CHAINCAST METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BROADCASTING INFORMATION TO MULTIPLE SYSTEMS WITHIN THE INTERNET
First Claim
1. A method of communicating broadcast information, said method comprising:
- receiving at a first user device a list comprising a plurality of different content selections;
sending from said first user device a content selection whose delivery is requested at a present time to a transmission scheduler;
after said content selection is sent from said first user device and in response to instructions from said transmission scheduler, creating a first communication link between said first user device and a second user device that is receiving and rendering to a second user broadcast information representing said content selection, wherein said first user device is downstream from said second user device; and
receiving at said first user device said broadcast information from said second user device via said first communication link to render to a first user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for performing chaincast communication to multiple communication systems within a system of coupled electronic devices. In one implementation the electronic devices can be computer systems and the system of coupled electronic devices includes the Internet. The present invention provides a system wherein a broadcast source communicates broadcast information (e.g., encoded audio radio content, encoded audio/video television content, program instructions, etc.) to a first group of electronic devices. The first group of electronic devices can be instructed by a transmission scheduler to then communicate (e.g., forward) the broadcast information to other electronic devices which devices can also be instructed to communicate to more devices, etc., thereby reducing the bandwidth requirements of the communication channel between the broadcast source and the first group of electronic devices.
47 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of communicating broadcast information, said method comprising:
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receiving at a first user device a list comprising a plurality of different content selections; sending from said first user device a content selection whose delivery is requested at a present time to a transmission scheduler; after said content selection is sent from said first user device and in response to instructions from said transmission scheduler, creating a first communication link between said first user device and a second user device that is receiving and rendering to a second user broadcast information representing said content selection, wherein said first user device is downstream from said second user device; and receiving at said first user device said broadcast information from said second user device via said first communication link to render to a first user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of broadcasting information over a network of electronic devices, said method comprising:
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receiving at a first electronic device a list comprising a plurality of different content selections; sending from said first electronic device a content selection whose delivery is requested at a present time to a transmission scheduler; after said content selection is sent from said first electronic device and in response to instructions from said transmission scheduler, creating a first communication link between said first electronic device and a second electronic device of a group of electronic devices that are receiving and rendering broadcast information representing said content selection, wherein said first electronic device is downstream from said second electronic device; and receiving at said first electronic device said broadcast information to render from said second electronic device via said first communication link. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A user device, comprising:
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a memory; and a processor operable to receive a list comprising a plurality of different content selections, wherein said processor is operable to send a content selection whose delivery is requested at a present time to a transmission scheduler, wherein after said content selection is sent and in response to instructions from said transmission scheduler, said processor is operable to create a first communication link between said user device and a second user device that is receiving and rendering to a second user broadcast information representing said content selection, wherein said user device is downstream from said second user device, and wherein said processor is operable to receive said broadcast information from said second user device via said first communication link to render to a first user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification