Method and apparatus for a loosely coupled, scalable distributed multimedia streaming system
First Claim
1. A scalable distributed multimedia streaming system comprising:
- at least one media station having a media director and a plurality of media engines, each media engine having means for storing media content, means for retrieving media content over the network and means for streaming media content over the network, the media director having means for directing retrieval over the network of media content by a selected media engine, means for tracking content stored on the media engines and means for redirecting a content request from a media console connected to the at least one media station to a selected one of the media engines storing content corresponding to the request for streaming;
a media location registry communicating with the media director in each media station, the media location registry storing the location of all media content in the media stations, and means for downloading content to be presented.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A scalable distributed multimedia streaming system employs at least one media station having a media director and a plurality of media engines. Each media engine incorporates media content storage, communications channels for retrieving and streaming media content over a network. The media director has a controller adapted for directing retrieval over the network of media content by a selected media engine, tracking content stored on the media engines and redirecting a content request from a media console connected to the one media station over the network to a selected one of the media engines storing content corresponding to the request for streaming. Multiple media stations are employed to expand the network using a media location registry as a central repository for storing the location of all media content in the media stations. Intercommunication between the media stations for transfer of content is accomplished through the network.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A scalable distributed multimedia streaming system comprising:
-
at least one media station having a media director and a plurality of media engines, each media engine having means for storing media content, means for retrieving media content over the network and means for streaming media content over the network, the media director having means for directing retrieval over the network of media content by a selected media engine, means for tracking content stored on the media engines and means for redirecting a content request from a media console connected to the at least one media station to a selected one of the media engines storing content corresponding to the request for streaming;
a media location registry communicating with the media director in each media station, the media location registry storing the location of all media content in the media stations, and means for downloading content to be presented. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for scalable distributed multimedia streaming comprising the steps of:
-
providing a communications network;
connecting at least one media station to the network having a media director and a plurality of media engines;
providing g a media location registry;
downloading content to be presented;
communicating from the media location registry to a media director in each media station the content to be distributed;
directing through media director in the media station independent retrieval over the network of media content by at least one selected media engine;
storing the media content on the selected media engine;
tracking content stored on the media engines in the media director;
storing the location of all media content in the media station in the media location registry;
redirecting a content request from a media console connected to the media station through the network to a selected one of the media engines storing content corresponding to the request for streaming;
streaming media content over the network from the selected media engine to the media console. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification