System and method for network communication
First Claim
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1. A communications network, comprising:
- a thin media client;
a source of digital media content;
a data processing device operable to receive digital media content from the source for digital media content and to perform a pre-processing function on at least two instances of digital media content to produce a combined digital data stream that is transmitted to the thin media client; and
wherein the thin media client is operable to render the combined digital data stream received from the data processing device.
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Abstract
A communications network is disclosed in which a data processing system combines multiple instances of digital data into a single combined data stream. The combined data stream is provided to a thin media client, which renders the data stream for display or playback. The pre-processing tasks associated with combining multiple instances of digital data into a single data stream are performed at the data processing system and not at any of the thin media clients. Sources of digital data for the communications network may include stored digital content accessible by the network, Internet content, or digital communications from household appliances.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A communications network, comprising:
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a thin media client;
a source of digital media content;
a data processing device operable to receive digital media content from the source for digital media content and to perform a pre-processing function on at least two instances of digital media content to produce a combined digital data stream that is transmitted to the thin media client; and
wherein the thin media client is operable to render the combined digital data stream received from the data processing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for providing media content to a user associated with a thin media client, comprising the steps of:
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receiving from the user a request for media content, the media content requested by the user comprising at least two instances of media content;
retrieving the at least two instances of media content;
pre-processing the at least two instances of media content to create a combined data stream of digital media;
transmitting the combined data stream to the thin media client; and
rendering the combined data stream at the thin media client to provide the media content of the data stream to the user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A communications network, comprising:
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at least one source of digital data;
at least one thin media client, each of the thin media clients associated with a display or playback device;
a data processing device operable to receive and pre-process multiple instances of digital data following a request from a user associated with one of the thin media clients to produce a combined data stream that is provided to the thin media client for rendering at the thin media client; and
a hub device coupled to each of the sources of digital content, the thin media clients; and
the data processing device, wherein the hub device is operable to route communications between the sources of digital data, the thin media clients, and the data processing device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification