Distribution of Streaming Content Between Media Players Configured to Locate Each Other

• US 20110004695A1
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nonend Inventions, N.V.
• Original Assignee: Nonend Inventions, N.V.
• Inventors: Gnirrep, Martijn, van Oldenborgh, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for either generating or maintaining an organic data network having an dynamic topology, comprising

• • a data processing unit,
  • at least one data connection to a data network to which several devices provided with a data processing unit are connected by means of a data connection, and
  • software having
    • a receiving routine for receiving data packages of at least one transmitting device in the data network,
    • a transmission routine for transmitting data packages, received from the transmitting device or devices in the data network to at least one receiving device that is connected to the data network, independent of the transmitting device or devices.

Additionally the invention relates to a method and software for data packages received from a transmitting device to at least one receiving device, independent of said transmitting device.

A device according to the invention can be used in for instance mobile phones, streaming internet applications and cable television.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method for receiving streaming content over a network, the network enabling communication between a first consumer node, a second consumer node, and a production node, the method comprising:

initiating, from the first consumer node, a first connection to the second consumer node;

receiving, in response to initiation of the first connection over the network to the second consumer node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content;

selecting, from an inventory residing on the first consumer node, address data identifying a location of the production node;

initiating, from the first consumer node, a second connection over the network to the production node by using the address data;

receiving, in response to initiation of the second connection to the production node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content; and

making incoming content received from the second consumer node ready for processing and play-back at the first consumer node, so that part of the content is streamed to a stream target at the first consumer node, while another part of the content is being received from the production node.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein initiating comprises sending a request for at least a part of the content.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein sending a request for at least a part of the content comprises sending a request for a specific part of the content.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein sending a request for at least a part of the content includes sending an HTTP request.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first and second connections is a wireless connection.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the content comprises at least one of audio content or video content.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the first consumer node autonomously determines when to receive data packages of the content from the second consumer node, the production node, or the second consumer node and the production node, based on evaluation of the first connection and the second connection.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the production node is a device or server system configured to make content available to consumer nodes.

28. A method for receiver-driven streaming of content over a network, the network enabling communications between a first consumer node, a second consumer node, and a production node, the method comprising:

initiating, from the first consumer node, a first connection over the network to the second consumer node;

receiving, in response to initiation of the first connection to the second consumer node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content;

initiating a second connection over the network between the first consumer node and a production node;

receiving, in response to initiation of the second connection to the production node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content; and

making incoming content received from the second consumer node ready for processing and play-back at the first consumer node, so that part of the content is streamed to a stream target at the first consumer node, while another part of the content is being received from the production node.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein initiating comprises sending a request for at least a part of the content.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein sending a request for at least a part of the content comprises sending a request for a specific part of the content.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein sending a request for at least a part of the content includes sending an HTTP request.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one of the first and second connections is a wireless connection.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the content comprises at least one of audio content or video content.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the first consumer node autonomously determines when to receive data packages of the content from the second consumer node, the production node, or the second consumer node and the production node, based on evaluation of the first connection and the second connection.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the production node is a device or server system configured to make content available to consumer nodes.

36. A device configured for receiving streaming content over a network, the network enabling communication with a consumer node and a production node, the device comprising:

a connection component configured for;

initiating a first connection over the network to the consumer node;

receiving, in response to initiation of the first connection to the consumer node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content;

initiating a second connection over the network to the production node; and

receiving, in response to initiation of the second connection to the production node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content; and

a processing component configured for;

making incoming content received from the consumer node ready for processing and play-back, so that part of the content is streamed to a stream target using the device, while another part of the content is being received from the production node.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the connection component comprises at least one input manager.

38. The device of claim 36, wherein the processing component comprises at least one local consumer manager.

39. The device of claim 36, further comprising a storage component configured to store address data identifying a location of the production node.

40. The device of claim 36, wherein the device is a receiving media player, television, radio, personal computer, mobile phone, or PDA.

41. The device of claim 36, wherein the device is configured to autonomously determine when to receive data packages of the content from the second consumer node, the production node, or the second consumer node and the production node, based on evaluation of the first connection and second connection.

42. A method for receiver-driven streaming of content over a network, the network enabling communications between a first consumer node, a second consumer node, and a production node, the method comprising:

initiating, from the first consumer node, a first connection over the network to the production node;

receiving, in response to initiation of the first connection to the production node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content;

initiating a second connection over the network between the first consumer node and the second consumer node;

receiving, in response to initiation of the second connection to the second consumer node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content; and

making incoming content received from the production node ready for processing and play-back at the first consumer node, so that part of the content is streamed to a stream target at the first consumer node, while another part of the content is being received from the second consumer node.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein initiating comprises sending a request for at least a part of the content.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein sending a request for at least a part of the content comprises sending a request for a specific part of the content.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein sending a request for at least a part of the content includes sending an HTTP request.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein at least one of the first and second connections is a wireless connection.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein the content comprises at least one of audio content or video content.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein the first consumer node autonomously determines when to receive data packages of the content from the second consumer node, the production node, or the second consumer node and the production node, based on evaluation of the first connection and the second connection.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein the production node is a device or server system configured to make content available to consumer nodes.

50. A method for receiver-driven streaming of content over a network, the network enabling communications between a first consumer node, a second consumer node, and a third consumer node, the method comprising:

initiating, from the first consumer node, a first connection over the network to the second consumer node;

receiving, in response to initiation of the first connection to the second consumer node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content;

initiating a second connection over the network between the first consumer node and the third consumer node;

receiving, in response to initiation of the second connection to the third consumer node, one or more data packages corresponding to at least a part of the content; and

making incoming content received from the second consumer node ready for processing and play-back at the first consumer node, so that part of the content is streamed to a stream target at the first consumer node, while another part of the content is being received from the third consumer node.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein initiating comprises sending a request for at least a part of the content.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein sending a request for at least a part of the content comprises sending a request for a specific part of the content.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein sending a request for at least a part of the content includes sending an HTTP request.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein at least one of the first and second connections is a wireless connection.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein the content comprises at least one of audio content or video content.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein the first consumer node autonomously determines when to receive data packages of the content from the second consumer node, the third consumer node, or the second consumer node and the third consumer node, based on evaluation of the first connection and the second connection.