Streaming a single media track to multiple clients

• US 20020056126A1
• Filed: 04/06/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Proctor, Seth, Shafer, Matthew, Srikantan, Geetha, Narasimhan, Aravind, Brittenson, Jan, Sergent, Jonathan S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,073,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• 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 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method are provided for streaming a media track to multiple clients using a single copy of the track'"'"'s metadata, rather than making separate copies of the metadata for each stream. A media track'"'"'s metadata includes information that is used to identify and locate media corresponding to different time positions in the track or media program. Sharing one copy of the metadata among multiple client streams promotes more efficient use of a media streaming server'"'"'s resources. When a media track is first requested, a track object is generated to store and allow access to the metadata. For each client stream, a separate track handle object is created to manage access to the metadata for the stream'"'"'s specific context. The streamed media track may be part of a live media event or may be part of a pre-recorded media program.

Claims

1. A method of streaming media to multiple clients, comprising:

receiving a request to stream media from a media track to a first client;

extracting a set of metadata from the media track, wherein said metadata facilitates identification and retrieval of the media from the media track;

storing said extracted set of metadata in a memory;

streaming the media to the first client in a first stream while referring to said stored metadata; and

streaming the media to a second client in a second stream while referring to said stored metadata.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a first file descriptor for retrieving the media from the media track for said first stream; and

maintaining a second file descriptor for retrieving the media from the media track for said second stream.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the media track is a track of a live media event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media track is a track of a pre-recorded media program.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing said metadata from the memory after said first stream and said second stream are terminated.

5. A method of using a single set of media metadata to facilitate streaming the media to multiple clients, comprising:

receiving a request to stream media from a first media track to a first client, wherein the first media track also includes metadata corresponding to the media;

invoking a track module configured to maintain one copy of said metadata in a memory;

operating a first track handler to stream the media to the first client, wherein said first track handler accesses said metadata to facilitate said streaming;

receiving a request to stream the media to a second client before said streaming of the media to the first client is terminated; and

operating a second track handler to stream the media to the second client, wherein said second track handler accesses said metadata to facilitate said streaming;

wherein said metadata is configured to facilitate retrieval of the media from the first media track.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said operating a first track handler comprises using a first file descriptor to retrieve the media from the first file track;

and

said operating a second track handler comprises using a second file descriptor to retrieve the media from the first file track.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said operating a first track handler comprises:

establishing a first set of references to said metadata;

using said first set of references to identify a first portion of the media to be streamed to the first client for a first time index; and

using said first set of references to locate said first media portion in the first media track.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said operating a second track handler comprises:

establishing a second set of references to said metadata;

using said second set of references to identify a second media portion to be streamed to the second client for a second time index; and

using said second set of references to locate said second media portion in the first media track.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said first set of references and said second set of references are used to access said metadata simultaneously.

11. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of streaming media to multiple clients, the method comprising:

receiving a request to stream media from a media track to a first client;

extracting a set of metadata from the media track, wherein said metadata facilitates identification and retrieval of the media from the media track;

storing said extracted set of metadata in a memory;

streaming the media to the first client in a first stream while referring to said stored metadata; and

streaming the media to a second client in a second stream while referring to said stored metadata.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of said track handle modules is allocated a separate file descriptor for retrieving the media from the first storage device.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of said track handle modules simultaneously accesses said metadata in said first memory.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said simultaneous accesses to said metadata are configured to identify different portions of the media.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said media portions are associated with time indices within said first media track and said metadata is configured to identify, for a given time index, said associated media portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said metadata is further configured to identify, for a given media portion, a location on said first storage device at which said given media portion is stored.

12. A computer readable storage medium containing a data structure configured for facilitating the simultaneous streaming of media from a media track to multiple clients, the data structure comprising:

a set of metadata configured to associate time indices of the media track with corresponding portions of the media, and to locate said corresponding portions within the media track;

wherein said set of metadata is simultaneous accessed by each of multiple client stream handlers, wherein each stream handler is associated with a different client, to facilitate retrieval of different portions of the media for streaming to their respective clients.

13. An apparatus for streaming media to clients, comprising:

a first track of a media program stored on a first storage device, the first media track comprising;

media; and

metadata configured to facilitate access to the media;

a first memory;

a set of track handle modules, wherein each of said track handle modules is configured to facilitate streaming the media to a different client; and

a track module configured to store said metadata in said first memory for shared access by said track handle modules;

wherein said track handle modules access said metadata to identify portions of the media and locate said portions on the first storage device.