Interactive data transmission system having staged servers

• US 7,068,596 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2000
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Evolve Interactive LLC (Endpoint IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nevco Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Mou, Hensen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BRIAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/699,108
• Time in Patent Office: 2,070 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230.1, 370/231, 370/235, 370/252, 370/230, 370/352, 370/401, 370/485, 370/486, 370/487, 709/200, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/227, 709/229, 709/231, 709/246, 709/218, 434/307, 434/368, 434/318, 725/86, 725/87, 725/88, 725/92, 725/100, 725/101, 725/102, 725/103, 725/104, 725/105
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for use in a network including a local server coupled to a central server, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices, for interactively controlling from one of the plurality of network devices a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device, comprising obtaining a control command at the network device, the control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device. The control command is sent from the network device to the central server via the local server. A modified flow of the audio visual data is then received from the central server at the network device in response to the control command.

Claims

1. In a first network including a local server coupled to a central server, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices via a second network, a method of interactively controlling from one of the plurality of network devices a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device, the method comprising:

obtaining a control command at the network device, the control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device;

sending the control command from the network device to the local server via the second network;

sending the control command from the local server to the central server via the first network; and

receiving a modified flow of the audio visual data from the central server at the network device in response to the control command such that the network device interactively modifies the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first network is the Internet.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first network is a wide area network and the second network is a local area network.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is coupled to the local server via a switch.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is a set-top box.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second network is a wireless local area network.

7. In a first network including a local server coupled to a central server, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices via a second network, a method of interactively controlling from one of the plurality of network devices a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device, the method comprising:

obtaining a control command at the network device, the control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device;

sending the control command from the network device to the local server via the second network;

sending the control command from the local server to the central server via the first network; and

modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device in response to the control command such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device in response to the control command comprises:

modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server via the first network to the local server; and

when modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the local server includes sending a compressed audio visual data stream to the local server, sending the compressed audio visual data stream from the local server to the network device via the second network.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

prior to sending the compressed audio visual data stream to the network device, storing the compressed audio visual data stream in a memory associated with the local server.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein sending the compressed audio visual data stream to the network device is performed in real time.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the first network is the Internet.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the first network is a wide area network and the second network is a local area network.

13. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is coupled to the local server via a switch.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is a set-top box.

15. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the second network is a wireless local area network.

16. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device in response to the control command such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device comprises:

modifying a speed of flow of the audio visual data.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein modifying a speed of flow of the audio visual data comprises increasing or reducing the speed of flow of the audio visual data.

18. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device in response to the control command such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device comprises:

stopping or pausing the flow of the audio visual data.

19. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device in response to the control command such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device comprises:

continuing the flow of the audio visual data at a point where the flow of the audio visual data was previously paused.

20. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device in response to the control command such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device comprises:

initiating the flow of the audio visual data associated with a file identified by the control command.

21. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device in response to the control command such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device does not comprise downloading the audio visual data.

22. In a first network including a local server coupled to a central server, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices via a second network, a method of interactively controlling from one of the plurality of network devices a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device, the method comprising:

receiving a control command at the central server from one of the plurality of network devices via the local server, the control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device via the local server; and

modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device via the local server in response to the control command, thereby enabling the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device to be interactively controlled by the network device such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

23. In a first network including a local server coupled to a central server, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices via a second network, a method of transmitting an audio visual data stream from the central server to one of the plurality of network devices, the method comprising:

receiving a control command from one of the plurality of network devices, the control command indicating a desired modification to the audio visual data stream being transmitted from the central server to the one of the plurality of network devices via the local server; and

sending a modified audio visual data stream from the central server to the one of the plurality of network devices via the local server in response to the control command, thereby enabling a audio visual data stream being transmitted from the central server to the network device to be interactively controlled from the network device such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

24. In a first network including a local server coupled to a central server, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices via a second network, a method of interactively controlling from one of the plurality of network devices a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device, the method comprising:

receiving a control command at the local server from the network device via the second network, the control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device;

sending the control command from the local server to the central server via the first network;

receiving a modified audio visual data flow at the local server from the central server via the first network in response to the control command; and

transmitting the modified audio visual data flow from the local server to the network device via the second network, thereby enabling the network device to interactively modify the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

determining whether a file associated with the control command is stored in a memory associated with the local server; and

performing the sending the control command and receiving the modified audio visual data flow steps when the file associated with the control command is not stored in the memory associated with the local server.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

prior to sending the modified audio visual data flow from the local server to the network device, storing the modified audio visual data flow in a memory associated with the local server.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the modified audio visual data flow is associated with a first file that is different from a second file associated with the audio visual data that is sent from the central server to the network device.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the modified audio visual data flow is sent from the local server to the network device at a speed identical to that of the modified audio visual data flow received from the central server.

