Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Rafael S Lisitsa

Dale Alan Sather

Bryan A Woodruff

George H J Shaw

Costin Hagiu

Gregory Stepanets

Frame-based streaming data flows through a graph of multiple interconnected processing modules. The modules have a set of performance parameters whose values specify the sensitivity of each module to the selection of certain resources of a system. A user specifies overall goals for an actual graph for processing a given type of data for a particular purpose. A flow manager constructs the graph as a sequence of module interconnections required for processing the data, in response to the parameter values of the individual modules in the graph in view of the goals for the overall graph as a whole, and divides it into pipes each having one or more modules and each assigned to a memory manager for handling data frames in the pipe.

Flow of streaming data through multiple processing modules

Streaming data is processed through one or more pipes of connected modules including mixers and/or splitters. The data is carried in composite physically allocated frames having virtual subframes associated with different ones of the splitters, mixers, and other transform modules. Nesting trees and pipe control tables represent the structure of the pipes. A frame allocator is assigned to a particular module in a pipe. Rather than issuing a control transaction to all modules when any one of them completes an operation upon its source data, a control manager requests a module to begin its operation only when all of its input subframes have become available. Frame control tables record when any module has completed an operation, and a pipe control table lists which modules provide data to which other modules.

Efficient splitting and mixing of streaming-data frames for processing through multiple processing modules

Presented is a system and method for determining a user's intent. Specifically, constituents and a topology are derived from the user's expression of intent, which can be stated broadly or stated in specific detail. The intent is expressed verbally, written, or in an XML format. The constituents and topology are resolved into a configuration based upon contexts. The contexts, which include a resource context, a user context, and an application context, includes information about the user's preferences, location, restrictions, device and network availability, and content availability. The configuration is then implemented.

Intent based processing

Associating computer resources to modules in a graph based on a selected overall performance goal for the graph

The present invention analyzes a user's or client application's requirements and searches for a solution based on the end-to-end latency requirements (requested or derived), data formats, control protocols, timing and synchronization, local streaming, and resource availability. The search for a solution is tracked to allow backtracking from the point of no solution. Once a solution is determined, the system translates the solution into requirements for the individual components of the graph.

Intelligent streaming framework

Frame-based streaming data is controlled through a reconfigurable graph of processing modules. A control mechanism employs a set of components that are used and combined among themselves to implement control functions at the control pins of processing modules. The components include a source pin and a sink pin for connecting modules together, a queue for making data frames available to module functions, a data-frame requester, and a splitter for handling graph branches. When modules are assembled into a graph, a control manager implements their control operations as combinations of the above components, then examines all of the components in a graph control structure to determine whether any can be removed as unnecessary to the overall operation of the structure. If so, the remaining components are connected directly to each other. When the graph is played, control packets traverse the simplified structure, carrying with them associated frames of data for processing by the modules.

Improving the control of streaming data through multiple processing modules

Frame based streaming data is controlled through a reconfigurable graph of processing modules. A client specifies overall goals for the graph. A graph manager constructs the graph as a sequence of interconnected modules for processing the data, in response to the capabilities of modules within the graph and the overall goals, and divides the graph into time domains each having one or more modules, pipes each having one or more modules, and a control mechanism is used that eliminates components unnecessary to the overall operation of the graph and that provides synchronization between time domains using time translation tables or timing correlation tables. The graph manager adaptively controls graphs that have a low latency requirement.

Adaptive control of streaming data in a graph

A system for the efficient decoding of data encoded with variable length codes uses an N-bit buffer as an index to a data look-up table or other suitable data structure. The encoded data is stored in an encoded data storage area and extracted N bits at a time. The N bits are used as an index or indicator to a location within the data look-up table. The contents of the data look-up table in the indicated location correspond to one or more decoded tokens and also provide an indication of the number of data bits from the N-bit buffer that were used to represent the decoded tokens. A pointer is incremented by the number and indicates a location within the encoded data storage area where the next N bits will be extracted and stored in the buffer. If the N-bit buffer is greater than or equal to the maximal length for the variable codes, at least one valid token is guaranteed as a result of a single data look-up operation. However, a data look-up operation typically results in a plurality of decoded tokens. In one embodiment, the decoding system is used for facsimile operation and may include additional data in the data look-up table to permit rapid decoding of two dimensional facsimile codes.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Rafael S Lisitsa