Multicast distribution of streaming multimedia content
First Claim
1. A method of delivering broadcast channels to subscriber terminals over a broadband network, each broadcast channel comprising a multicast data stream, the method comprising:
- storing at each subscriber terminal a set of .nsc files, each .nsc file comprising information necessary for accessing and playing a respective broadcast channel that is part of a current channel line-up available at said subscriber device;
receiving at said subscriber device a multicast notifier advertising a new broadcast channel (or change to the existing channels), and providing a multicast address for a channel data multicast group, including channel data for said new broadcast channel;
joining said channel data multicast group for retrieving the channel data for said new broadcast channel including a new .nsc file, wherein said new .nsc file is stored locally at said subscriber device for accessing and playing said new broadcast channel.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
For offering entertainment services by video streaming content to users, a video encoder creates the required .nsc file for each broadcast channel. This .nsc file is retrieved and stored on a server which notifies each set-top box in the field, via a multicast notifier of the availability of the new service. This notifier contains the multicast address and port to where the .nsc files are being streamed. Once the set-top box retrieves this notification, it attempts to join the dedicated multicast stream, download the .nsc files and store them locally in memory on the set-top box. When a user selects a broadcast channel from their lineup, the set-top box will access the local file to obtain the proper information about that particular ASF stream; hence, it will not have to do an HTTP retrieval.
57 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method of delivering broadcast channels to subscriber terminals over a broadband network, each broadcast channel comprising a multicast data stream, the method comprising:
-
storing at each subscriber terminal a set of .nsc files, each .nsc file comprising information necessary for accessing and playing a respective broadcast channel that is part of a current channel line-up available at said subscriber device;
receiving at said subscriber device a multicast notifier advertising a new broadcast channel (or change to the existing channels), and providing a multicast address for a channel data multicast group, including channel data for said new broadcast channel;
joining said channel data multicast group for retrieving the channel data for said new broadcast channel including a new .nsc file, wherein said new .nsc file is stored locally at said subscriber device for accessing and playing said new broadcast channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14)
-
-
13. A method of delivering broadcast channels to subscriber devices over a broadband network, each broadcast channel comprising a multicast data stream, the method comprising:
-
providing an open media platform (OMP) for managing a group of subscriber terminals and storing on said OMP a set of .nsc files, each .nsc file comprising information necessary for accessing and playing a respective broadcast channel;
multicasting (110) a channel data multicast group, including channel data for a set of broadcast channel subscribed for by one or more subscriber devices of said group of subscriber devices; and
broadcasting (115) a multicast notifier with a respective multicast address for said channel data multicast group, wherein each .nsc file comprises information specific for accessing and playing said multicast data stream for the respective broadcast channel.
-
-
15. A subscriber terminal for playing broadcast channels received over a broadband network, each broadcast channel comprising a multicast data stream, comprising:
-
means for storing (9) a set of .nsc files, each .nsc file comprising information necessary for accessing and playing a respective broadcast channel that is part of a current channel line-up available at said subscriber device;
means for processing (45) a multicast notifier advertising a new broadcast channel, and providing a multicast address for a channel data multicast group, including channel data for said new broadcast channel;
means for joining (48) said channel data multicast group for retrieving the channel data for said new broadcast channel, including a new .nsc file, wherein said new .nsc file is stored on said means for storing, for enabling accessing and playing said new broadcast channel.
-
-
16. An open media platform (OMP) for managing delivery of broadcast channels to a group of subscriber devices over a broadband network, each broadcast channel comprising a multicast data stream, comprising:
-
means for storing (10) on said OMP a set of .nsc files, each .nsc file comprising information necessary for accessing and playing a respective broadcast channel;
means for multicasting (39) a channel data multicast group, including channel data for a set of broadcast channel subscribed for by one or more subscriber devices of said group of subscriber devices; and
means for broadcasting (25) a multicast notifier with a respective multicast address for said channel data multicast group, wherein each .nsc file comprises information specific for accessing and playing said multicast data stream for the respective broadcast channel.
-
Specification