29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the modified audio visual data flow is received by the local server at a speed that is different from a speed of the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device prior to sending the control command to the central server.

30. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the modified audio visual data flow is initiated at a first point in a file that is different from a second point in the file at which the control command is received at the local server during the flow of the audio visual data.

31. The method as recited in claim 24, the audio visual data is associated with a first file and the modified audio visual data flow is associated with a second file.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the first file is different from the second file.

33. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the first file identical to the second file.

34. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the first file is a movie file or a karaoke file and the second file is a movie file or a karaoke file.

35. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the first network is the Internet.

36. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the first network is a wide area network and the second network is a local area network.

37. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is coupled to the local server via a switch.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is a set-top box.

39. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the second network is a wireless local area network.

40. In a first network including a local server coupled to a central server, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices via a second network, a method of interactively controlling from one of the plurality of network devices a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device, the local server having a memory associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving a control command at the local server from the network device via the second network, the control command indicating a desired initiation of audio visual data flow associated with a specified file;

determining whether the specified file is stored in the memory associated with the local server; and

when it is determined that the specified tile is not stored in the memory associated with the local server, sending the control command from the local server to the central server via the first network, receiving an audio visual data stream from the central server at the local server via the first network in response to the control command; and

sending the audio visual data stream from the local server to the network device via the second network such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network devices;

wherein the central server is configured to transmit a modified audio visual data stream in response to another control command received from the network device, the other control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, further comprising:

when it is determined that the specified file is not stored in the memory associated with the local server, storing the audio visual data stream in a file in the memory associated with the local server.

42. The method as recited in claim 40, further comprising:

receiving compressed data associated with the specified file from the central server at the local server via the first network in response to the control command; and

storing the specified file in the memory associated with the local server.

43. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the first network is the Internet.

44. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the first network is a wide area network and the second network is a local area network.

45. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is coupled to the local server via a switch.

46. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is a set-top box.

47. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the second network is a wireless local area network.

48. In a local server, the local server being coupled to a central server in a first network, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices via a second network, a method of interactively controlling from one of the plurality of network devices a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device, the local server having a memory associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving a control command at the local server from the network device via the second network, the control command indicating a desired initiation of data flow associated with a specified file;

sending the control command from the local server to the central server via the first network;

receiving an audio visual data stream from the central server at the local server via the first network in response to the control command; and

transmitting the audio visual data stream from the local server to the network device via the second network such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device;

wherein the central server is configured to transmit a modified audio visual data stream in response to another control command received from the network device, the other control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data.

49. The method as recited in claim 48, further comprising:

storing the audio visual data stream in the memory associated with the local server.

50. The method as recited in claim 48, wherein the first network is the Internet.

51. The method as recited in claim 48, wherein the first network is a wide area network and the second network is a local area network.

52. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the wide area network is a wireless network.

53. The method as recited in claim 48, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is coupled to the local server via a switch.

54. The method as recited in claim 53, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is a set-top box.

55. A central server for transmitting an audio visual data stream from the central server to one or more of a plurality of network devices via a local server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being configure for;

receiving a control command at the central server from one of the plurality of network devices via the local server, the local server being coupled to the central server via a first network and being coupled to the plurality of network devices via a second network, the control command indicating a desired modification to the audio visual data stream being transmitted from the central server to the one of the plurality of network devices via the local server; and

sending a modified audio visual data stream from the central server to the network device via the local server in response to the control command, thereby enabling an audio visual data stream being transmitted from the central server to the network device to be interactively controlled from the network device.

56. A local server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being configured for;

receiving a control command at the local server from one of a plurality of network devices via a second network, the local server being coupled to a central server via a first network and being coupled to the plurality of network devices via the second network, the control command indicating a desired modification to a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device;

sending the control command from the local server to the central server via the first network;

receiving a modified audio visual data flow at the local server from the central server via the first network in response to the control command; and

transmitting the modified audio visual data flow from the local server to the network device via the second network, thereby enabling the network device to interactively modify the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

57. The local server as recited in claim 56, at least one of the processor and the memory being further configured for:

determining whether a file associated with the control command is stored in a memory associated with the local server; and

performing the sending the control command and receiving the modified audio visual data flow steps when the file associated with the control command is not stored in the memory associated with the local server.

