FORM 2

THE PATENTS ACT  1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES  2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10  rule 13)

“A method and system for segmented file transfer over a communications network”

Tejas Networks Limited
2nd floor  GNR Tech Park  46/4  Garbebhavi Palya 
Kudlu Gate  Hosur main road 
Bangalore 560 068  Karnataka  India

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to data transfer in a telecommunication system. More particularly  the present invention relates to a method and system for segmented file transfer over a communications network (e.g. internet).
Background of the Invention
The Internet has seen tremendous growth within the last few years. One of the main reasons for its popularity is quick and easy access to a wide variety of data from remote locations. The size of the data varies extensively. It might be a small web page  a relatively large multimedia file  a large video file or an extremely large archive (e. g.  a new version of Netscape). In spite of these capabilities  Internet users tend to complain about the time that they waste sitting behind their computers  waiting for data. In other words  for a typical Internet user  latency is a big concern.
The latency caused by a server or client can be largely eliminated by using a more powerful computer  more memory  or a faster disk. The main portion of the latency perceived by an Internet user is caused by the network itself. Some sources of this delay are intrinsic to the network infrastructure  namely  propagation and transmission delays.
Fortunately  many Internet users presently have access to a reasonably high-bandwidth Internet connection. Other sources of delay are due to network congestion and router delays (the buffering & processing time involved for routing each packet). Yet another source of latency is due to the design/implementation of the Internet protocols themselves; for instance  the delay incurred for retransmission of a lost packet  while using a sliding- window flow control mechanism. These protocols are designed to best match particular network characteristics with the type or size of the data to be transmitted. Therefore  with the evolving nature of the Internet  the protocols are modified occasionally in order to optimize performance.
At present  any upload or download of data or file can be done at single client device  where the same client device can use any number of servers to pull or upload the data or file. The client or the user has to depend solely with server for transfer.
It is  therefore  desirable to provide a method and system for transferring files  particularly large files  over the Internet that provide reliability and speed.
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Summary of the Invention
The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments  and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention is a method of transfer of file over a communications network  the method comprising: registering at least two user devices and at least one server with at least one lookup server  receiving a request from at least one user device for download of content from at least one server and segmenting the requested content into plurality of diminutive content  wherein the segmentation is based on the information available with the lookup server or based on the information in the request and based on server load or traffic.
In another aspect of the present invention is a method of transfer of file over a communications network  the method comprising: registering at least two user devices and at least one server with at least one lookup server  receiving a request from at least one user device for upload of content to at least one server and segmenting the requested content into plurality of diminutive content on at least one user device  wherein the segmentation is based on the information available with the lookup server or based on the information in the request and based on server load or traffic.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.
Before undertaking the detailed description of the invention below  it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise ” as well as derivatives thereof  mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or ” is inclusive  meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith ” as well as derivatives thereof  may mean to include  be included within  interconnect with  contain  be contained within  connect to or with  couple to or with  be communicable with  cooperate with  interleave  juxtapose  be proximate to  be bound to or with  have  have a property of  or the like; and the term “controller” means any device  system or part thereof that controls at least one operation  such a device may be implemented in hardware  firmware or software  or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed  whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document  those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many  if not most instances  such definitions apply to prior  as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

Brief description of the drawings
For a more complete understanding of the present invention  and the advantages thereof  reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings  wherein like numbers designate like objects  and in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a communication system for a download or upload from single user equipment.
Figure 2 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a communication system of segmented mutli-download or mutli-upload using two or more user equipments  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a method of segmented mutli-download or mutli-upload transfer of file using two or more user equipments  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
Figure 4 is a flow diagram of a method of segmented mutli-download or mutli-upload transfer of file using two or more user equipments  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and may have not been drawn to scale. For example  the dimensions of some of the elements in the figure may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.
Throughout the drawings  it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements  features  and structures.

