Stream allocation in home networks

Claim 2

In a network comprising a plurality of electronic audio/video devices coupled to a network bus, a method for allocating bus bandwidth capacity on said network bus, said method comprising the steps of: a) receiving a request to allocate a channel between a source device and a sink device in said network; b) determining an amount of bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel, wherein said bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel is specified by said source device; c) comparing available bus bandwidth capacity of said network bus with said bus bandwidth capacity required to establish said channel; and d) provided said available bus bandwidth capacity is less than said bus bandwidth capacity required to establish said channel, initiating a process of voluntary load shedding, said process of voluntary load shedding comprising: d1) sending a query to devices which have been allocated channels, each allocated channel having a respective allocated bus bandwidth, wherein responsive to said query each of said devices determines whether it is using its respective allocated bus bandwidth; d2) receiving a response to said query from a device to which a channel had been allocated, said response providing authorization to reduce bus bandwidth allocated to said device; and d3) reducing bus bandwidth allocated to said device, wherein said channel allocated to said device remains allocated but with a reduced bus bandwidth.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of, responsive to said step d, allocating a channel on said network bus from said source device to said sink device.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said network is an IEEE 1394 serial bus network.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of devices are selected from the group consisting of: a television, an integrated receiver/decoder, a video cassette recorder, a digital video system, a home server, a personal computer system, and a digital audio system.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein said method is implemented by a stream manager software element executing on an intelligent device coupled to said network bus.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of creating an overlay of an existing channel connected to said source device, said overlay establishing said connection between said source device and said sink device.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein said step d) comprises the steps of: identifying an unused channel on said network bus; and deallocating said unused channel.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein said step d) comprises the steps of: identifying a cooperating application; sending a message to said cooperating application requesting authorization to deallocate bus bandwidth capacity allocated to said cooperating application; receiving an affirmative response from said cooperating application; and deallocating bus bandwidth capacity allocated to said cooperating application.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein said step d) comprises the steps of: identifying a device in said network designated as a lowest priority device based on a priority ranking specified by a user of said network; and deallocating bus bandwidth capacity allocated to said lowest priority device.

Claim 11

A network comprising: a network bus; a plurality of electronic audio/video devices coupled to said network bus, wherein one of said plurality of devices is an intelligent device having stored therein instructions for implementing a method to allocate bus bandwidth capacity on said network bus, said method comprising the steps of: a) receiving a request to allocate a channel between a source device and a sink device in said network; b) determining an amount of bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel, wherein said bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel is specified by said source device; c) comparing available bus bandwidth capacity of said network bus with said bus bandwidth capacity required to establish said channel; and d) provided said available bus bandwidth capacity is less than said bus bandwidth capacity required to establish said channel, initiating a process of voluntary load shedding, said process of voluntary load shedding comprising: d1) sending a query to devices which have been allocated channels, each allocated channel having a respective allocated bus bandwidth, wherein responsive to said query each of said devices determines whether it is using its respective allocated bus bandwidth; d2) receiving a response to said query from a device to which a channel had been allocated, said response providing authorization to reduce bus bandwidth allocated to said device; and d3) reducing bus bandwidth allocated to said device, wherein said channel allocated to said device remains allocated but with a reduced bus bandwidth.

Claim 12

A network comprising: a network bus; a plurality of electronic audio/video devices coupled to said network bus, wherein one of said plurality of devices is an intelligent device having stored therein instructions for implementing a method to allocate bus bandwidth capacity on said network bus, said method comprising the steps of: a) receiving a request to allocate a channel between a source device and a sink device in said network; b) determining an amount of bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel, wherein said bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel is specified by said source device; c) comparing available bus bandwidth capacity of said network bus with said bus bandwidth capacity required to establish said channel; and d) provided said available bus bandwidth capacity is less than said bus bandwidth capacity required to establish said channel, initiating a process of voluntary load shedding, said process of voluntary load shedding comprising: d1) sending a query to devices which have been allocated channels, each allocated channel having a respective allocated bus bandwidth, wherein responsive to said query each of said devices determines whether it is using its respective allocated bus bandwidth; d2) receiving a response to said query from a device to which a channel had been allocated, said response providing authorization to reduce bus bandwidth allocated to said device; and d3) reducing bus bandwidth allocated to said device, wherein said channel allocated to said device remains allocated but with a reduced bus bandwidth.

