnecting with the Internet wirelessly or by conventional wires. In any of these embodiments, the device 100 can be used for conventional voice communications, and/or a multimedia function such as streaming video and/or streaming audio data supplied by an entertainment source on the Internet or from, for example, cellular service provider.
Method 200 begins with step 202 where the computing device 102 receives streaming audio and/or video data for processing. The computing device 102 then proceeds to step 204 where it delegates portions of the streaming data to a number of processes. Referring to the process diagram 300 of
Referring back to
In the illustration of
After one or more affected processes have been detected in step 206, the computing device 102 proceeds to step 208 where it searches for processes available to carry out the streaming services of Process 303. For illustration, Process 305 is assumed to be an available process detected by the computing device 102. This search can be performed with the assistance of server 103, or Process 302 which, for example, can broadcast a request for assistance to the other processes. The transition to Process 305 occurs according to the sequence of steps 210-214. In step 210, Process 303 continues to process a predetermined number of packets of the portion of streaming data supplied thereto in order to provide a sufficient period of time to successfully execute the reroute step 214 at a desired QoS level.
The number of predetermined packets can be preset by a designer of each process or can be dynamically adjusted according to conditions monitored by, for example, server 103. In addition to processing packets, Process 303 provides one or more acknowledgments and corresponding time stamps for at least one of the predetermined number of packets. In step 212, the portion of streaming data assigned to Process 303 is rerouted to another process according to said acknowledgments and time stamps. The QoS level can be selected to maximize the use of available process bandwidth by prioritizing time-sensitive traffic between the processes of
Once the computing device 102 determines that an appropriate QoS level has been achieved, it proceeds to step 214 where it reroutes the portion of streaming data delegated to Process 303 to Process 305 (as shown in links 5A-5C). Otherwise, step 212 proceeds to step 210 until such time that the computing device 102 determines an appropriate QoS level has been achieved.
It should be evident to the reader that the present invention can be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Moreover, the present invention can be realized in a centralized fashion in one computing device 102, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected processors 103, 105, 107109 such as shown in
Additionally, the present invention can be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods as computer instructions. A computer program in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form.
It should be also evident that the present invention may be used for many applications. Thus, although the description is made for particular arrangements and methods, the intent and concept of the invention is suitable and applicable to other arrangements and applications not described herein. For example, where available processes are known prior to invoking method 200, method 200 can be reduced to steps 202, 204, 206, and 214 (thereby eliminating steps 208, 210 and 212) without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. It would be clear therefore to those skilled in the art that modifications to the disclosed embodiments described herein can be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the described embodiments ought to be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. It should also be understood that the claims are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents. Therefore, equivalent structures that read on the description are to be construed to be inclusive of the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. Thus, reference should be made to the following claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.
