Method and system for providing multimedia content to multiple clients

• US 20070180486A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KT Corporation
• Original Assignee: KT Corporation
• Inventors: Yoon, Jong
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method for supplying multimedia contents to a plurality of clients is implemented by a system which includes a plurality of contents distribution networks provided with a plurality of local centers and a central center connected to the local centers of each contents distribution network to receive contents of a plurality of contents providers in each nations, wherein the contents distribution networks are prepared according to each nation and the plurality of contents providers are linked to the plurality of clients. The method includes the steps of: receiving contents from a plurality of contents providers of a corresponding nation according to a predetermined period by the local centers; receiving the contents from the local centers of each contents distribution network by the central center; and supplying the contents to each client.

Claims

1. A method for providing multimedia contents to a plurality of clients through a system comprising a plurality of local contents distribution networks and a central server, wherein each local content distribution network comprises a local server connected to a plurality of contents providers and a plurality of clients, wherein the central server is connected to the plurality of local servers, the method comprising:

periodically receiving, by a local server, multimedia contents from a plurality of contents providers at predetermined intervals;

receiving, by the central server, the multimedia contents from the local server; and

supplying the multimedia contents to a plurality of clients.

2. A method for providing multimedia contents supplied from a plurality of contents providers to a plurality of clients through a network, the method comprising:

receiving multimedia contents from a plurality of contents providers;

storing the received multimedia contents;

processing the received multimedia contents to construct information on the received multimedia contents in accordance with attributes or instructions of a client;

sending the information to the client;

receiving a request from the client for supplying a piece of multimedia content among the multimedia contents; and

supplying the requested piece of multimedia content to the client.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information comprises an integrated multimedia content produced from the received multimedia contents in accordance with a predetermined method.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the integrated multimedia content is configured in a format in which a plurality of pieces of multimedia contents are simultaneously displayed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the request from the client comprises a request for one of the plurality of pieces of multimedia contents that are simultaneously displayed on a screen.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the integrated multimedia content comprises a portion selected from each of the multimedia contents, and wherein the selected portions are configured to be sequentially displayed.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined method is derived from the client.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the request comprises:

receiving and storing schedule information which comprises identification of the requested piece of multimedia content and time for supplying the requested piece of multimedia content; and

determining whether conditions in the schedule information are accomplished.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein supplying comprises:

searching for the requested piece of multimedia content among the stored multimedia contents;

supplying the requested piece to the client; and

if the requested piece is not located from the stored multimedia contents, notifying such to the client.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the request further comprises receiving information about a device of the client on which the requested piece is to be played, and wherein supplying comprises configuring the requested piece of multimedia content into a form that the client'"'"'s device can play.

11. A method for providing multimedia contents to a client via a network comprising a plurality of contents distribution networks, wherein a plurality of contents providers and a plurality of clients are connected to at least one contents distribution network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a local server of each contents distribution network, multimedia contents from a plurality of contents providers connected thereto;

transmitting, by each local server, the received multimedia contents to a central server;

processing, by the central server, the transmitted multimedia contents to construct information on the transmitted multimedia contents in accordance with attributes or instructions of a plurality of clients;

broadcasting, by the central server, the information to each local server;

supplying, by each local server, the information to a plurality of clients connected thereto;

receiving a request for supplying a piece of multimedia content from one of the plurality of clients; and

supplying the requested piece of multimedia content to the requesting client.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information comprises an integrated multimedia content using a predetermined method.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the integrated multimedia content comprises a plurality of pieces of multimedia contents that are to be simultaneously displayed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving comprises receiving a request for one of the plurality of pieces of multimedia contents that are simultaneously displayed.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the integrated multimedia content comprises a portion selected from each of the multimedia contents, and wherein the selected portions are configured to be sequentially displayed.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein supplying comprises:

determining whether the requested piece is stored in an edge server within the contents distribution network to which the client is connected; and

if the requested contents are stored in the edge server, supplying the stored piece from the edge server to the client.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein supplying comprises:

if the requested piece is not stored at any edge servers, determining whether the requested piece is stored in a server in another contents distribution network, if the requested content is stored in the other contents distribution network, wherein the requested piece is supplied from the other contents distribution network to the client.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving comprises receiving information about a device of the client on which the requested piece is to be played, and wherein supplying comprises configuring the requested piece of multimedia content into a form that the client'"'"'s device can play.