Method and system for providing multimedia information on demand over wide area networks
First Claim
1. A method of delivering streaming data content to a client device over a data communication network in response to a request for the data content from the client device, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a server, a request from a first client device over the data communication network, the request identifying streaming data content stored on a storage system;
identifying a first controller device associated with the storage system on which the data content is stored;
transmitting a data request message from the server to the first controller device, the data request message identifying the first client device and the data content requested by the first client device;
retrieving, by the first controller device, the streaming data content from the storage system; and
transferring the retrieved data content directly to the first client device over the data communication network from the first controller device through a communication port for communicably coupling the first controller device to the data communication network.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for delivering streaming data content to a client device over a data communication network in response to a request for the data content from the client device. The client request is received by a server or a controller device that is typically located on a network switch device. If received by a server, the server sends a request to the controller device to control the transfer of the requested data to the client. The controller device includes the processing capability required for retrieving the streaming data and delivering the streaming data directly to the client device without involving the server system. In some cases, the controller device mirrors the data request to another controller device to handle the data processing and delivery functions. In other cases, the controller device coordinates the delivery of the requested data using one or more other similar controller devices in a pipelined fashion.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of delivering streaming data content to a client device over a data communication network in response to a request for the data content from the client device, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a server, a request from a first client device over the data communication network, the request identifying streaming data content stored on a storage system;
identifying a first controller device associated with the storage system on which the data content is stored;
transmitting a data request message from the server to the first controller device, the data request message identifying the first client device and the data content requested by the first client device;
retrieving, by the first controller device, the streaming data content from the storage system; and
transferring the retrieved data content directly to the first client device over the data communication network from the first controller device through a communication port for communicably coupling the first controller device to the data communication network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 36, 38)
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10. A method of delivering streaming data content to a client device over a data communication network in response to a request for the data content from the client device, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a first controller device, a request from a first client device over the data communication network, the request identifying streaming data content stored on a storage system;
identifying a second controller device associated with the storage system on which the data content is stored;
transmitting a data request message from the first controller device to the second controller device, the data request message identifying the first client device and the data content requested by the first client device;
retrieving, by the second controller device, the streaming data content from the storage system; and
transferring the retrieved data content directly to the first client device over the data communication network from the second controller device through a communication port for communicably coupling the second controller device to the data communication network. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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- 18. The method as recited in claim 110, wherein the first controller device is located in a network switch device coupled to the data communication network.
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24. A method of delivering streaming data content to a client device over a data communication network in response to a request for the data content from the client device, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a server, a request from a first client device over a first data communication network, the request identifying streaming data content stored on a storage system;
transmitting a data request message from the server to a first controller device, the data request message identifying the first client device and the data content requested by the first client device;
identifying a second controller device associated with the storage system on which the data content is stored;
transmitting a second data request message to the second controller device, the second data request message identifying the first client device and the data content requested by the first client device;
retrieving, by the second controller device, the streaming data content from the storage system; and
transferring the retrieved data content directly to the first client device from the second controller device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of delivering streaming data content to a client device from two or more controller devices over a data communication network in response to a request for the data content from the client device, wherein the data content includes two or more blocks of data stored on a storage system, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a server, a request from a first client device over the data communication network, the request identifying streaming data content stored on a storage system;
transmitting a data request message from the server to a first controller device associated with the storage system, the data request message identifying the first client device and the data content requested by the first client device;
retrieving a first block of the data content from the storage system by the first controller device;
sending a second data request message from the first controller device to a second controller device associated with the storage system, the second data request message identifying the first client device and a second block of the data content;
retrieving the second block of the data content from the storage system by the second controller device;
transferring the first block of data directly to the first client device from the first controller device;
sending a synchronization message from the first controller device to the second controller device; and
in response to the synchronization message, transferring the second block of data directly to the first client device from the second controller device. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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37. A method of delivering streaming data content to a client device over a data communication network in response to a request for the data content from the client device, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a server, a request from a first client device over the data communication network, the request identifying streaming data content stored on a storage system;
transmitting a data request message over the data communication network from the server to a first controller device, wherein the data request message identifies the first client device and the data content requested by the first client device, and wherein the first controller is coupled to the storage system over a storage area network (SAN);
retrieving, by the first controller device, the streaming data content from the storage system over the SAN; and
transferring the retrieved data content directly to the first client device over the data communication network from the first controller device.
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39. A method of delivering streaming data content to a client device over a data communication network in response to a request for the data content from the client device, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a first controller device, a request sent by a first client device to a server over the data communication network, the request identifying streaming data content stored on a storage system, wherein the first controller device and the server are coupled by the data communication network;
processing the request by the first controller device; and
controlling, by the first controller device, the delivery of the requested streaming data directly to the first client device over the data communication network by one of the first controller device and a second controller device. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification