Method and system for managing remote clients in a network constituted by a central server which is linked to remote clients

Method and system for managing remote clients in a network consisting of central servers linked to remote clients

BACKGROUND The present invention generally relates to the exchange of information in a network.

A multicast network allows messages to be delivered to a group of target clients that constitute a subset of all network clients. Generally speaking, multicasting is accomplished by, for example, including the addresses of all relevant clients that are addressed in the header.

An operator of a broadcast network can use a server or the front end of a multicast network to control packets or a single multicast receiving client platform to initiate network management sessions. These sessions may be used to upload network management information to the front-end server. This allows network operators to manage the exchange of network management information in a very limited way.

Therefore, there is a need for a method that can exchange information between users and servers, front-ends, or broadcast network operators.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart of software residing on the client shown in Fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a flowchart of software residing on a server or front end according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart of software residing on the client shown in Fig. 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a flowchart of software residing on a server or front end according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart of software residing on the client shown in Fig. 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart of software residing on a server or front end according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description With reference to Fig. 1, a network may include at least one server, a front-end or network operator 10, and a group of clients 12 (only one is shown). The server 10 may be connected to a group of clients (including the clients 12) through a distributed system, and the distributed system may be based on a wired system or a wireless or broadcast system. Examples of such networks include television distribution networks such as digital video broadcasting systems.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the server 10 may communicate with the client 12 through the transmission device 14. The transmission device 14 may be an analog or digital broadcasting system. For example, the transmission device 14 may be suitable for digital video broadcasting (DVB); the network independent protocol, ETS 300802, was submitted and entered into force by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETS) of Valbonne, France in 1997. For example, the transmission device 14 may be a satellite, cable or radio wave broadcasting system.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the client 12 recognizes information directly sent by the server 10 to the client 12 alone or, in some embodiments, the information comes from other clients 12. Bandwidth can be saved by mass-sending information to a group of clients, because there is no need to insert a huge number of individual identification codes addressing the clients in the header.

In addition, the client 12 may include one or more addressable agents 44, 45, 46, and 48, which may be independently addressed by a remote unit such as the server 10. In addition, by providing addressable agents 44, 45, 46, and 48 within a client 12, messages that are special or require special processing can be addressed to a specific agent residing on the client 12 for corresponding processing.

The server 10 may include a network management command and control server 16. The server 16 is responsible for managing the data collection by the client 12. The server 16 transmits a message containing a specific service identification code (for example, service_id=0x02). The server 10 may also include an instant message or short message service (SMS) server 18, which also transmits a message with a specific service identification code (for example, service_id=0x04).

In addition, the client disk management server 20 may also be provided in the same manner. The client disk management server 20 may transmit a message containing one or more more specific service identification codes (for example, service_id=0x01). In some cases, in order to initialize the desired function of the client storage device or the disk drive device 43, various messages may be sent from the client disk management server 20. For example, a separate service identification code can be used for commands to generate partitions, delete partitions, or change partitions.

The data management session control server 21 may be responsible for processing the uploaded data set uniquely marked by the client on the available return channel connection 47. This is an important capability that allows network operators to manage data mining and the scalability of related servers. A one-way message service type and message identification code can be used for data management session control (DMSC) to manage data management sessions for customer groups or special customers. This group management is inherently supported by a one-way message service. This support is achieved by strategically assigning client identification codes to all broadcast receiving clients managed by the server 10 in the network.