Detail description of the Invention
In the following description  for purposes of explanation and not limitation  specific details are set forth such as particular architectures  interfaces  techniques  etc. in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However  it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. That is  those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements which  although not explicitly described or shown herein  embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope. In some instances  detailed descriptions of well-known devices  circuits  and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail. All statements herein reciting principles  aspects  and embodiments of the invention  as well as specific examples thereof  are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally  it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future  i.e.  any elements developed that perform the same function  regardless of structure.
Thus  for example  it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that block diagrams herein can represent conceptual views of illustrative circuitry embodying the principles of the technology. Similarly  it will be appreciated that any flow charts  state transition diagrams  pseudo code  and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable medium and so executed by a computer or processor  whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.
The functions of the various elements including functional blocks labeled or described as "computer"  "processor" or "controller" may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in the form of coded instructions stored on computer readable medium. A computer is generally understood to comprise one or more processors  and the terms computer and processor may be employed interchangeably herein. When provided by a computer or processor  the functions may be provided by a single dedicated computer or processor  by a single shared computer or processor  or by a plurality of individual computers or processors  some of which may be shared or distributed. Such functions are to be understood as being computer-implemented and thus machine-implemented. Moreover  use of the term "processor" or "controller" shall also be construed to refer to other hardware capable of performing such functions and/or executing software  and may include  without limitation  digital signal processor (DSP) hardware  reduced instruction set processor  hardware (e.g.  digital or analog) circuitry  and (where appropriate) state machines capable of performing such functions.
Figure 1 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a typical communication system 100 for a download or upload from single user equipment. One or more user equipments 110  120 receive various items or content from one or more servers 130  typically via a network 140  such as the Internet or an intranet. The user equipments may be as mobile devices  which communicate with server over wireless links  via a cellular network  for example. Such user equipments or user devices or nodes may include  for example  cell phones  personal digital assistants  or portable media players. Alternatively or additionally  user equipments may comprise personal computers or television set-top boxes (not shown)  which communicate with server 130 over either wireless or wired links or any other technology.
Server 130 is connected to network 140 via a high-speed data interface  for example as a channel interface  through which the server receives multiple request from the user equipments. The channel interface between the user equipments and the server has different data rates (for example Link L1 has the data rate of ‘r1’ and Link L2 has the data rate of ‘r2’ as shown in the figure).
In a typical operation  when a request for a download or upload or transfer of file arise using a user equipment  and the figure 1 shows such a scenario when more than one user equipments are available within the premises of the network. The server processes the request and completes the transfer to that particular user equipment from which the request is originated. All other user equipments are at the standby mode or in idle state (as shown in figure 1).
Figure 2 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a communication system 200 of segmented mutli-download or mutli-upload using two or more user equipments  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. One or more user equipments 210  220 receives various items of content (such as for example video programs) from one or more servers 230  typically via a network 240  such as the Internet or an intranet. The user equipments may be as mobile devices  which communicate with server over wireless links  via a cellular network  for example. Such user equipment or user device or node may include  for example  cell phones  personal digital assistants  or portable media players. Alternatively or additionally  user equipments may comprise personal computers or television set-top boxes (not shown)  which communicate with server 230 over either wireless or wired links or any other technology.
Server 230 typically comprises a general-purpose computer or a cluster of such computers  with suitable interfaces and software for carrying out the functions that are described herein. The software may be downloaded to the computer in electronic form  over a network  for example. Alternatively or additionally  the software may be held on tangible  non-transitory storage media  such as optical  magnetic  or electronic memory media. Further alternatively or additionally  at least some of the functions of server 230 may be performed by dedicated or programmable hardware logic circuits.
Server 230 is connected to network 240 via a high-speed data interface  for example as a channel interface  through which the server receives multiple request from the user equipments. The channel interface between the user equipments and the server has different data rates (for example Link L1 has the data rate of ‘r1’ and Link L2 has the data rate of ‘r2’ as shown in the figure).
In an operation  the information is exchanged between the user equipments and server. The process begins when the server receives a request from one of the user equipments (for example request for a media file to download). The server upon receiving the request from the user equipment stores the same in a database (not shown in figure). The server further segments the requested content into plurality of diminutive content  where the segmentation process is based on the information available with the lookup server or based on the information in the request and based on server load or traffic. The segmentation process of the content is at the server or it may be at the torrent cloud server. The server further processes the stored content into a plurality of chunks or portions or segments  each corresponding to a predetermined time interval of the content. Each segment is separately indexed and is accessible and capable of being separately served to the client. The form of the request includes an identifier in order to determine from which user equipment the server has received the request. The request received from the user equipment may comprise a time range  specified as the beginning millisecond and length in milliseconds for the segment.
The segmentation process may include providing of a sequence numbers or any other arrangement to specify the diminutive content  so that when the user equipments download the diminutive contents from the server to their respective equipments and merge the same. In some embodiments  expressions like "sequential segments" may denote one or more of the following non- limiting options: segments that are sequential (in time or according to a file""s order)  segments that are approximately sequential (such as segments with some interlace  or segments without a great amount of non-sequential data)  segments generated sequentially and/or approximately sequentially from different components of content (such as storing the i-frames and p-frames of a compressed content in different segments)  and/or other sequential or approximately sequential segmentation after classification or separation into different components and/or elements.
The processes of merging the downloaded diminutive contents on any of the user equipments into a single file  where the diminutive contents from one user equipment is copied onto another user equipment and sequenced with the help of sequence numbers or any other arrangement which is allotted by the server.
Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a method 300 of segmented mutli-download or mutli-upload transfer of file using two or more user equipments  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
At step 310  the method registers two or more user devices and a server with one or more lookup server. The user devices includes a first user device and a second user device  and where the first user device  the second user device and the server are tagged with a unique identifier. The first user device and the second user device receives data rates at R1 and R2 respectively and the links between the user devices and the network is a wired or wireless or any other technology.
At step 320  the method receives one or more request from one or more user device for download of content from one or more server. The content  which may optionally be streaming content.
At step 330  the method segments the requested content into a plurality of diminutive content. The step of segmentation of content is at the server or at torrent cloud server. Further  the segmentation is based on the information available with the lookup server or based on the information in the request and based on server load or traffic. Furthermore  the segmenting process also includes providing a sequence numbers to the diminutive content for merging at the user devices once the contents are downloaded at one or more user devices.
At step 340  the method downloads the plurality of diminutive content at the first user device and the second user device.
At step 350  the method merges the downloaded diminutive contents at one of the user device into a single file. The diminutive contents from one user device is copied onto another user device and sequenced with the help of sequence numbers which is allotted by the server. The user devices and server agree on which segments will be download at the first user device and which at the second user device. Further  the number of segments to be downloaded at which user device is based on congestion on links between the user devices and the server  drop or increase of data rates  load on the server or cloud or user devices  memory availability in user devices  fault in network nodes or end nodes.
Figure 4 is a flow diagram of a method 400 of segmented mutli-download or mutli-upload transfer of file using two or more user equipments  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
At step 410  the method registers two or more user devices and a server with one or more lookup server. The user devices includes a first user device and a second user device  the first user device  the second user device and the server are tagged with a unique identifier. The first user device and the second user device send data rates at R1 and R2respectively and the links between the user devices and the network is a wired or wireless or any other technology.
At step 420  the method receives one or more request from one or more user device for upload of content to one or more server.
At step 430  the method segments the requested content into a plurality of diminutive content on one or more of the user device. The segmentation is based on the information available with the lookup server or based on the information in the request and based on server load or traffic. The segmentation of the requested content is by providing a sequence numbers to the diminutive content for merging at the destination node or device.
At step 440  the method governs the plurality of diminutive content between the first user device and the second user device into two or more sets.
At step 450  the method uploads the first set of diminutive content from the first user device and the second set of diminutive content from the second user device.
At step 460  the method merges the uploaded sets of diminutive contents at the server into a single file. The sets of diminutive contents received from the user devices is merged at the server with the help of sequence numbers which is allotted by the user devices. The user devices and the server agree on which segments will be transferred between the user devices and the server. Further  the number of segments to be uploaded from which of the user devices is based on congestion on links between the user devices and the server  drop or increase of data rates  load on the server or cloud or user devices  memory availability in user devices  fault in network nodes or end nodes.
Although the method flowchart includes steps 310-350 and 410-460 that are arranged logically in the exemplary embodiments  other embodiments of the subject matter may execute two or more steps in parallel  using multiple processors or a single processor organized as two or more virtual machines or sub-processors. Moreover  still other embodiments may implement the steps as two or more specific interconnected hardware modules with related control and data signals communicated between and through the modules  or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Thus  the exemplary process flow diagrams are applicable to software  firmware  and/or hardware implementations.
FIGS. 1-4 are merely representational and are not drawn to scale. Certain portions thereof may be exaggerated  while others may be minimized. FIGS. 1-4 illustrate various embodiments of the invention that can be understood and appropriately carried out by those of ordinary skill in the art.

We claim:

1. A method of transfer of file over a communications network  the method comprising:
registering at least two user devices and atleast one server with at least one lookup server;
receiving a request from at least one user device for download of content from at least one server; and
segmenting the requested content into plurality of diminutive content  wherein the segmentation is based on the information available with the lookup server or based on the information in the request and based on server load or traffic.

2. The method of claim 1  wherein the user devices includes a first user device and a second user device  and wherein the first user device  the second user device and the server are tagged with a unique identifier.

3. The method of claim 1  wherein the step of segmenting includes providing a sequence numbers to the diminutive content for merging at the user devices.

4. The method of claim 1  further comprising:
downloading the plurality of diminutive content at the first user device and the second user device; and
merging the downloaded diminutive contents at one of the user device into a single file  wherein the diminutive contents from one user device is copied onto another user device and sequenced with the help of sequence numbers which is allotted by the server.

5. The method of claim 1  wherein the first user device and the second user device receives data rates at R1 and R2 respectively and the links between the user devices and the network is a wired or wireless or any other technology.

6. The method of claim 1  wherein the step of segmentation of content is at the server or at torrent cloud server.

7. The method of claim 1  wherein the user devices and server agree on which segments will be download at the first user device and which at the second user device.

8. The method of claim 1  wherein the number of segments to be downloaded at which user device is based on congestion on links between the user devices and the server  drop or increase of data rates  load on the server or cloud or user devices  memory availability in user devices  fault in network nodes or end nodes.

9. A method of transfer of file over a communications network  the method comprising:
registering at least two user devices and atleast one server with at least one lookup server;
receiving a request from at least one user device for upload of content to at least one server; and
segmenting the requested content into plurality of diminutive content on at least one user device  wherein the segmentation is based on the information available with the lookup server or based on the information in the request and based on server load or traffic.

10. The method of claim 9  wherein the user devices includes a first user device and a second user device  and wherein the first user device  the second user device and the server are tagged with a unique identifier.

11. The method of claim 9  wherein the step of segmenting includes providing a sequence numbers to the diminutive content for merging at the destination node or device.

12. The method of claim 9  further comprising:
governing the plurality of diminutive content between the first user device and the second user device into two sets;
uploading the first set of diminutive content from the first user device and the second set of diminutive content from the second user device; and
merging the uploaded sets of diminutive contents at the server into a single file  wherein the sets of diminutive contents received from the user devices is merged at the server with the help of sequence numbers which is allotted by the user devices.

13. The method of claim 9  wherein the first user device and the second user device send data rates at R1 and R2 respectively and the links between the user devices and the network is a wired or wireless or any other technology.

14. The method of claim 9  wherein the user devices and the server agree on which segments will be transferred between the user devices and the server.

15. The method of claim 9  wherein the number of segments to be uploaded from which of the user devices is based on congestion on links between the user devices and the server  drop or increase of data rates  load on the server or cloud or user devices  memory availability in user devices  fault in network nodes or end nodes.

Dated this the 22nd day of February  2012

Abstract

A method and system for segmented file transfer over a communications network

The present invention relates to a method and system for segmented file transfer over a communication network. In one embodiment this can be accomplished by registering at least two user devices and at least one server with at least one lookup server  receiving a request from at least one user device for download of content from at least one server and segmenting the requested content into plurality of diminutive content  wherein the segmentation is based on the information available with the lookup server or based on the information in the request and based on server load or traffic.

Figure 2 (for publication)