Multicast content provider

• US 20090006642A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Young, Blaine, Yaqoob, Asad, Syed, Saad, Dickens, Christopher Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,683,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06

Abstract

A multicast content provider operates on a multicast server in conjunction with a multicast transmission protocol that is independent of the content data transmitted and allows extensibility in the content provider to distribute any type of content. The content provider module is designed to find, read, write, and transform particular types of data into a form acceptable for transmission by the transmission protocol on the multicast server. The transmission protocol is agnostic to the type, size, format, or location of the data file. The content provider module manages these issues so that the transmission protocol does not have to. This relationship between the content provider module and the transmission protocol establishes a “generic” multicast solution, capable of complete flexibility with regard to content delivery.

Claims

1. A method on a computer server for multicasting data to a number of client devices comprising

exposing the data from a storage location through an application outside of control of a multicast transmission protocol operating on the computer server;

creating a data stream of the data from the storage location in a format acceptable for transmission according to the multicast transmission protocol; and

transmitting data to one or more of the client devices during a transmission session according to the multicast transmission protocol, where in the multicast transmission protocol is agnostic to data type.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising ensuring that an original form of the data is maintained for access until conclusion of the transmission session when the data is updated at the storage location during the transmission session.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving a new request for the data from one of the client devices;

and

initiating a new transmission session to expose the updated data from the storage location when the data is updated during the transmission session.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a security policy for the transmission session by authorizing the client devices to join the transmission session through the application outside of control of the multicast transmission protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating operation further comprises dividing the data into a number of blocks for transmission.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting operation transmits the blocks of the data in a non-sequential order.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing the data from multiple storage locations in order to create the data stream.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving a new request for a second set of data from one or more of the client devices concurrent with the transmission session;

exposing the second set of data from a second storage location through a second application outside of control of a multicast transmission protocol operating on the computer server;

creating a second data stream of the second set of data from the second storage location in a format acceptable for transmission according to the multicast transmission protocol; and

transmitting the second set of data to the requesting client devices during a second transmission session according to the multicast transmission protocol, where in the multicast transmission protocol is agnostic to data type.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising

creating a separate network connection for transmission of the second set of data;

and

authorizing client devices joined to the transmission session to join the second transmission session, wherein the authorization operation is performed through the second application outside of control of the multicast transmission protocol.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a computer process according to the method of claim 1.

11. A server computer for multicasting data to a number of client devices comprising

a multicast server module that transmits data to one or more of the client devices during a transmission session according to a transmission protocol that is agnostic to data type;

and

a content provider module that exposes the data from a storage location and provides the data to the server module in a format acceptable for transmission according to the transmission protocol.

12. The server computer of claim 11, wherein when the data is divisible into a plurality of blocks, the content provider module further provides non-sequential access to the blocks of the data.

13. The server computer of claim 11, wherein when the data is updated during the transmission session, the content provider module further ensures that an original form of the data is maintained for access until conclusion of the transmission session.

14. The server computer of claim 11, wherein when the data is updated during the transmission session and upon receipt of a new request for the data from one of the client devices, the content provider module further initiates a new transmission session to expose the updated data from the storage location.

15. The server computer of claim 11, wherein the content provider module further applies a security policy for the transmission session by authorizing the client devices to join the transmission session.

16. The server computer of claim 11 further comprising a second content provider module that exposes a second set of data from a second storage location and provides the second data to the multicast server module in a format acceptable for transmission according to the transmission protocol.

17. A client computer device that receives data in a transmission session from a multicast server comprising

a content consumer module that manages the data received at the client computer device according to a transmission protocol that is agnostic to the data and writes the data to a content store based upon parameters correlated with a configuration of a content provider at the multicast server.

18. The client computer device of claim 17 further configured to manage receipt of blocks of the data in a non-sequential an order indicated for writing to the content store.

19. The client computer device of claim 17 further comprising a second content consumer module that manages a second set of data received at the client computer device according to the transmission protocol and writes the data to the content store based upon alternate parameters correlated with a configuration of a second content provider at the multicast server.

20. The client computer device of claim 17, wherein the content consumer module provides an authorization for joining the transmission session correlated with the configuration of the content provider at the multicast server.