Video and audio streaming for multiple users

• US 6,711,622 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BroadWare Technologies, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fuller, Michael J., Graham, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Marc D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, THONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/001,850
• Time in Patent Office: 2,274 Days
• Field of Search: 709/302, 709/204, 709/227, 709/218, 709/231, 707/104, 707/10, 395/187.01, 345/302, 345/329, 345/158, 345/327, 705/517, 348/15, 379/88
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A system and method of providing streaming audio and video data to multiple users is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises a first client, a second client and a server. The first and second clients are executing browsers. The server can communicate with the two clients. The server concurrently provides streaming audio and video data to both of the clients. Importantly, the server does not require the two browsers to use a plug-in or a helper application to receive and use the streaming audio and video data.

Claims

1. A system for providing audio or video data to a plurality of browser clients, comprising:

a real-time video and audio server computer operative as a client computer as it receives and processes streaming video or audio data from at least one remote server; and

a web server computer connected to said real-time video and audio server computer to receive processed streaming video or audio data from said real-time video and audio server computer and to route said processed streaming video or audio data, without a plug-in or a helper computer and to route said processed streaming video or audio data, without a plug-in or a helper application, to said plurality of browser clients, said web server routing said processed streaming video or audio data to individual browser clients of said plurality of browser clients until individual browser clients instruct said web server to stop.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said real-time video and audio server includes:

a video proxy module;

an audio proxy module; and

an HTTP link to said at least one remote server, said video proxy module and said audio proxy module processing streaming video or audio data from said at least one remote server.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said real-time video and audio server further includes:

a video module for connection to a video card; and

an audio module for connection to an audio card that receives input from a microphone and an audio line.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said web server routes said processed streaming video or audio data as a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) encoded data stream.