The data transmitted by the data management session control server 21 includes one or more different service identification codes (for example, service_id=0x03). The server generates the DMSC message data structure and transfers the information and data to the one-way message server 22. The information and data are such as: dedicated data and data size, unique customer identification code, and used to determine whether the user identification code is a group mask or not. The code is also the group identifier of the Boolean variable of the individual customer identification code, the service identification code value of the DMSC service, and the identification code of the dedicated message.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the server 10 can implement a one-way messaging system. In a one-way messaging system, the server 10 can transmit data to a group of clients that cannot respond in any way. An example of such a network is the direct-to-home (DTH) broadcast network, which is compatible with the DVB protocol. As two examples, such networks can use connection-oriented communication protocols or connectionless real-time communication protocols. There are many applications of one-way messaging from the server to the client, such as instant messaging, command and control, and notification and signaling. In other cases, the network may be a two-way network, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) multicast backbone network.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the server 10 may include a one-way messaging server (UMS) 22, which may be connected to the servers 16, 18, 20, and 21 to generate messages in a suitable format. The message transmitted by the UMS server 22 may include a message generated by one of the servers 16, 18, 20, or 21. The UMS server 22 can then be connected to an Internet Protocol multicast module 24, which places the message in a suitable broadcast protocol format. Finally, the DVB Multi-Protocol Package (MPE) 26 is connected to the Internet Protocol Multicast Module 24. MPE is described in the DVB protocol (EN 301 192) used for data broadcasting and the Service Information Protocol (SI) (EN 300 468 VI.3.1 1998-02) of the DVB system. Both of the above-mentioned documents can be obtained from ETS. The output of the DVB MPE 26 and the DVB Service Information (SI) generator are connected to the transmission device 14. Business information is digital information describing the scheduling/timing of the delivery system, content, and broadcast data stream.

At the client terminal 12, the data stream from the DVB-SI generator 28 is connected to the DVB-SI receiver 40 and the service capture module 38. The service capture module 38 extracts the program identifier (PID) and provides it to the DVB multiplexer 32. The tuner 30 can tune the client 12 to a suitable channel according to the extracted program identifier.

The message from the DVB MPE 26 is provided to the DVB MPE receiver 42. The receiver 42 communicates with the IP multicast module 40 and the one-way message server 38. The server 38 decomposes the message to determine whether the service identification code is in the data stream. If so, forward the message to the appropriate agent designated to receive the message with the specific service identification code.

The disk management agent 44 may be connected to a disk drive controller 47, which in turn is connected to a storage device 43 such as a hard disk drive. The disk management agent 44 can be addressed by the client disk management server 20 as the message recipient. The disk management agent 44 causes the process to be performed by the controller 47, which in turn controls the use of the storage device 43. This control includes: deciding what information to store on the storage device 43 and how to store the information on the storage device 43.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the network management command and control service program 16 may provide a specific message identifier, which allows its messages to be received by a network management session management agent 48 tuned to the specific service identifier. Similarly, the messages from the instant messaging service program 18 may include a service identifier, which enables these messages to be transmitted to the agent 48 in the client 12. Similarly, the messages from the data management session control agent 21 have corresponding identifiers, which cause these messages to be diverted to the data management session control agent 45 in the client 12.

The server 10 may include a storage device 25 that stores software 137, 70, and 102 for controlling the operation of the server 22. Likewise, the server 38 on the client 12 is connected to a storage device 43 that stores software 50, 82, and 114 for controlling the operation of the server 38. The servers 22 and 38 may be processor-based systems.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the software 50 on the client 12 initially receives the one-way message server address and port from the server 10. The client 12 may be assigned a client identifier as shown in block 52. In this way, an Internet Protocol multicast system can be established in which each client has a UMS address and port and a unique client identifier assigned by the server 10. In some embodiments, the server 10 can dynamically adjust the address and port and the client identifier, so that a specific message, message group, or message type to a specific client can be communicated in a dynamic and configurable manner.

After the receiver of the client 12 receives its address, port, and client identifier, it joins a multicast packet and listens for messages addressed specifically to it or any group to which the client 12 belongs, as shown in block 54 Show.

The disk management agent 44 registers its service identifier with the UMS server (38), as shown in block 56. When the UMS server 38 receives a data packet with a UMS message, as shown in block 58, it checks to determine whether the specific client 12 is the intended recipient, as shown in the diamond block 60. If not, the message is discarded, as shown in block 62.

