System and method for reducing the resources required to deliver streaming media
First Claim
1. A streaming data delivery system comprising:
- a stream database for storing a plurality of data as a program to be transmitted in a stream over a communications network, and for storing characteristic information about the stream;
a directory server for storing a list of the program and the associated stream which is available to stream over the communications network; and
a streaming server, responsive to the characteristic information, the list, and a load condition of the streaming server associated with the stream and the list, for the controlling the streaming of the stream and the delivery of its associated list over the communications network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A scalable architecture delivers real-time streaming media over a communications network, using a streaming media server system for efficient delivery of a plurality of streams including live, simulated live or looping programming, relayed streams, and on-demand media is described. Efficiency is attained using no load or low load control and processing of streams, including high-quality audio, video, graphics, text, or other types of information transmitted over a network. The server system operates in a total media delivery system which includes a plurality of streaming servers, a data storage system, a database, and front end and back end networks to deliver data to the various subsystems. The streaming server utilizes just-in-time playlist simulation, dynamic allocation of servers to listeners, and other techniques to reduce the computational, storage and network requirements of delivering streaming media.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A streaming data delivery system comprising:
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a stream database for storing a plurality of data as a program to be transmitted in a stream over a communications network, and for storing characteristic information about the stream;
a directory server for storing a list of the program and the associated stream which is available to stream over the communications network; and
a streaming server, responsive to the characteristic information, the list, and a load condition of the streaming server associated with the stream and the list, for the controlling the streaming of the stream and the delivery of its associated list over the communications network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for providing streaming data to a user, the system comprising:
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a client device associated with the user including;
a processor for sending data requests over a communications network and for receiving data in streams from the communications network;
the communications network being connected to the client device for transmitting data requests and streamed data; and
a streaming data delivery apparatus, connected to the communications network for communicating to the client device through the communications network, the streaming data delivery apparatus including;
a stream database for storing a plurality of data as a program to be transmitted in a stream over the communications network, and for storing characteristic information about the stream, wherein the plurality of data includes at least one of audio data, video data, multimedia data, and text data;
a directory server for storing a list of the program and the associated stream which is available to stream over the communications network; and
a streaming server, responsive to a data request from the user, the characteristic information, the list, and a load condition of the streaming server associated with the stream and the list, for the controlling the streaming of the stream and the delivery of its associated list to the client device over the communications network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for streaming data comprising the steps of:
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storing a plurality of data as a program in a stream database to be transmitted in a stream over a communications network;
storing characteristic information about the stream in the stream database;
storing, in a directory server, a list of the program and the associated stream which is available to stream over the communications network; and
controlling the streaming of the stream from a streaming server and the delivery of its associated list over the communications network, including the steps of;
accessing the stream database for the characteristic information about the stream;
accessing the directory server for the list associated with the stream;
evaluating a load condition of the streaming server associated with the stream and the list; and
streaming the stream and delivering the list in response to the characteristic information, the list, and the load condition. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification