Hybrid architecture for media services
First Claim
1. A system for providing media services, the system comprising:
- a plurality of boxes, each allowing a user to order many titles in a library being offered in each of the boxes;
at least a server configured to distribute segments for each of the titles to the boxes, none of the boxes receiving all of the segments per a title till the title is ordered, wherein after receiving a request for an ordered title from an ordering box, the server is configured to identify one or more of devices to provide at least one or more of the segments pertaining to the ordered title, andwherein the ordering box proceeds with a playback of a residing segment while downloading the at least one or more of the segments from the one or more devices, andwherein the server is configured to provide streaming pertaining to a program to one or more of the boxes when needed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques of providing media services based on a hybrid architecture are disclosed. The hybrid architecture is provided to take the benefits, features and advantages of both distributed architecture and client-server architecture. According to one aspect of the present invention, data pertaining to a title (e.g., a movie, a game, a data file or a piece of footage) is divided or organized into several segments that are distributed among boxes in service. General orders of titles being offered in a library are fulfilled by a group of selected client devices delivering respective segments to an ordering box. Special orders of certain programs (e.g., a live event or a rare title not included in the library) are fulfilled directly by at least a server. In addition, the server is configured to supply some of the segments to an ordering box or back up any one of the selected boxes designated to supply the needed data to an ordering box. Because of the inherent superior computing power and more bandwidth, the server may deliver more than one segment at a time.
129 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for providing media services, the system comprising:
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a plurality of boxes, each allowing a user to order many titles in a library being offered in each of the boxes; at least a server configured to distribute segments for each of the titles to the boxes, none of the boxes receiving all of the segments per a title till the title is ordered, wherein after receiving a request for an ordered title from an ordering box, the server is configured to identify one or more of devices to provide at least one or more of the segments pertaining to the ordered title, and wherein the ordering box proceeds with a playback of a residing segment while downloading the at least one or more of the segments from the one or more devices, and wherein the server is configured to provide streaming pertaining to a program to one or more of the boxes when needed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for providing media services, the system comprising:
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a plurality of boxes, each allowing a user to order many titles in a library being offered in each of the boxes; at least a server configured to distribute segments for each of the titles to the boxes, none of the boxes receiving all of the segments per a title till the title is ordered, wherein after receiving a request for an ordered title from an ordering box, the server is configured to identify one or more of devices to provide at least one or more of the segments pertaining to the ordered title, and wherein the ordering box proceeds with a playback of a residing segment while downloading the at least one or more of the segments from the one or more devices, and wherein the server is configured to provide streaming pertaining to a program that is not originally in the library to one or more of the boxes by either a unicast protocol or a multicast protocol. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification