Method and system for providing media services by distributed networks
First Claim
1. A method for providing a type of media service, the method comprising:
- preparing data representing an item in a library in terms of a sequence of data chunks;
streaming at least some or all of the data chunks to one or more devices that have placed an order for the item;
adding the devices in a supplying list;
causing one or more of the devices to provide at least some or all of the received data chunks to additional devices that subsequently place an order for the item, wherein the supplying list is progressively expanded with the additional devices until all devices in service have received at least some or all of the data chunks.
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Abstract
Techniques for managing media services in a distributed environment are disclosed. Data representing an item in the media service is distributed among devices in service. When a requesting device is newly joined and requests for the item, at least one supplying device is designed to supply the data to the requesting device. The supplying device may be a server or a peer device. In one case, each of the devices is behind a network address translator. A server, in responding to a request from a requesting device for needed data, is configured to determine some of devices in service to be candidates from a database, where the database has many entries, each of the entries pertaining to one of the devices. The candidates are determined in accordance with at least compatibility of respective network address translators with a network address translator of the requesting device. Among the candidates, the server then designates a finalist that is preferably not designated to be a supplying device more often than it should be on average. The server then notifies either the requesting device or the supplying device so that the requesting device can get the needed data directly from the supplying device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for providing a type of media service, the method comprising:
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preparing data representing an item in a library in terms of a sequence of data chunks; streaming at least some or all of the data chunks to one or more devices that have placed an order for the item; adding the devices in a supplying list; causing one or more of the devices to provide at least some or all of the received data chunks to additional devices that subsequently place an order for the item, wherein the supplying list is progressively expanded with the additional devices until all devices in service have received at least some or all of the data chunks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for providing a type of media service, the system comprising at least a server configured to manage the media service;
a plurality of devices capable to receive the media service, wherein, when there is an item available for the devices, the server is configured to perform operations of; preparing data representing the item in terms of a sequence of data chunks; providing a first part of the data chunks from the server to a requesting device when a request for the item is received from the requesting device; causing a second part of the data to be provided to the requesting device from another device that has already received some or all of the data chunks after a request for the item was placed with the server. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification