Methods for multicasting content
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for tunneling content across a network, the content being configured into a digital format compatible with a player that operates on a particular machine connectable to the network, comprising:
- receiving subscription information to a broadcast session of the content from users;
before starting the broadcast session, transmitting an announcement containing control information concerning the broadcast session across the network to the subscribing users, the control information including content identifying data permitting controlled reception of the content by the subscribing users and including a start-time, wherein the announcement comprises a subscription message that identifies a multicast encapsulation protocol;
encapsulating the content into a format that supports multicast distribution and controlled reception at particular machines on the network, wherein encapsulating the content includes adding at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol to the content; and
multicasting across the network the content in the encapsulated format to a multiplicity of machines in accordance with the start-time included in the announcement, wherein the content identifying data of the control information permits selective reception of the content at particular ones of the multiplicity of machines of the subscribing users, and further wherein the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol is removed from the multicast content according to the multicast encapsulation protocol included in the subscription message at the ones of the multiplicity of machines to obtain the content in the digital format compatible with the player operating on at least one of the multiplicity of machines.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented method for tunneling content across a network in which the content has been configured into a digital format compatible with a player. Prior to starting a broadcast session, an announcement is transmitted across the network which contains control information concerning the broadcast session. The control information permits controlled reception of the configured content and includes a start-time. The configured content is encapsulated into a format that supports multicast distribution and controlled reception at particular machines. The configured content is multicast across the network in the encapsulated format to a multiplicity of machines in accordance with the start-time included in the announcement. The control information is used to selectively permit reception at particular ones of the multiplicity of machines, and the encapsulation is stripped from the multicast transmission at the particular machines. As a result, the multicast of the encapsulated data is compatible with the players on the particular machines. A system for implementing UDP tunneling multicasting method is also disclosed.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for tunneling content across a network, the content being configured into a digital format compatible with a player that operates on a particular machine connectable to the network, comprising:
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receiving subscription information to a broadcast session of the content from users; before starting the broadcast session, transmitting an announcement containing control information concerning the broadcast session across the network to the subscribing users, the control information including content identifying data permitting controlled reception of the content by the subscribing users and including a start-time, wherein the announcement comprises a subscription message that identifies a multicast encapsulation protocol; encapsulating the content into a format that supports multicast distribution and controlled reception at particular machines on the network, wherein encapsulating the content includes adding at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol to the content; and multicasting across the network the content in the encapsulated format to a multiplicity of machines in accordance with the start-time included in the announcement, wherein the content identifying data of the control information permits selective reception of the content at particular ones of the multiplicity of machines of the subscribing users, and further wherein the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol is removed from the multicast content according to the multicast encapsulation protocol included in the subscription message at the ones of the multiplicity of machines to obtain the content in the digital format compatible with the player operating on at least one of the multiplicity of machines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-implemented system for tunneling content across a network, the content being configured into a digital format, comprising:
a network administrator configured to receive the content from a content provider and to broadcast the content in a multicast protocol across the network, the network administrator comprising a programmed machine including; a subscription control manager configured to receive subscription information to a broadcast session of the content from end-users; a broadcast guide broadcaster configured to transmit an announcement containing control information that includes subscription data concerning the broadcast session to machines of subscribing end-users that are in communication with the network, the control information automatically permitting controlled reception of the content by the subscribing end-users based upon the subscription information received from the subscribing end-users and including a start-time, the announcement being broadcast prior to the broadcast of the content, wherein the announcement comprises a subscription message that identifies a multicast encapsulation protocol that is employed in encapsulating the content; and a UTP broadcaster configured to apply the multicast encapsulation protocol to the content and to multicast the encapsulated content across the network to the machines of the subscribing end-users, wherein the UTP broadcaster is configured to add at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol to the content according to the multicast encapsulation protocol identified in the subscription message; wherein the multicast encapsulation protocol identified in the subscription message enables removing the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol to obtain the content playable with a player at the machines of the subscribing end-users. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer-implemented method for receiving content across a network, the content being configured into a digital format compatible with a player that operates on a particular machine connectable to the network, comprising:
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subscribing to a broadcast session of the content deliverable via the network, the broadcast session having a start time; prior to the start time, receiving a subscription message via the network, the subscription message including at least the start time and an a multicast encapsulation protocol to be used for the broadcast session; receiving content of the broadcast session multicast from the network based on the start time, the content having at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol; removing the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol from the received content according to the multicast encapsulation protocol included in the subscription message received prior to the start time; and after the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol is removed, playing the content with the player on the machine connectable to the network. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A computer-implemented system for receiving content from a network, the content being configured into a digital format compatible with a player that operates on a particular machine connectable to the network, comprising a computer-storage medium containing instructions that cause a processor to perform a process comprising:
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subscribing to a broadcast session of the content deliverable via the network, the broadcast session having a start time; receiving a subscription message via the network prior to the start time of the broadcast session, the subscription message including at least the start time and a multicast encapsulation protocol to be used for the broadcast session; receiving content of the broadcast session multicast from the network based on the start time, the content having at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol; and removing the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol from the received content according to the multicast encapsulation protocol included in the subscription message received prior to the start time; and after the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol is removed, playing the content with the player on the machine connectable to the network. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A computer-implemented system for providing content via a network, the content being configured into a digital format compatible with a player that operates on a particular machine connectable to the network, comprising a computer-storage medium containing instructions that cause a processor to perform a method comprising:
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receiving subscription information to a broadcast session of the content from subscribing machines; sending a subscription message via the network prior to a start time of the broadcast session to at least one of the subscribing machines, the subscription message including at least the start time and a multicast encapsulation protocol to be used for the broadcast session; encapsulating content of the broadcast session according to the multicast encapsulation protocol, the encapsulated content having at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol; and broadcasting the encapsulated content via the network to the at least one subscribing machine based on the start time, wherein the multicast encapsulation protocol in the subscription message permits removing the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol from received content to enable playing the content with the player at the at least one subscribing machine. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A computer-implemented method for providing content via a network, the content being configured into a digital format compatible with a player that operates on a particular machine connectable to the network, comprising:
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receiving subscription information to a broadcast session of the content from subscribing machines; sending a subscription message via the network prior to a start time of the broadcast session to at least one of the subscribing machines, the subscription message including at least the start time and a multicast encapsulation protocol to be used for the broadcast session; encapsulating content of the broadcast session according to the multicast encapsulation protocol, the encapsulated content having at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol; and broadcasting the encapsulated content via the network to the at least one subscribing machine based on the start time, wherein the multicast encapsulation protocol in the subscription message permits removing the at least one layer of the multicast encapsulation protocol from received content to enable playing the content with the player at the at least one subscribing machine. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification