Method and apparatus for preprocessing and postprocessing content in an interactive information distribution system

• US 7,159,233 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Inventors: Goode, Christopher W. B., Son, Yong Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ustaris; Joseph G.
• Application Number:
  US09/772,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,164 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 725/87, 725/88, 725/91, 725/98, 709/218, 709/219, 709/231
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234381 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. decreasing the frame rate by frame skipping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 : involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A method and apparatus for preprocessing and preprocessing content in an interactive information distribution system. Content is retrieved from a storage medium and encapsulated in accordance to an Internet Protocol (IP) format. The encapsulated content is then uploaded for storage in a stream caching server and for future streaming of content to different types of access networks.

Claims

1. Method for preprocessing content for a stream caching server in an interactive information distribution system, said method comprising:

downloading an applet to a first subscriber terminal from a http server;

retrieving content in said a first subscriber terminal;

transcoding said retrieved content into a plurality of MPEG packets;

uploading said transcoded content to said http server coupled to an access network;

encapsulating said transcoded content in accordance to an Internet Protocol (IP) format supported by said stream caching server; and

transmitting said encapsulated content for storage in said stream caching server, wherein said IP formatted content is retrieved from said streaming cache server in response to a request for content from a second subscriber terminal coupled to another type of access network, and is streamed via a distribution network and said another type of access network to said second subscriber terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

executing said applet to initiate said retrieving, said transcoding and said uploading.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating metadata for said content, where said metadata comprises indexing information used by said stream caching server in response to a command provided by a user viewing said content at a second subscriber terminal; and

uploading said metadata with said content.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said metadata is encapsulated with said transcoded content in said IP format.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said command comprises at least one of fast forward (FF), rewind (REW), pause, stop, bookmark, and return to place.

6. The method of claim 1 where said retrieved content in said first subscriber terminal is one of an AVI file, a MPEG-1 file and a moving JPEG file.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of MPEG packets is contained in a payload of an IP packet.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said plurality of MPEG packets is contained in a payload of a Realtime Transfer Protocol (RTP) packet contained in a payload of an IP packet.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of MPEG packets comprises a plurality of one of a MPEG-2 packet and a MPEG-4 packet.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said IP formatted content is retrieved from said streaming cache server in response to said a request for content from another stream cache server, and streamed to from said caching server to that other caching server.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said retrieving of IP formatted content and a streaming am conditioned upon a user of a second subscriber terminal providing a correct password to a http server as configured by a user of said first subscriber terminal.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said access network comprises one of a wide area network, a local area network, a cable network, a carrier network, a satellite network and a wireless terrestrial network.

13. A system for preprocessing content for a stream caching server in an interactive information distribution system, said system comprising:

a first subscriber terminal for receiving content, transcoding said content into a plurality of MPEG packets, and uploading said transcoded content to an access network;

a digital link for encapsulating said transcoded content in accordance to an Internet Protocol (IP) supported by said stream caching server, and transmitting said encapsulated content to said stream caching server;

a http server, coupled to said access network, for providing an applet to said first terminal and for providing a user interface for a user of said first subscriber terminal; and

a second subscriber terminal for sending a request for content to said http server and for receiving said content retrieved from said stream caching server, wherein said content is streamed via a distribution network and a different type of access network.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said first subscriber terminal downloads an applet from said http server, and executes said applet to initiate said receiving, transcoding and uploading.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said first terminal creates metadata for said content upon executing said applet, where said metadata comprises indexing information used by said caching stream server in response to a command provided by a user viewing said content at a second subscriber terminal.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said metadata is encapsulated with said IP content in said IP format.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said command comprises at least one of fast forward (FF), rewind (REW), pause, stop, bookmark, and return to place.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of MPEG packets is contained in a payload of an IP packet.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said plurality of MPEG packets is contained in a payload of a Realtime Transfer Protocol (RTP) packet contained in a payload of an IP packet.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of MPEG packets comprises a plurality of one of a MPEG-2 packet and a MPEG-4 packet.

21. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a remote stream caching server for streaming said content to said stream caching server in response to content from said stream caching server.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein said retrieval of IP formatted content and said streaming are conditioned upon a user of a second subscriber terminal providing a correct password to a http sever as configured by a user of said first subscriber terminal.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein said access network comprises one of a wide area network, a local area network, a cable network, a carrier network, a satellite network, and a terrestrial wireless network.

24. A method for use in a client server system, comprising:

loading, into a client, content local to said client;

loading into said client as necessary, a transcoding application from a server of said server system, said transcoding application operative to transcode or encode content into a desired player format;

transcoding said loaded content into said desired player format;

encapsulating said transcoded content into a desired transport format; and

uploading said encapsulated content to said server system;

retrieving said uploaded content from said server system in response to a request for content from a user; and

streaming via a distribution network and an access network of a different format to said user.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

uploading to said server access rights associated with said encapsulated data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said access rights comprise at least one of a password protection scheme, a time-to-view parameter, a time-to-use parameter, a defined use population and a defined geographic population.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of encapsulating comprises the steps of:

first encapsulating said transcoded content according to a transport format adapted to a predefined access network; and

further encapsulating said transport formatted content within a realtime protocol (RTP) packet adapted to an internet protocol (IP) network.