System and method for streaming media

• US 20050262267A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SITO Mobile R&D IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: Streamworks Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Jennings, Charles A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0274 Split fees
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/781 Centralised allocation of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/806 Broadcast or multicast traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/826 Involving periods of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The system and method for streaming media to a viewer and managing the media comprises and an enhanced service routing processor (ESRP), a real time switch management system (RTSMS), a name routing processor (NRP), and a managed media switch (MMS). The system and method operate with a reservation server. The ESRP receives media from an owner, manages the media according to media rules and order rules defined by the owner, and distributes the media to one or more switches, such as the MMS, according to the media rules and the order rules. The RTSMS is configured to receive the media rules and to receive a viewer'"'"'s media request via the reservation server. The RTSMS processes the media request according to the media rules and builds a reservation for the requested media. The RTSMS generates the reservation to the viewer and to the NRP. The NRP receives the reservation data from the viewer and from the RTSMS. The NRP processes the reservation data and locates an MMS that can stream the media to the viewer. The NRP transmits the IP address of the MMS to the viewer and transmits the reservation data to the MMS. The viewer initiates a session or connection with the MMS using the reservation number. If the reservation data from the viewer matches the reservation data from the NRP, the MMS streams the media to the viewer.

Claims

1. A system for streaming media to a viewer for a request for media comprising:

a media switch configured to receive from the viewer at a media switch address a reservation identification and a presentation identification, to receive reservation data having a valid reservation identification, to validate the reservation identification using the valid reservation identification, and, if validated, to stream to the viewer at least some media for a presentation identified by the presentation identification;

a routing processor configured to receive for a routing processor identification the presentation identification and the reservation identification, to receive the reservation data, to use the presentation identification to determine if the media switch is configured to stream media for the presentation, and, if so configured, to transmit the reservation data to the media switch and to transmit the media switch address to the viewer; and

a management system configured to receive the request for media, to build a reservation having the reservation identification, the routing processor identification, and the presentation identification, to transmit the reservation to the viewer, and to transmit the reservation data to the routing processor.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the presentation comprises at least one media rule.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the media rule comprises at least one member of a group comprising an age restriction, a geographic restriction, and a time restriction.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the presentation comprises a plurality of media names each identifying a media clip.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the presentation comprises a play list comprising at least one media name reference.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the media name reference comprises a universal resource locator.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the reservation identification is appended with the universal resource locator.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the play list comprises at least one member of a group comprising a banner advertisement, a media clip advertisement, a movie media clip, a cable series media clip, a television series media clip, and a sporting event media clip.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the presentation comprises at least one network distribution rule.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the network distribution rule comprises at least one member of a group comprising a capacity rule, a load rule, a bandwidth rule, a resource rule, and a session rule.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the management system further is configured to reserve a resource for the reservation.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the resource comprises at least one member of a group comprising a switch, a processor, media, and bandwidth.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the management system further is configured to collect reservation state model data.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the reservation state model data comprises at least one member of a group comprising a stream state change, a viewing state change, a viewing event, and a device mode change.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the management system further is configured to receive an NRP log, a stream information block, and a signaling log, each identifying the reservation identification, and to create a detail record by using the reservation identification to collate data from at least one of the NRP log, the stream information block, and the signaling log.

16. A system for distributing media comprising:

a service processor configured to receive media and at least one media rule indicating how the media is to be distributed and to distribute the media according to the media rule; and

a media switch configured to receive the media distributed by the service processor according to the media rule and to stream the media when a valid reservation identification is received.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein:

the service processor further is configured to receive a second media rule for the media; and

media switch further is configured to stream the media according to the second media rule.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the second media rule comprises at least one member of a group comprising an age restriction, a time restriction, and a geographic restriction.

19. A method for streaming media to a viewer for a request for media comprising:

receiving the request and building a reservation having a reservation identification, a routing processor identification, and a presentation identification;

transmitting the reservation to the viewer and transmitting reservation data to a routing processor, the reservation data comprising a valid reservation identification;

receiving at the routing processor the reservation data;

receiving from the viewer a presentation identification and a reservation identification at a routing processor identification for thr routing processor;

using the presentation identification to determine if a media switch is configured to stream media for the presentation, and, if so configured, transmitting the reservation data to the media switch and transmitting a media switch address to the viewer;

receiving from the viewer at the media switch address the reservation identification and the presentation identification;

validating the reservation identification using the valid reservation identification; and

if validated, streaming to the viewer at least some media for the presentation identified by the presentation identification.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the presentation comprises at least one media rule.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the media rule comprises at least one member of a group comprising an age restriction, a geographic restriction, and a time restriction.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the presentation comprises a plurality of media names each identifying a media clip.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the presentation comprises a play list comprising at least one media name reference.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the media name reference comprises a universal resource locator.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the reservation identification is appended with the universal resource locator.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the play list comprises at least one member of a group comprising a banner advertisement, a media clip advertisement, a movie media clip, a cable series media clip, a television series media clip, and a sporting event media clip.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the presentation comprises at least one network distribution rule.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the network distribution rule comprises at least one member of a group comprising a capacity rule, a load rule, a bandwidth rule, a resource rule, and a session rule.

29. The method of claim 19 further comprising reserving a resource for the reservation.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the resource comprises at least one member of a group comprising a switch, a processor, media, and bandwidth.

31. The method of claim 19 further comprising collecting reservation state model data.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the reservation state model data comprises at least one member of a group comprising a stream state change, a viewing state change, a viewing event, and a device mode change.

33. The method of claim 19 further comprising receiving an NRP log, a stream information block, and a signaling log, each identifying the reservation identification, and creating a detail record by using the reservation identification to collate data from at least one of the NRP log, the stream information block, and the signaling log.

34. The method of claim 19 wherein the media switch address comprises an internet protocol address.

35. The method of claim 19 wherein the routing processor identification comprises a host name.

36. The method of claim 19 wherein the routing processor identification comprises an internet protocol address.

37. A method for streaming media for a viewer comprising:

processing a request for media and building in response thereto a reservation having a reservation identification and a media play list comprising a plurality of media names;

transmitting reservation data comprising a valid reservation identification and the media play list to a routing processor and transmitting the reservation formatted for reception by the viewer;

determining if a media switch is configured to stream media identified by the media play list;

transmitting the reservation data to the media switch if the media switch is configured, at least initially, to stream media for the media play list;

validating the reservation identification with the reservation data; and

for each media name on the play list, streaming at least partially the media identified by the media name if the reservation identification is valid.

38. A method for distributing media comprising:

receiving media and at least one media rule indicating how the media is to be distributed and distributing the media according to the media rule; and

receiving the media distributed according to the media rule and streaming the media when a valid reservation identification is received.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein:

receiving a second media rule for the media; and

streaming the media from the media switch according to the second media rule.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the media rule comprises at least one member of a group comprising an age restriction, a time restriction, and a geographic restriction.