Multimedia clent and server

• US 6,418,473 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: St. Maurice, Susan T., Chalupka, Andrew J., Nguyen, Thinh D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US09/315,042
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725/14, 725/35, 725/46, 725/50, 709/203, 709/217, 709/231, 709/232, 709/233, 370/390, 348/461
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A server provides a channel for previewing multimedia and a plurality of full screen multimedia channels. A client displays plural preview screens representing available multimedia channels from the server. Selection of a particular one of the plural preview screens at the client signals the server of the desired channel. The server then initiates streaming of the desired channel to the client. The server tracks the address of the user, the name of the stream and when the clip was started. After the client is finished viewing the stream another TCP connection is made to the server to unsubscribe. The server can therefore keep track of who has viewed which streams, for how long and at what time of the day. This method of tracking could also be used to track preview viewing.

Claims

1. In a data network supporting multicasting, a method of providing multimedia data via the network to an end user comprising the steps of:

a. providing a plurality of preview streams in a unicast channel;

b. responsive to a selection of one of the plurality of preview streams, providing a multicast multimedia steam corresponding thereto; and

c. monitoring end user preference in dependence upon a preview selection;

wherein the unicast preview channel is received by a client at a first data rate and the multicast multimedia stream is received at a second data rate;

and wherein the second data rate is faster than the first data rate.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further including the step of modifying the plurality of preview streams based on determined usage of a selected multicast multimedia stream.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of preview streams originate from a first server and the multicast media stream originates from a second server.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of providing a plurality of preview streams comprises:

a. receiving the unicast preview channel from the first a server;

b. displaying the plurality of preview streams carried in the unicast preview channel.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of providing a multicast multimedia stream comprises:

a. double clicking on a desired preview stream;

b. responsive to the selection, joining a multicast group corresponding to the desired multicast multimedia stream.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of monitoring includes the step of determining the usage of the multicast multimedia stream.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the step of determining the usage of the multicast multimedia stream includes the step of recording a start time corresponding to a time of day when the selection was made and recording an end time corresponding to the time of day when the selection was terminated.

8. In a data network supporting multicasting, a system for providing multimedia data via the network to an end user comprising:

a. means for providing a unicast preview channel comprising a plurality of preview streams;

b. means for providing a multicast multimedia stream; and

c. a client communicating with the means for providing a unicast preview channel and the means for providing a multicast multimedia stream;

wherein the unicast preview channel is received by the client at a first data rate and the multicast multimedia stream is received at a second data rate;

and wherein the second data rate is faster than the first data rate.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first server further includes means for modifying the plurality of preview streams based on determined usage of a selected multicast multimedia stream.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of preview streams originate from a first server and the multicast media stream originates from a second server.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first server comprises:

a. a software module for providing the unicast preview channel comprising a plurality of preview streams;

b. a monitor for recording end user preference in dependence upon a preview stream selection.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the monitor includes a memory for recording times of selection and termination of the preview stream selection.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the monitor comprises:

a. a first port for tracking when an end user has started watching a selected multicast multimedia stream;

b. a second port for tracking when an end user has stopped watching the selected multicast multimedia stream; and

c. a memory for recording the start and stop times tracked by the first and second ports.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the second server comprises:

a. a memory for storing a plurality of multimedia streams; and

b. a port for transmitting a multimedia channel carrying a selected one of the plurality of multimedia streams.