On the other hand, if the specific client 12 is the intended recipient, the server program 38 detects the service identifier of the message and passes the message to the correct agent program 44, 46, or 48, as shown in block 64. The message is then passed to the appropriate agent 44, as shown in block 66. In the agent program 44, the information is parsed and passed to the appropriate process for processing, as shown in block 68.

For example, when being addressed, the disk management agent 44 sends appropriate commands to the controller 47 to provide a relay for the storage device 43. Based on the service identifier attached to the message, the agent 44 can provide the appropriately decoded command to the controller 47, such as a command to generate a partition, delete a partition, or modify a partition. Each of these commands can be assigned special service identifier values such as 0x03, 0x04, and 0x05. The disk management agent program 44 decodes the message with the service identifier into a format appropriate to the controller 47 based on the received message from the client disk management service program 20. For example, for a message containing a service identifier of 0x03, the proxy service program 44 may issue a command to the controller 47 to partition the storage 43.

On the server side, as shown in FIG. 3, the network software 70 initially assigns multicast addresses and ports to multiple clients 12 for one-way messaging services, as shown in block 72. The server 10 may also assign client identifiers in a dynamic and reconfigurable manner. These addresses, ports, and client identifiers are then transferred to the client, as shown in block 74.

Thereafter, the disk management service program 20 may generate a data structure and transfer the data structure to the server 22, as shown in block 76. The server 22 generates a one-way message and assigns a client value, sets a group flag and copies the proprietary data in the message's proprietary byte, as shown in block 78. More specifically, a unique customer identifier can be assigned. The customer identifier can be a special customer identifier that is pre-designated or, for example, it can be 0 if multiple clients are targeted. The group flag is a Boolean value that describes whether the customer identifier is a group mask or a specific identifier. The group mask is an identifier that identifies a subset of clients 12 in the network. The subset may include multiple clients but is less than the total number of addressable clients.

As an example of a one-way message header, the message can contain several variables, including: group_mask, service_id, version_id, message_id, and private_data_byte (group mask, service identifier, version identifier, message identifier, and private data byte ). In an embodiment of the present invention, group_mask may contain 64 bits, service_id contains 8 bits, version_id contains 16 bits, message_id contains 8 bits, and private_data_byte contains 8 bits. version_id is the version of the one-way message protocol and the initial setting can be 0. service_id can be a service identifier, for example, it can be 0x02 for an instant messaging service. Advantageously, the size of the message must not exceed 1024 bytes in order to eliminate potential packet separation. The group_filter can be combined with the client_id field to limit the size of the dedicated data required by the application. According to the DVB specification, apart from private_data_byte that can contain a bit string (bslbf) identifier whose left digit is the first bit, each header item will contain an unsigned integer (uimsbf) identifier whose most significant bit is the first digit.

As shown in block 80, the message is then sent to all clients 12 in the network. Each client then determines whether the message is designed for this client. The client 12 determines whether the message is a specific target recipient by judging whether the message is addressed with the client identifier of the client 12 as an address. For example, using an AND logic operator between the identifier of a message and the identifier of the client, the client 12 can determine whether the client 12 is in a client group jointly addressed by the server 10.

In an embodiment of the present invention, different user groups can receive a common customer identifier element. Therefore, multiple clients that have been subscribed by the owner for enhanced services will include a common code part in their client identifiers. When the client identifier of a message with a common code part is received, these clients all accept the message. Likewise, clients that are in a specific geographic area, have specific interests, or are otherwise identifiable clients can be assigned a unique prefix/suffix or identifier code portion. The code part can perform a logical AND operation with group_mask to determine whether a specific client is a member of the target group.

The management message header may also include a field for addressing the disk management agent 44, such as a volume_name_len field, which may provide a volume, name, length, and bytes for a related volume of the storage device 45 in the form of a hard disk drive. In an embodiment of the present invention, the field is 8 bits in length and has a bslbf identifier. In addition, the volume_name_byte field can give the name byte of the volume, which constitutes the name of the volume to be mounted to determine where a new partition is to be created. In an embodiment of the present invention, this field is 8 bits in length and contains a bslbf identifier. Finally, the partition_size field gives the size of the partition to be created in bytes. This field is 32 bits in size and uses unisbf identifiers. Of course, the additional fields and additional service identifiers can be used to implement additional commands to the client storage device 45.

In this way, according to the instructions of the server or the front end 10, the client disk management server 20 can control how the storage 43 is established and used on the target client or the target client group. Each client 12 can be individually addressed, and the entire set of clients or a subset of clients can be collectively addressed so that their storage devices 45 can be changed separately or collectively. Therefore, the storage devices 43 of one or more clients can be selectively controlled by the server 10.

Referring to FIG. 4, the software 82 on the client 12 initially receives a one-way message server address and port from the server 10 in order to implement a network management session. The client 12 may also be assigned a client identifier, as shown in block 84. In this way, an Internet Protocol multicast system can be established, in which each client has a UMS address and port assigned by the server 10 in addition to a unique client identifier.

After receiving its address, port, and client identifier, the receiver of the client 12 joins a multicast packet and listens for messages specifically addressed to it or any group to which the client 12 belongs, as shown in block 86 .

The data management session control agent 45 registers its service identifier with the UMS server 38. When the UMS server 38 receives the packet with the UMS message, as shown in block 90, it determines whether the specific client 12 is the intended recipient through detection, as shown in diamond 92. If not, the message is discarded, as shown in block 94.

However, if the particular client 12 is the intended recipient, the server 38 detects the service identifier of the message and transmits the message to the correct agent 45, as shown in block 64. The message is then transmitted to the appropriate agent 45, as shown in block 98. At the agent 45, the message is parsed and passed to the appropriate process for processing, as shown in block 100.

The data management session control agent 45 receives the target message from the data management session control server 21 and, in response to it, provides the data requested by the server 21 through the reverse channel 47, for example. Therefore, in one embodiment, the agent 45 receives a message with a specific syntax including ManagementMessage(), which includes: group_mask, service_id, version_id, message_id, message_byte_count, and DMSessionControlMessage(), which in turn includes session_id, session_host_name, session_start_name, session_duration and data_id.

session_id is a unique session identifier. server_host_name is a string of the host name of the data management server used to establish the connection. session_start_time is the date and time used by the client 12 to establish a session. session_duration is the duration after the start time, at which the server 21 will accept the session and provide a time window (if necessary). Data_id is a unique identifier for information and data sets to be exchanged during the session. The method of managing and assigning the identifier information and/or data is application-specific.

In this way, the server 21 can initiate a message sent to the client 12, which causes the client 12 to start uploading specific data at a specific time. That is, the server 21 may specify a header containing session_id, server_host_name, session_start_name, session_duration, and data_id, and in response to it, the data management session control agent 45 collects the requested information and provides it in the form of a request at the time of the request.

The server 21 may provide messages with different message identifiers, including, for example, session creation messages, session deletion messages, and session update messages. The session delete message simply deletes the previously created session and the session update message causes additional information to be provided to the scheduled session.

In one embodiment of the present invention, group_mask includes 64 bits in the uimsbf identifier. The session_id includes 8 bits in the uimsbf identifier. The version_id includes 16 bits in the uimsbf identifier. The message_id includes 8 bits and the identifier is 0x01. The message_byte_count includes 16 bits in the uimsbf identifier. DataManagementSessionControlMessage() may include 8-bit semantic session_id, 64-bit session_start_time, 32-bit session_duration, and 32-bit data_id in one embodiment, all of which follow the uimsbf identifier format. DataManagementSessionControlMessage() can also include a 128-byte bslbf identifier server_host_name.

On the server side, as shown in FIG. 5, the network software 102 initially assigns a broadcast address and port in order to provide one-way messaging services to multiple clients 12, as shown in block 104. The server 10 also assigns client identifiers in a dynamic and reconfigurable manner. These addresses, ports, and client identifiers are then transferred to the client, as shown in block 106.

