Network Audio Distribution System and Method
First Claim
1. A system for distributing audio content from plural audio sources to plural client terminals located on a network, comprising:
- an audio source interface coupled to receive raw audio from a first audio source, and operable to convert said raw audio into a digital audio clip that is incorporated into a digital audio packet further containing a timestamp and a channel identity corresponding to said first audio source;
a network audio server coupled to receive said digital audio packet from said audio source interface, and operable to format said digital audio packet into a digital audio file that is compliant with the network, and store said digital audio file at a network address, and whereinsaid network audio server is operable to generate a directory packet including said network address of said digital audio file, said channel identity, and said timestamp, and operable to couple said directory packet to a directory server located on the network, and wherein;
said directory server receives said directory packet and generates a directory stream, including at least a portion of said directory packet, and couples said directory stream through the network to a first client terminal, and whereinsaid first client terminal receives said directory stream and selectively identifies said directory packet according to a client profile, and subsequently communicates an audio file request through the network, requesting said digital audio file from said network audio server, and whereinupon receipt of said audio file request, said audio server responds by coupling said digital audio file to said client terminal through the network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
System and methods for distributing audio content from plural audio sources to plural client terminals located on a network. The system includes an audio source interface that is coupled to receive raw audio from a first audio source, and converts the raw audio into a digital audio clip that is incorporated into a digital audio packet, which further contains a timestamp and a channel identity corresponding to the first audio source. A network audio server is coupled to receive the digital audio packet from the audio source interface, and operates to format the digital audio packet into a digital audio file that is compliant with the network, and store the digital audio file at a network address. The network audio server generates a directory packet that includes the network address of the digital audio file, the channel identity, and the timestamp, and couples the directory packet to a directory server located on the network. The directory server receives the directory packet and generates a directory stream, including at least a portion of the directory packet, and couples the directory stream through the network to a first client terminal. The first client terminal receives the directory stream and selectively identifies the directory packet according to a client profile, and subsequently communicates an audio file request through the network, requesting the digital audio file from the network audio server. Then, upon receipt of the audio file request, the audio server responds by coupling the digital audio file to the client terminal through the network.
260 Citations
60 Claims
-
1. A system for distributing audio content from plural audio sources to plural client terminals located on a network, comprising:
-
an audio source interface coupled to receive raw audio from a first audio source, and operable to convert said raw audio into a digital audio clip that is incorporated into a digital audio packet further containing a timestamp and a channel identity corresponding to said first audio source; a network audio server coupled to receive said digital audio packet from said audio source interface, and operable to format said digital audio packet into a digital audio file that is compliant with the network, and store said digital audio file at a network address, and wherein said network audio server is operable to generate a directory packet including said network address of said digital audio file, said channel identity, and said timestamp, and operable to couple said directory packet to a directory server located on the network, and wherein; said directory server receives said directory packet and generates a directory stream, including at least a portion of said directory packet, and couples said directory stream through the network to a first client terminal, and wherein said first client terminal receives said directory stream and selectively identifies said directory packet according to a client profile, and subsequently communicates an audio file request through the network, requesting said digital audio file from said network audio server, and wherein upon receipt of said audio file request, said audio server responds by coupling said digital audio file to said client terminal through the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method of distributing audio content from a first audio source to a first client terminal located on a network, utilizing an audio source interface, a network audio server, and a directory server, comprising the steps of:
-
coupling raw audio from the first audio source to the audio source interface; converting the raw audio into a digital audio clip, and assembling a digital audio packet by the audio source interface that contains the digital audio clip, a timestamp and a channel identity corresponding to the first audio source; coupling the digital audio packet from the audio source interface to the network audio server; formatting the digital audio packet into a digital audio file that is network compliant by the network audio server, and storing the digital audio file at a network address, and, generating a corresponding directory packet including the network address of the digital audio file, the channel identity, and the timestamp, and, coupling the directory packet to the directory server; generating a directory stream by the directory server that includes at least a portion of the directory packet, and coupling the directory stream to the client terminal located on the network; receiving the directory stream by the first client terminal and selectively identifying the directory packet according to a user profile, and subsequently communicating an audio file request through the network from the first client terminal to the network audio server requesting the digital audio file, and coupling the digital audio file from the audio server to the first client terminal in response to receipt of the audio file request. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
-
46. A system for distributing audio content gathered from plural audio sources to plural client terminals, using plural packages of software processes running on one or more processors distributed about a web connected network, comprising:
-
a) at least a first client terminal addressable on the network to receive directory streams of directory packets, and store a portion of said directory packets in a directory index, and operable to selectively recall at least a first of said directory packets from said directory index based on selection criteria, and operable to request audio content stored on the network based on a network address within said at least a first of said directory packets; b) plural audio source interfaces connected to receive raw audio from corresponding plural audio sources, and executing a gateway process incorporating said raw audio into digital audio packets as digital audio clips, each with a channel identity of the corresponding one of said plural audio sources; c) a feed source administrative package, further comprising; a file monitor process coupled to receive plural digital audio packets from at least a first of said plural audio source interfaces, and operable to format said plural digital audio packets into plural digital audio files stored at network addressable locations, and further operable to generate plural directory packets corresponding to said plural digital audio packets, each including a corresponding channel identity, and a corresponding network address, which are subsequently forwarded to at least a first predetermined transmission package; a web server process coupled to receive audio file requests through the network from the plural client terminals, wherein each audio file request includes a network addresses of a corresponding digital audio file, and in response thereto, operable to communicate said corresponding digital audio file to the requesting client terminals; d) a transmission package, further comprising; a directory server process operable to receive directory packets from said feed source administrative package, store said directory packets in a directory packet database, and operable to generate at least a first directory stream, including at least a portion of said directory packets with corresponding timestamp, and couple said directory stream through the network to said at least a first client terminal, and a first registrar process operable to maintain a database of client terminal account information for determining content and controlling delivery of directory streams of directory packets and for controlling access to said directory packet database by the plural client terminals. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
-
Specification