Streaming media delivery system

• US 10,298,638 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WAG Acquisition, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: WAG Acquisition, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Price, Harold Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): McLeod, Marshall M
• Application Number:
  US15/833,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 709217, 709218, 709219, 709230, 709231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9084 Reactions to storage capacity overflow
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64776 for requesting retransmission, e.g. of data packets lost or corrupted during transmission from server ARQ protocols H04L1/18; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16

Abstract

Streaming media, such as audio or video files, is sent via the Internet. The media are immediately played on a user'"'"'s computer. Audio/video data is transmitted from the server under control of a transport mechanism. A server buffer is prefilled with a predetermined amount of the audio/video data. When the transport mechanism causes data to be sent to the user'"'"'s computer, it is sent more rapidly than it is played out by the user system. The audio/video data in the user buffer accumulates; and interruptions in playback as well as temporary modem delays are avoided.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a live audio or video program over the Internet, the method comprising:

receiving at a server system a first continuous digitally encoded stream for a first audio or video program, via a network, in real time,

the server system comprising at least one computer,

the first stream comprising a plurality of media data elements representing the first program,

each media data element comprising a digitally encoded portion of the first program and having a playback rate;

upon receipt of the first stream by the server system, filling a first data structure of the server system to a predetermined level with media data elements from the first stream;

maintaining approximately the predetermined level of media data elements in the first data structure by removing the oldest media data element from the first data structure as each new media data elements in the first stream is received;

receiving requests, at the server system via one or more data connections over the Internet, for the first stream, each received request originating from a requesting system, each requesting system comprising at least one computer;

sending, to each requesting system, any media data elements in the first data structure unsent to that requesting system, whenever such unsent media data elements are in the first data structure, wherein,

the data connection between the server system and each requesting system has a data rate more rapid than the playback rate of the one or more media data elements sent via that connection;

each sending is at a transmission rate as fast as the data connection between the server system and each requesting system allows; and

all of the media data elements that are sent by the server system to the requesting systems are sent from the first data structure as the media data elements were first stored therein;

receiving at the server system a second continuous digitally encoded stream for a second audio or video program, via a network, in real time,

the second stream comprising a plurality of media data elements representing the second program,

each media data element comprising a digitally encoded portion of the second program and having a playback rate;

upon receipt Of the second stream by the server system, filling a second data structure of the server system to a predetermined level with media data elements from the second stream;

maintaining approximately the predetermined level of media data elements in the second data structure by removing the oldest media data element from the second data structure as each new media data elements in the second stream is received;

receiving requests, at the server system via one or more data connections over the Internet, for the second stream, each received request originating from a requesting system, each requesting system comprising at least one computer; and

sending, to each requesting system, any media data elements in the second data structure unsent to that requesting system, whenever such unsent media data elements are in the second data structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending is via a reliable transmission protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reliable transmission protocol is TCP.

4. A server system for distributing a live audio or video program over the Internet, the server system comprising:

at least one computer having a connection to the Internet;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers to receive a first continuous digitally encoded stream for a first audio or video program, via a network, in real time,

the first stream comprising a plurality of media data elements representing the first program,

each media data element comprising a digitally encoded portion of the first program and having a playback rate;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers, upon receipt of the first stream by the server system, to fill a first data structure of the server system to a predetermined level with media data elements from the first stream;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers to maintain approximately the predetermined level of media data elements in the first data structure by removing the oldest media data element from the first data structure as each new media data elements in the first stream is received;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers to receive requests, at the server system via one or more data connections over the Internet, for the first stream, each received request originating from a requesting system, each requesting system comprising at least one computer;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers to send, to each requesting system, any media data elements in the first data structure unsent to that requesting system, whenever such unsent media data elements are in the first data structure, wherein,

the data connection between the server system and each requesting system has a data rate more rapid than the playback rate of the one or more media data elements sent via that connection;

each sending is at a transmission rate as fast as the data connection between the server system and each requesting system allows; and

all of the media data elements that are sent by the server system to the requesting systems are sent from the first data structure as the media data elements were first stored therein;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers to receive a second continuous digitally encoded stream for a second audio or video program, via a network, in real time,

the second stream comprising a plurality of media data elements representing the second program,

each media data element comprising a digitally encoded portion of the second program and having a playback rate;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers, upon receipt of the second stream by the server system, to fill a second data structure of the server system to a predetermined level with media data elements from the second stream;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers to maintain approximately the predetermined level of media data elements in the second data structure by removing the oldest media data element from the second data structure as each new media data elements in the second stream is received;

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers to receive requests, at the server system via one or more data connections over the Internet, for the second stream, each received request originating from a requesting system, each requesting system comprising at least one computer; and

a machine-readable, executable routine containing instructions to cause one of the at least one computers to send, to each requesting system, any media data elements in the second data structure unsent to that requesting system, whenever such unsent media data elements are in the second data structure.

5. The server system of claim 4, wherein the sending is via a reliable transmission protocol.

6. The server system of claim 5, wherein the reliable transmission protocol is TCP.

7. A computer program product for distributing a live audio or video program over the Internet from a server system comprising at least one computer having a connection to the Internet, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions comprising:

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers to receive a first continuous digitally encoded stream for a first audio or video program, via a network, in real time,

the first stream comprising a plurality of media data elements representing the first program,

each media data element comprising a digitally encoded portion of the first program and having a playback rate;

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers, upon receipt of the first stream by the server system, to fill a first data structure of the server system to a predetermined level with media data elements from the first stream;

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers to maintain approximately the predetermined level of media data elements in the first data structure by removing the oldest media data element from the first data structure as each new media data elements in the first stream is received;

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers to receive requests, at the server system via one or more data connections over the Internet, for the first stream, each received request originating from a requesting system, each requesting system comprising at least one computer;

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers to send, to each requesting system, any media data elements in the first data structure unsent to that requesting system, whenever such unsent media data elements are in the first data structure, wherein,

the data connection between the server system and each requesting system has a data rate more rapid than the playback rate of the one or more media data elements sent via that connection;

each sending is at a transmission rate as fast as the data connection between the server system and each requesting system allows; and

all of the media data elements that are sent by the server system to the requesting systems are sent from the first data structure as the media data elements were first stored therein;

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers to receive a second continuous digitally encoded stream for a second audio or video program, via a network, in real time,

the second stream comprising a plurality of media data elements representing the second program,

each media data element comprising a digitally encoded portion of the second program and having a playback rate;

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers, upon receipt of the second stream by the server system, to fill a second data structure of the server system to a predetermined level with media data elements from the second stream;

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers to maintain approximately the predetermined level of media data elements in the second data structure by removing the oldest media data element from the second data structure as each new media data elements in the second stream is received;

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers to receive requests, at the server system via one or more data connections over the Internet, for the second stream, each received request originating from a requesting system, each requesting system comprising at least one computer; and

instructions executable to cause one of the at least one computers to send, to each requesting system, any media data elements in the second data structure unsent to that requesting system, whenever such unsent media data elements are in the second data structure.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the sending is via a reliable transmission protocol.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the reliable transmission protocol is TCP.

10. A server system for distributing a live audio or video program over the Internet, the server system comprising at least one computer having a connection to the Internet, the server system being adapted to:

receive a first continuous digitally encoded stream for a first audio or video program, via a network, in real time,

the first stream comprising a plurality of media data elements representing the first program,

each media data element comprising a digitally encoded portion of the first program and having a playback rate;

upon receipt of the first stream by the server system, fill a first data structure of the server system to a predetermined level with media data elements from the first stream;

maintain approximately the predetermined level of media data elements in the first data structure by removing the oldest media data element from the first data structure as each new media data elements in the first stream is received;

receive requests, at the server system via one or more data connections over the Internet, for the first stream, each received request originating from a requesting system, each requesting system comprising at least one computer;

send, to each requesting system, any media data elements in the first data structure unsent to that requesting system, whenever such unsent media data elements are in the first data structure, wherein,

the data connection between the server system and each requesting system has a data rate more rapid than the playback rate of the one or more media data elements sent via that connection;

each sending is at a transmission rate as fast as the data connection between the server system and each requesting system allows; and

all of the media data elements that are sent by the server system to the requesting systems are sent from the first data structure as the media data elements were first stored therein;

receive a second continuous digitally encoded stream for a second audio or video program, via a network, in real time,

the second stream comprising a plurality of media data elements representing the second program,

each media data element comprising a digitally encoded portion of the second program and having a playback rate;

upon receipt of the second stream by the server system, fill a second data structure of the server system to a predetermined level with media data elements from the second stream;

maintain approximately the predetermined level of media data elements in the second data structure by removing the oldest media data element from the second data structure as each new media data elements in the second stream is received;

receive requests, at the server system via one or more data connections over the Internet, for the second stream, each received request originating from a requesting system, each requesting system comprising at least one computer; and

send, to each requesting system, any media data elements in the second data structure unsent to that requesting system, whenever such unsent media data elements are in the second data structure.

11. The server system of claim 10, wherein the sending is via a reliable transmission protocol.

12. The server system of claim 11, wherein the reliable transmission protocol is TCP.