58. A local server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being configured for;

receiving a control command at the local server from one of a plurality of network devices via a second network, the local server being coupled to a central server via a first network and being coupled to the plurality of network devices via the second network, the control command requesting an initiation of audio visual data flow associated with a specified file;

determining whether the specified file is stored in a memory associated with the local server; and

when it is determined that the specified file is not stored in the memory associated with the local server, sending the control command from the local server to the central server via the first network, receiving an audio visual data stream at the local server from the central server via the first network in response to the control command and sending the audio visual data stream from the local server to the network device via the second network such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device;

wherein the central server is configured to transmit a modified audio visual data stream in response to another control command received from the network device, the other control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data.

59. The local server as recited in claim 58, at least one of the processor and the memory being further configured for:

storing the audio visual data stream in a file in the memory associated with the local server.

60. A system for enabling a continuous stream of audio visual data to be sent to a network device, comprising:

a central server having a memory associated therewith, the memory having stored therein a plurality of files;

a local server coupled to the central server via a first network and having a memory associated therewith, the local server configured to obtain a file from the central server when the file that is requested is not stored in the memory associated with the local server; and

a plurality of network devices coupled to the local server via a second network, each of the plurality of network devices being configured for sending a file request to the local server, the file request indicating a request for audio visual data associated with a requested file;

wherein the local server is configured to transmit an audio visual data stream associated with the file to one of the plurality of network devices via the second network when the file is obtained from the central server in response to the file request received from the one of the plurality of network devices, wherein the central server is configured to transmit a modified audio visual data stream in response to a control command received from the one of the plurality of network devices, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is configured to send the control command indicating a desired modification to the audio visual data stream being transmitted to the corresponding network device, and wherein the local server is configured to process the modified audio visual data stream transmitted by the central server to the network device such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

61. The system as recited in claim 60,

wherein the local server is configured to store the file in the memory when the file is obtained from the central server.

62. The system as recited in claim 60, wherein the first network is the Internet.

63. The system as recited in claim 60, wherein the first network is a wide area network and the second network is a local area network.

64. The system as recited in claim 60, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is coupled to the local server via a switch.

65. The system as recited in claim 64, wherein each of the plurality of network devices is a set-top box.

66. A local server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory associated therewith, at least one of the processor and the memory being configured for;

receiving a first control command at the local server from one of a plurality of network devices via a second network, the local server being coupled to a central server via a first network and being coupled to the plurality of network devices via the second network, the first control command indicating a desired initiation of data flow associated with a specified file;

forwarding the first control command from the local server to the central server via the first network;

receiving an audio visual data stream from the central server at the local server via the first network in response to the first control command;

transmitting the audio visual data stream from the local server to the network device via the second network such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device;

receiving a second control command at the local server from the network device via the second network, the second control command indicating a desired modification of data flow;

forwarding the second control command from the local server to the central server via the first network;

receiving a modified audio visual data stream from the central server at the local server via the first network in response to the second control command; and

transmitting the modified audio visual data stream from the local server to the network device via the second network such that the network device interactively modifies the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

67. The local server as recited in claim 66, at least one of the processor and the memory being further configured for:

storing the first audio visual data stream in the memory associated with the local server.

68. The local server as recited in claim 66, wherein the specified file is a karaoke file.

69. The local server as recited in claim 66, wherein the specified file is a movie file.

70. A network device configured to interactively control a flow of audio visual data from a central server to the network device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being configured for;

obtaining a control command at the network device, the control command indicating a desired modification to a flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device;

sending the control command from the network device to a local server via a second network, the local server being coupled to the central server via a first network and being coupled to the network device via the second network, wherein the local server is configured to transmit audio visual data received from the central server to the network device and configured to send the control command from the local server to the central server via the first network; and

receiving a modified flow of the audio visual data from the central server at the network device in response to the control command such that the network device interactively controls the flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device.

71. A computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions for interactively controlling from a network device a flow of audio visual data from a central server to the network device, comprising:

instructions for receiving a control command at a local server from the network device, the control command indicating a desired initiation of data flow associated with a specified file;

instructions for sending the control command from the local server to the central server via the Internet, the central server being coupled to the network device via the local server, wherein the local server is coupled to a plurality of network devices including the network device;

instructions for receiving an audio visual data stream at the local server transmitted from the central server via the Internet in response to the control command; and

instructions for sending the audio visual data stream from the local server to the network device such that the network device interactively controls the data flow from the central server to the network device;

wherein the central server is configured to transmit a modified audio visual data stream in response to another control command received from the network device, the other control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data.

72. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 71, further comprising:

instructions for transmitting the audio visual data stream from the local server to the network device via a switch.

73. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 71, further comprising:

instructions for requesting by the local server that the specified file be downloaded to the local server from the central server.

74. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 71, wherein the specified file is a karaoke file.

75. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 71, wherein the specified file is a movie file.