System and method for distributed media streaming and sharing

• US 7,783,767 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Softmd Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Softmd Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Collazo, Caesar
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alam; Uzma
• Application Number:
  US11/900,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/225, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks

Abstract

A distributed media sharing and streaming system and method is disclosed, wherein an encrypted resident micro web server stores media files in a universal media format including an embedded, automated streaming media player, where the micro web server further fingerprints and authenticates media file contents, indexes media files, manages user permission, group permissions and sharing functionality, shares authenticated media files over a network via a distributed system employing other users on the network with the resident micro web server and the authenticated media file, shares media file and user information with a central index server, and streams authenticated media files to a sharing user using an embedded streaming media player regardless of whether the sharing user has the micro web server or any particular media codec.

Claims

1. A universal media sharing system for distributed sharing of media content, comprising:

a secure encrypted micro web server including a media file store for storing media files for a local user on a computer and for sharing media files over a network connected to the computer;

a media file fingerprinting module linked to said micro web server for creating media file fingerprints and media file metadata accurately authenticating the content of the user'"'"'s media files regardless of original media file metadata;

a local user index stored by the micro web server on said computer based on the user'"'"'s media files and media file fingerprints stored by the micro web server;

a global sharing index of media file fingerprints, media file metadata, local users, and local user metadata stored on a central remote server in network contact with the micro web server;

a sharing group index stored by the micro web server on said computer, said sharing group index including a list of other users authorized to access one or more of the media files stored on the micro web server and available from the micro web server over the network;

a user authentication module linked to the micro web server for authenticating other users for access to the micro web server based on independently verifiable data associated with the other user;

a media file authentication module linked to the micro web server for authenticating a media file as legitimate and correlated to the micro web server and associated media store in which the media file is located;

a media conversion module linked to the micro web server for converting media files to a universal media format upon receipt of a media file at the micro web server, the universal media format including an encapsulated streaming media player coupled to the media file metadata of universal media format files;

a media distribution module linked to the micro web server for at least one of distributed sharing and distributed streaming of a media file to a remote computer over the network via a standard network protocol; and

a media sharing module linked to the micro web server for distributing to a sharing user, upon an authenticated request for a media file over the network from the sharing user to the micro web server, such that the sharing user begins to receive the media file in the universal media format and playback begins of the media file at the sharing user through the encapsulated streaming media player without further user intervention and without requiring user installation of a media codec.

2. The universal media sharing system of claim 1, further comprising a header region for digital rights management information in said universal media format, said digital rights management information being transferred from the original format of said media file to said header region upon conversion of the media file to universal media format.

3. The universal media sharing system of claim 1, wherein the independently verifiable data associated with another user is an authenticated e-mail address and an authenticated unique user identification value, said authenticated e-mail address obtained via an e-mail authentication module that confirms the validity of an other user'"'"'s e-mail address without further other user intervention and via an authenticated unique user identification value associated with the other user'"'"'s micro web server.