Claim 13

The network of claim 10 wherein said network is an IEEE 1394 serial bus network.

Claim 14

The network of claim 10 wherein said method further comprises the step of creating an overlay of an existing channel connected to said source device, said overlay establishing said connection between said source device and said sink device.

Claim 15

The network of claim 10 wherein said step d) of said method comprises the steps of: identifying an unused channel on said network bus; and deallocating said unused channel.

Claim 16

The network of claim 10 wherein said step d) of said method comprises the steps of: identifying a cooperating application; sending a message to said cooperating application requesting authorization to reduce bus bandwidth capacity allocated to said cooperating application; receiving an affirmative response from said cooperating application; and deallocating bus bandwidth capacity allocated to said cooperating application.

Claim 17

The network of claim 10 wherein said step d) of said method comprises the steps of: identifying a device in said network designated as a lowest priority device based on a priority ranking specified by a user of said network; and deallocating bus bandwidth capacity allocated to said lowest priority device.

Claim 18

In a network having a plurality of electronic audio/video devices coupled to a network bus, a software-implemented system for allocating bus bandwidth capacity on said network bus, said system comprising: a messaging means for sending a request to allocate a channel between a source device and a sink device in said network; and a stream manager means for determining an amount of bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel, wherein said bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel is specified by said source device, said stream manager means also for comparing available bus bandwidth capacity of said network bus with said bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel and, provided said available bus bandwidth capacity is less than said bus bandwidth capacity required to establish said channel, said stream manager means for performing a process of voluntary load shedding comprising: sending a query to devices which have been allocated channels, each allocated channel having a respective allocated bus bandwidth, wherein responsive to said query each of said devices determines whether it is using its respective allocated bus bandwidth; receiving a response to said query from a device to which a channel had been allocated, said response providing authorization to reduce bus bandwidth allocated to said device; and reducing bus bandwidth allocated to said device, wherein said channel allocated to said device remains allocated but with a reduced bus bandwidth.

Claim 19

In a network having a plurality of electronic audio/video devices coupled to a network bus, a software-implemented system for allocating bus bandwidth capacity on said network bus, said system comprising: a messaging means for sending a request to allocate a channel between a source device and a sink device in said network; and a stream manager means for determining an amount of bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel, wherein said bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel is specified by said source device, said stream manager means also for comparing available bus bandwidth capacity of said network bus with said bus bandwidth capacity required for said channel and, provided said available bus bandwidth capacity is less than said bus bandwidth capacity required to establish said channel, said stream manager means for performing a process of voluntary load shedding comprising: sending a query to devices which have been allocated channels, each allocated channel having a respective allocated bus bandwidth, wherein responsive to said query each of said devices determines whether it is using its respective allocated bus bandwidth; receiving a response to said query from a device to which a channel had been allocated, said response providing authorization to reduce bus bandwidth allocated to said device; and reducing bus bandwidth allocated to said device, wherein said channel allocated to said device remains allocated but with a reduced bus bandwidth.

Claim 20

The network of claim 16 wherein said network is an IEEE 1394 serial bus network.

Claim 21

The network of claim 16 wherein said stream manager means creates an overlay of an existing channel connected to said source device, said overlay establishing said connection between said source device and said sink device.

Claim 22

The network of claim 16 wherein said stream manager means identifies an unused channel on said network bus and deallocates said unused channel.

Claim 23

The network of claim 19 wherein said stream manager means is also for identifying a cooperating application and deallocating bus bandwidth capacity allocated to said cooperating application after receiving authorization from said cooperating application.

Claim 24

The network of claim 20 wherein said stream manager means is also for identifying a device in said network designated as a lowest priority device based on a priority ranking specified by a user of said network and deallocating bus bandwidth capacity allocated to said lowest priority device.