Thereafter, the data management session control server 21 may generate a data structure and transmit this data structure to the server 22, as shown in block 108. The server 22 generates a one-way message and assigns the client value, sets the group flag, and copies the private data in the message private byte, as shown in block 110. More specifically, a unique customer identifier can be specified. The customer identifier may be a specific pre-designated customer identifier, or may be, for example, 0 when multiple clients are targeted. The group flag is a boolean quantity that describes whether the customer identifier is a group mask or a specific identifier. The group mask is an identifier that identifies a subset of clients 12 in the network. This subset can contain multiple clients but is less than the total number of addressable clients.

As shown in block 112, the message is then transmitted to all clients 12 in the network. Each client then determines whether the message is intended for that client. The client terminal 12 determines whether it is a specific intended recipient by determining whether the message is addressed to the client identifier of the client terminal 12. For example, the client 12 can determine whether the client 12 belongs to the client group jointly addressed by the server 10 by using the logical operation between the message identifier and the client identifier.

The network management command and control server 16 and the network session management agent 48 work together. When a message generated at the request of the server 16 is directed to the agent 48, the agent 48 calls the session management 49. In one embodiment of the present invention, the session management provides the desired management message in the reverse channel 43 in a predetermined format.

The network management session is generally used to upload network management information to the server 16. For example, a management information base (MIB) can be uploaded in the return channel 43 using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). As shown in FIG. 6, the operation of the agent 48 generally corresponds to the description of the agents 44 and 45 above. That is, the UMS address, port, and client identifier are received, as shown in block 116, the receiver joins a multicast packet and listens for messages, as shown in block 118, and the network session management agent 48 registers it with the UMS receiver The service identifier of, as shown in block 120. The UMS receiver then receives the packet with the message, as shown in block 122.

The test made at diamond 124 determines whether a particular agent 48 is the intended recipient. If not, the message is discarded, as shown in block 126. Otherwise, the receiver detects the service identifier and transmits the message to the agent 48, as shown in block 130. The information is semantically analyzed and transferred to the session management 49. The session manager 49 then uses the channel 43 to schedule the session with the server 16.

The format of the message is basically the same as that used by DMSC. However, it is NMSessionControlMessage() that contains the info_ID field instead of DMSessionControlMessage() that contains the info_ID field. The info_ID field is a unique information or data set identifier that is exchanged during the session. The method of management and assignment of information and/or data set identifiers is application-specific. For example, if a client manages multiple MIBs, a dedicated SNMP client MIB will be identified for uploading to the server.

MIB is information on an agent called a management information database. This information is the basis for incident reporting. The MIB standard was proposed as an example in RFC 1229 issued by the Network Working Group (May 1991).

Then turning to FIG. 7, the operation of the network management server 16, using the software 134, is basically similar to that described above. The multicast address and port of the UMS are assigned and the client identifier is also assigned, as shown in block 136, the UMS address and port and the client identifier are sent to the client, as shown in block 138, and the network management command and control The server 16 generates a data structure and transmits the data to the UMS server, as shown in block 140. The UMS server 22 then generates a UM message, specifies the client value, sets the group flag, and copies the proprietary data into the proprietary bytes of the message, as shown in block 142. Thereafter, the message is sent (block 144).

Then, at a predetermined time, the server 16 receives scheduling information from the session manager 49. At a suitable moment, a session can be provided, in which MIB and other messages are uploaded to the server 16 through the role of the agent 48 and the session management 49.

In an embodiment of the present invention, different user groups can receive a common customer identifier unit. Therefore, multiple clients whose owners have signed up for enhanced services can include a common code part in their client identifiers. When a message containing a common code part in the client identifier is received, each of these clients accepts the message.

Although we have discussed the present invention through a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art can add various modifications and changes to it. All such modifications and changes are considered to be included in the essential spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.