Method and apparatus for push and pull distribution of multimedia

• US 7,650,620 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Megawave Audio LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Fish, Laurence A, Roberts, Roswell R III, Rivero, Anibal-Jose, Teschmacher, Lowell E
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US11/686,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 725/63, 725/67, 725/86, 725 11-114, 725/121, 707/174, 707/217, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 725/66
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6583 Acknowledgement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

The present specification discloses a multimedia distribution system and method. The system and method has a producer workstation, a delivery server, a high-bandwidth one-way satellite transmission system, a terrestrial two-way communication system (including use of the Internet), a plurality of satellite affiliate workstations, and a plurality of terrestrial client workstations. The delivery server receives digital information (envelopes and associates media files) from the producer workstations for delivery of the information to the affiliate and client workstations addressed in the envelope. The affiliate and client workstations provide the delivery server with confirmation of delivery of each received envelope and its associated files. In the absence of receipt of confirmation of delivery, the delivery server re-sends the unconfirmed envelope and associated files to the non-confirming affiliate or client workstation by a two-way terrestrial connection or by a manual system, such as a dub-and-ship service. The delivery server has the ability to push content to affiliates, push-pull content to affiliate and clients, to conventionally pull content from the delivery server, and push the content to affiliates and clients by manual delivery services. The disclosed system and method utilize a unique envelope and addressing protocol and a unique broadcast file transfer protocol for distribution to affiliate workstations by one-way satellite broadcast. The disclosed system and method also make significant use of the TCP/IP, IGMP, and Ethernet protocols and information distribution techniques.

Claims

1. A distribution system for digital media, said distribution system including:

a one-way, high-bandwidth communication channel separate from the Internet;

a media server system in communication with the Internet and with said communication channel, said media server system adapted to transmit digital media;

an affiliate computer system located remotely from said media server system, said affiliate computer system in communication with said media server system through the Internet; and

a broadcast receiver in communication with said affiliate computer system, wherein said broadcast receiver is adapted to receive a broadcast communication of said media from said media server system through said communication channel,

wherein said affiliate computer system is configured to request the transmission of said media through the Internet in response to a triggering communication from said media server system,

wherein said media server system includes an affiliate computer system address book maintenance application and said media server system is adapted to transfer at least a portion of an affiliate address book to said affiliate computer system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said media is enclosed in a package including an envelope portion having addressing information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication channel includes satellite communication.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said communication channel includes satellite communication.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiver is configured to provide media received using said broadcast communication to said affiliate computer system in Ethernet-compatible format.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein said broadcast receiver is configured to provide media received using said broadcast communication to said affiliate computer system in Ethernet-compatible format.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein said broadcast receiver is configured to provide media received using said broadcast communication to said affiliate computer system in Ethernet-compatible format.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said broadcast receiver is configured to provide media received using said broadcast communication to said affiliate computer system in IGMP-compatible format.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein said broadcast receiver is configured to provide media received using said broadcast communication to said affiliate computer system in IGMP-compatible format.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein said broadcast receiver is configured to provide media received using said broadcast communication to said affiliate computer system in IGMP-compatible format.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said media server system is configured to track the delivery of digital media to said broadcast receiver.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said media server system is configured to track the delivery of digital media to said affiliate computer system.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said media server system is configured to provide the status of said delivery of digital media to a remote computer system.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said media server system is configured to provide the status of said delivery of digital media to a remote computer system.

15. The system of claim 1 further including a plurality of affiliate computer systems and associated broadcast receivers.