Seamless arbitrary data insertion for streaming media
First Claim
1. An arrangement for inserting an alternative media file into a streaming multimedia file destined for at least one predetermined end-user, the arrangement comprising a first cache for storing a received alternative media file;
- a second cache for storing a streaming multimedia file;
a control unit for receiving as a first input a control signal from said first cache and generating as an output a switching control signal indicative of the presence or absence of a complete file being stored in said first cache; and
a switching mechanism, responsive to said control unit switching output signal, said first cache and said second cache for providing as an output, directed to the at least one end-user, a stream selected one of said first cache, said streaming multimedia file and said second cache, as controlled by said switching output signal from said control unit.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement for inserting advertisement media into a streaming multimedia file destined for an end-user uses a caching inserter including a first cache for storing a loaded advertisement file and a second cache for holding the streaming multimedia file that needs to be buffered as the advertisement file is sent to the end-user. The advertisement file may be inserted at the beginning of the multimedia file, the end, or at any point during the stream. Once the advertisement begins to be sent to the end-user, the incoming multimedia stream is cached and then is played out of the cache once the advertisement has ended. As a result of the time delay associated with the advertisement, the remainder of the multimedia file must be cached then played out until the stream is complete.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An arrangement for inserting an alternative media file into a streaming multimedia file destined for at least one predetermined end-user, the arrangement comprising
a first cache for storing a received alternative media file; -
a second cache for storing a streaming multimedia file;
a control unit for receiving as a first input a control signal from said first cache and generating as an output a switching control signal indicative of the presence or absence of a complete file being stored in said first cache; and
a switching mechanism, responsive to said control unit switching output signal, said first cache and said second cache for providing as an output, directed to the at least one end-user, a stream selected one of said first cache, said streaming multimedia file and said second cache, as controlled by said switching output signal from said control unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of inserting an alternative media file in a streaming multimedia file destined for a predetermined end-user, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) storing a selected alternative multimedia file in a first cache at a local point of presence;
b) establishing a communication link between said streaming multimedia file and said predetermined end-user;
c) transmitting said streaming multimedia file to said end-user;
d) switching transmission from said streaming multimedia file to said alternative media file stored in said first cache;
e) storing in a second cache said streaming multimedia file received during the transmission of said alternative media file; and
f) upon completion of said alternative media file, accessing said second cache and resuming transmission of the cached streaming multimedia file. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification