Communicating video information in a network using universal resource locators

• US 6,604,241 B1
• Filed: 05/21/1999
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Haeri, Arsalan, Soneson, Eric D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shang, Annan Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/316,471
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 725/87, 725/112, 709/219, 709/231, 709/245, 709/217, 709/218
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2265 Server identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for communicating network information among network devices using protocols based on Universal Resource Locators. In one embodiment, an apparatus for retrieving information in a network, comprises a first URL interface executed by a client; a second URL interface executed by a server having a plurality of stored values; and means distributed among the first URL interface and the second URL interface for creating and storing a URL that includes an identifier of one or more of the stored values, retrieving that value from the server based on the identifier, and transporting the value from the server to the client. In another embodiment, a method comprises creating and storing a URL that includes a request for the value; communicating the URL to the server; extracting the request from the URL; and communicating a responsive URL, which includes the value of the attribute and an identifier of the attribute, from the server to the requesting client.

Claims

1. A method of displaying, on a client computer system that is logically coupled to a server computer system, video information stored in the server computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

creating and storing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a request for the video information and including a video source identifier uniquely associated with the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

retrieving the video information from the server computer system based on the video source identifier;

transporting the video information from the server computer system to the client computer system; and

displaying the video information on the client computer system.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the server computer system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL using a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the server computer system at which the server computer system receives URLs that contain video information requests.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and the URL in the form:

36. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

configuring, in response to receiving the URL, a network element to provide a particular quality of service.

37. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transporting the video information from the server computer system to the client computer system includes transporting the video information from the server computer system to the client computer according to a particular quality of service.

5. A method of displaying video information that is stored in a video server of a network, the method comprising:

executing a URL interface software element at the video server;

creating and storing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises a request for the video information, the request including information identifying the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

determining the request using the URL interface software element;

retrieving the video information from the video server based on the information that identifies the video information; and

communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the video server.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL using a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the video server at which the video server receives client requests that comprise a URL containing a video information request.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL in the form:

9. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

executing a second URL interface software element at a client logically separate from the video server; and

creating and storing the URL using the second URL interface software element.

10. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein creating and storing a URL comprises creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is distributed in real time from a video network that is coupled to the video, and wherein communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client comprises communicating the video program in real time from the video network to a requesting client.

11. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein creating and storing a URL comprises creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is stored on the video server, and wherein communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client comprises playing streaming video of the video program from the video server to a requesting client.

12. A video distribution apparatus, comprising:

a first URL interface executed by a client;

a second URL interface executed by a video server having a plurality of stored video programs; and

means distributed among the first URL interface and the second URL interface for creating and storing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises a request for the video information, wherein the request includes an identifier of one of the video programs and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with a request for the video information, retrieving that video program from the video server based on the identifier, and transporting the video program from the video server to the client.

13. A video distribution apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for creating and storing a URL comprises means for determining the request using the URL interface software element;

means for retrieving the video information from the video server based on the information that identifies the video information; and

means for communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client.

14. A video distribution apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for creating and storing a URL comprises means for creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the video server.

15. A video distribution apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for creating and storing a URL comprises means for creating and storing the URL using a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the video server at which the video server receives client requests that comprise a URL containing a video information request.

16. A video distribution apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for creating and storing a URL comprises means for creating and storing the URL in the form:

17. A video distribution apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for creating and storing a URL comprises means for executing a second URL interface software element at a client logically separate from the video server and for creating and storing the URL using the second URL interface software element.

18. A video distribution apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for creating and storing a URL comprises means for creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is distributed in real time from a video network that is coupled to the video, and wherein communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client comprises communicating the video program in real time from the video network to a requesting client.

19. A video distribution apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the means for creating and storing a URL comprises means for creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is stored on the video server, and wherein communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client comprises playing streaming video of the video program from the video server to a requesting client.

20. A video distribution apparatus as recited in claim 12, comprising:

displaying the video information on the client using a video client program that is coupled to the first URL interface.

21. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for displaying, on a client computer system that is logically coupled to a server computer system, video information stored in the server computer system, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

creating and storing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a request for the video information and including a video source identifier uniquely associated with the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

retrieving the video information from the server computer system based on the video source identifier;

transporting the video information from the server computer system to the client computer system; and

displaying the video information on the client computer system.

22. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the server computer system.

23. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL using a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the server computer system at which the server computer system receives URLs that contain video information requests.

24. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL in the form:

25. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for displaying video information that is stored in a video server of a network, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

executing a URL interface software element at the video server;

creating and storing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises a request for the video information, the request including information identifying the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

determining the request using the URL interface software element;

retrieving the video information from the video server based on the information that identifies the video information; and

communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client.

26. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the video server.

27. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL using a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the video server at which the video server receives client requests that comprise a URL containing a video information request.

28. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25, wherein creating and storing a URL includes creating and storing the URL in the form:

29. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

executing a second URL interface software element at a client logically separate from the video server; and

creating and storing the URL using the second URL interface software element.

30. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25, wherein creating and storing a URL comprises creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is distributed in real time from a video network that is coupled to the video, and wherein communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client comprises communicating the video program in real time from the video network to a requesting client.

31. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25, wherein creating and storing a URL comprises creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is stored on the video server, and wherein communicating the video information from the video server to a requesting client comprises playing streaming video of the video program from the video server to a requesting client.

32. A method of displaying video information stored in a server computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a request for the video information and including a video source identifier uniquely associated with the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

retrieving the video information from the server computer system based on the video source identifier;

communicating the video information from the server computer system to a client computer system that is logically coupled thereto and that is capable of displaying the video information.

33. A method as recited in claim 32, wherein receiving a URL includes receiving a URL having a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the server computer system.

34. A method as recited in claim 32, wherein receiving a URL includes receiving the URL using a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the server computer system at which the server computer system receives URLs that contain video information requests.

35. A method as recited in claim 32, wherein receiving a URL includes receiving a URL having the form:

38. A method for processing a request for video information stored in a server computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a request for the video information and including a video source identifier uniquely associated with the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

retrieving the video information from the server computer system based on the video source identifier; and

transmitting the video information from the server computer system to the client computer system.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said URL comprises a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the server computer system.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein said URL comprises a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the server computer system at which the server computer system receives URLs that contain video information requests.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein said URL is in the form:

42. A method for displaying video information that is stored in a video server of a network, the method comprising:

generating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises a request for the video information, the request including information identifying the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

transmitting said URL to the video server; and

retrieving the video information from the video server based on the information that identifies the video information.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of displaying the video information at a client.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of generating the URL includes creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the video server.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein said URL comprises a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the video server at which the video server receives client requests that comprise a URL containing a video information request.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein said URL is in the form:

47. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of generating the URL comprises creating and storing the URL comprising a request for a video program that is distributed in real time from a video network that is coupled to the video server, and wherein the step of receiving the video information from the video server comprises receiving the video program in real time from the video network at a requesting client.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of generating the URL comprises creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is stored on the video server, and wherein the step of receiving the video information from the video server comprises receiving streaming video of the video program from the video server.

49. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for processing a request for video information stored in a server computer system, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

retrieving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a request for the video information and including a video source identifier uniquely associated with the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

retrieving the video information from the server computer system based on the video source identifier; and

transmitting the video information from the server computer system to the client computer system.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein said URL comprises a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the server computer system.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein said URL comprises a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the server computer system at which the server computer system receives URLs that contain video information requests.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein said URL is in the form:

53. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for displaying video information that is stored in a video server of a network, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

generating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises a request for the video information, the request including information identifying the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

transmitting said URL to the video server; and

retrieving the video information from the video server based on the information that identifies the video information.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, further comprising the step of displaying the video information at a client.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the step of generating the URL includes creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the video server.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein said URL comprises a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the video server at which the video server receives client requests that comprise a URL containing a video information request.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein said URL is in the form:

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the step of generating the URL comprises creating and storing the URL comprising a request for a video program that is distributed in real time from a video network that is coupled to the video server, and wherein receiving the video information from the video server comprises receiving the video program in real time from the video network at a requesting client.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the step of generating the URL comprises creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is stored on the video server, and wherein the step of receiving the video information from the video server comprises receiving streaming video of the video program from the video server.

60. An apparatus for processing a request for video information stored in a server computer system, comprising:

means for retrieving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a request for the video information and including a video source identifier uniquely associated with the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

means for retrieving the video information from the server computer system based on the video source identifier; and

means for transmitting the video information from the server computer system to the client computer system.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said URL comprises a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the server computer system.

62. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said URL comprises a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the server computer system at which the server computer system receives URLs that contain video information requests.

63. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said URL is in the form:

64. An apparatus for displaying video information that is stored in a video server of a network, comprising:

means for generating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises a request for the video information, the request including information identifying the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

means for transmitting said URL to the video server; and

means for retrieving the video information from the video server based on the information that identifies the video information.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, further comprising means for displaying the video information at a client.

66. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said means for generating the URL includes means for creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the video server.

67. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said URL comprises a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the video server at which the video server receives client requests that comprise a URL containing a video information request.

68. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said URL is in the form:

69. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the means for generating the URL comprises means for creating and storing the URL comprising a request for a video program that is distributed in real time from a video network that is coupled to the video server, and wherein the means for receiving the video information from the video server comprises means for receiving the video program in real time from the video network at a requesting client.

70. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the means for generating the URL comprises means for creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is stored on the video server, and wherein the means for receiving the video information from the video server comprises means for receiving streaming video of the video program from the video server.

71. An apparatus for processing a request for video information stored in a server computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium accessible to the processor and comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

retrieving a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that includes a request for the video information and including a video source identifier uniquely associated with the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

retrieving the video information from the server computer system based on the video source identifier; and

transmitting the video information from the server computer system to the client computer system.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein said URL comprises a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the server computer system.

73. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein said URL comprises a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the server computer system at which the server computer system receives URLs that contain video information requests.

74. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein said URL is in the form:

75. An apparatus for displaying video information that is stored in a video server of a network, comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium accessible to the processor and comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

generating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that comprises a request for the video information, the request including information identifying the video information and a video protocol identifier that identifies a video protocol associated with the request for the video information;

transmitting said URL to the video server; and

retrieving the video information from the video server based on the information that identifies the video information.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein said computer-readable medium further comprises one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

displaying the video information at a client.

77. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the step of generating the URL includes creating and storing the URL using a server identifier value that uniquely identifies the video server.

78. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein said URL comprises a port identifier value that identifies a listening port of the video server at which the video server receives client requests that comprise a URL containing a video information request.

79. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein said URL is in the form:

80. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the step of generating the URL comprises creating and storing the URL comprising a request for a video program that is distributed in real time from a video network that is coupled to the video server, and wherein receiving the video information from the video server comprises receiving the video program in real time from the video network at a requesting client.

81. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the step of generating the URL comprises creating and storing a URL comprising a request for a video program that is stored on the video server, and wherein the step of receiving the video information from the video server comprises receiving streaming video of the video program from the video server.