Method and apparatus for selecting server to distribute multimedia data via a network

• US 7,197,566 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Kuzma, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim; Krisna
• Assistant Examiner(s): REILLY, SEAN M
• Application Number:
  US09/675,756
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/225, 709/203, 709/229, 709/223, 709/217, 709/219, 709/227, 709/228, 705/14
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

A receiver receives information. A selector couples to the receiver to select a server based on the received information. A transmitter couples to the selector to transmit a multimedia stream from the selected server to a viewer via a network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a list of servers in a network for display on a viewing system;

registering information with a service provider by a viewer using the viewing system for storage and later use, the information including a preferred order of edge servers for routing content to a viewer;

receiving a request by the viewer for the content at the service provider after registering the information; and

in response to the viewer requesting the content, accessing the information after storage and selecting one of the edge servers to be a selected edge server to receive and to transmit the content to the viewer via the network, the one of the edge servers being automatically selected by the service provider based on the information registered by the viewer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the registering of the information comprises registering addresses of each of the edge servers with the service provider.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the information further comprises a unique identifier (ID).

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the unique (ID) is one of a global user ID number, a network interface card (NIC) serial number, and a number provided by the service.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving a registration number along with the request, the registration number being assigned by the service provider and used to select the selected edge server.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information comprises a plurality of addresses corresponding to each of the edge servers.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the information is geographic information of the viewer.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a server location at a viewer location.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the information in a text file, the information being given to a browser by the selected edge server.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending the text file to the edge server when a page is requested from the edge server.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the text file is a cookie identifying a viewer.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the network is one of a Local Area network (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN).

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the network is a network indicating a type of a connection.

15. The method of claim 14 where the type is one of a Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), a Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), an Ethernet, and a dial up modem.

16. A system comprising:

a viewing system adapted to receive a list of servers in a network for display; and

a service provider including

means for registering information from a viewer using the viewing system, the information being stored for later use and including a preferred order of edge servers for routing content to a viewer,

means for receiving a request by the viewer for the content after registering the information at the service provider, and

means for accessing the information after storage and selecting one of the edge servers to be a selected edge server to receive and to transmit the content to the viewer via the network in response to the viewer requesting the content, the one of the edge servers being automatically selected by the service provider based on the information registered by the viewer.

17. A system comprising:

a viewing system adapted to receive a list of servers in a network for display; and

a service provider including

a memory to register and store information from the viewing system, the information being stored for later use and including a preferred order of edge servers for routing content to the viewing system, and

a processor adapted to receive a request by the viewing system for the content after the information has been registered and stored, to access the information after storage, to select one of the edge servers to be a selected edge server to receive and to transmit the content to the viewing system, the one of the edge servers being automatically selected based on the information registered from the viewing system.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the memory to register the information by storing addresses of each of the edge servers.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the information stored in the memory further comprises a unique identifier (ID).

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the unique (ID) is one of a global user ID number, a network interface card (NIC) serial number, and a number provided by the service.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the information comprises a plurality of addresses corresponding to each of the edge servers.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the information is a text file, the information being given to a browser by the selected edge server.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the text file is a cookie identifying a viewer using the viewing system.