METHOD, SYSTEM AND SOFTWARE PRODUCT FOR STREAMING CONTENT

• US 20090319557A1
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vividas Technologies Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Vividas Technologies Pty Limited
• Inventors: Winter, David, Lipka, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,654,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/436 using parallelised computational arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and systems for streaming content and in particular, live content. The method includes the steps of: receiving a content stream; periodically encoding the received stream into a sequence of content files to thereby create a plurality of sequential content files; assigning a sequence identifier to each content file; storing the files on a host; delivering a data file to a media player responsive to a request for live content, said data file including information enabling the media player to sequentially and individually request each content file from the host and play the requested content file; and delivering requested content files responsive to each request.

Claims

1. A method for streaming content, including the steps of:

receiving a content stream comprising live content;

periodically encoding the received stream into a sequence of files to thereby create a plurality of sequential content files;

assigning a sequence identifier to each content file;

storing the content files on a host;

delivering a data file to a media player responsive to a request for content, said data file including information enabling the media player to sequentially and individually request each content file from the host and play the requested content file; and

delivering requested content files responsive to each request.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sequence identifier is recorded in the file name of each content file.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the data file includes the file name of the first sequential content file, and the network location of the host.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data file includes information enabling the media player to calculate the sequence number of, and thereby request, the last content file in the sequence.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the information includes:

the commencement time (t_c) of the requested content;

details of a facility from which a current time (t_r) is available;

the frame rate (FPs) of the content stored in each content file; and

the number of frames stored in each content file (F_block),

wherein the sequence number of the last content file in the sequence (S_L) is calculated according to the following formula;

S_L=F_e/F_block

F_e=t_c/FPs

t_e=t_c−

t_r

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the data file includes the network location of one or more additional hosts from which a media player may request a content file, in the event of non-arrival of a previously requested content file within a specified timeframe.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host is a web server streaming content to one or more media players coupled to the web server over the Internet.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host is an ingestion system for a content delivery network.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the encoding step comprises cyclically directing the content stream through two or more encoders.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the two or more encoders simultaneously encode individual portions of the content stream.

25. A computer readable medium including processor executable instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of claim 1.

11. A live content streaming system, including:

a streaming application; and

a host communicatively coupled to the streaming application,

wherein, content received by the streaming application is periodically encoded into a sequence of content files to thereby create a plurality of sequential files, each content file being assigned a sequence identifier upon its creation and being transferred to the host along with a data file including information enabling a media player to sequentially and individually request each content file from the host and play the requested content file.

12. The live content streaming system according to claim 11, wherein the sequence identifier is recorded in the file name of each content file.

13. The live content streaming system according to claim 11, wherein the data file includes the file name of the first sequential content file and the network location of the host.

14. Live content streaming system according to claim 11, wherein the data file includes information enabling the media player to calculate the sequence number of, and thereby request, the last sequential content file in the sequence.

15. The live content streaming system according to claim 14, wherein the information includes:

the commencement time (t_c) of the content;

details of a facility from which a current time (t_r) is available;

the frame rate (FPs) of the content stored in each content file; and

the number of frames stored in each content file (F_block),

wherein the sequence number of the last sequential content file in the sequence (S_L) is calculated according to the following formula;

S_L=F_e/F_block

F_e=t_e/FPs

t_e=t_c−

t_r

16. The live content streaming system according to claim 15, wherein the data file includes the network location of one or more additional hosts from which a media player may request a content file in the event of non-arrival of a previously requested content file.

17. The live content streaming system according to claim 11, wherein the host is a web server, streaming content to one or more medial players coupled to the web server over the Internet.

18. The live content streaming system according to claim 11, wherein the host is an ingestion system for a content delivery network.

19. The live content streaming system according to claim 11, wherein the content is periodically encoded by cyclically directing the content stream through two or more encoders.

20. The live content streaming system according to claim 19, wherein the encoders simultaneously encode individual portions of the content stream.

26. The computer software product including computer-executable instructions implementing the system according to claim 11.

21. A method for receiving and playing streamed live content, said content having been periodically encoded into a plurality of sequential content files, each having a sequence identifier, and each having been stored on a host, the method including the steps of:

downloading a data file including information enabling the sequential content files to be individually requested in sequence;

requesting each content file from the host; and

playing each content file.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the data file includes information enabling calculation of the sequence number of the last sequential content file in the sequence.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the information includes:

the commencement time (t_c) of the content;

details of a facility from which a current time (t_r) is available;

the frame rate (FPs) of the content stored in each content file; and

the number of frames stored in each content file (F_block),

wherein the sequence number of the last sequential content file (S_L) in the sequence is calculated according to the following formula;

S_L=F_e/F_block

F_e=t_e/FPs

t_e=t_c−

t_r

24. The method according to claim 21, including the further step of requesting the next content file in the sequence, in the event that a requested content file is not received within a specified timeframe.