Accelerated multimedia file download and playback
First Claim
1. A multimedia file transfer system comprising:
- a redirector configured to identify a request to access a multimedia file via a network; and
an accelerator configured torespond to said request by identifying at least one physical data storage device on which at least a portion of said multimedia file is stored,establish a plurality of data transfer links via said network with any of said devices,download a different portion of said multimedia file via each of said data transfer links, wherein any of said portions are downloaded at least partly concurrently,provide, at least partly concurrently while downloading any of said portions, downloaded multimedia file data to a multimedia file player in the order in which said data appear in the multimedia file,determine, in advance of downloading a next portion of said multimedia file, a size of said next portion in accordance with a predefined function ofa) a rate at which said multimedia file is downloaded, andb) a current play rate of any of said portions of said multimedia file preceding said next portion,specify to any of said devices said next portion to be downloaded while indicating said size of said next portion, anddownload said next portion of said multimedia file,wherein said redirector and said accelerator are implemented in either ofa) computer hardware, andb) computer software embodied in a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multimedia file transfer system including a redirector configured to identify a request to access a multimedia file via a network at a specified network address, and an accelerator configured to respond to the request by identifying at least one physical data storage device on which at least a portion of the multimedia file is stored, establish a plurality of data transfer links via the network with any of the devices, download a different portion of the multimedia file via each of the data transfer links, where any of the portions are downloaded at least partly concurrently, and provide, at least partly concurrently with downloading any of the portions, downloaded multimedia file data to a multimedia file player in the order in which the data appear in the multimedia file.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A multimedia file transfer system comprising:
-
a redirector configured to identify a request to access a multimedia file via a network; and an accelerator configured to respond to said request by identifying at least one physical data storage device on which at least a portion of said multimedia file is stored, establish a plurality of data transfer links via said network with any of said devices, download a different portion of said multimedia file via each of said data transfer links, wherein any of said portions are downloaded at least partly concurrently, provide, at least partly concurrently while downloading any of said portions, downloaded multimedia file data to a multimedia file player in the order in which said data appear in the multimedia file, determine, in advance of downloading a next portion of said multimedia file, a size of said next portion in accordance with a predefined function of a) a rate at which said multimedia file is downloaded, and b) a current play rate of any of said portions of said multimedia file preceding said next portion, specify to any of said devices said next portion to be downloaded while indicating said size of said next portion, and download said next portion of said multimedia file, wherein said redirector and said accelerator are implemented in either of a) computer hardware, and b) computer software embodied in a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
11. A system according to 10 wherein said buffer size is determined by the formula
DR*FS/(PR+DR)where DR is said download rate of said multimedia file, PR is said current play rate of said multimedia file, and FS is the size of said multimedia file.
-
16. A multimedia file transfer method comprising:
-
identifying at least one physical data storage device on which at least a portion of a multimedia file is stored; establishing a plurality of data transfer links via said network with any of said devices; downloading a different portion of said multimedia file via each of said data transfer links, wherein any of said portions are downloaded at least partly concurrently; providing, at least partly concurrently with downloading any of said portions, downloaded multimedia file data to a multimedia file player in the order in which said data appear in the multimedia file; determining, in advance of downloading a next portion of said multimedia file, a size of said next portion in accordance with a predefined function of a) a rate at which said multimedia file is downloaded, and b) a current play rate of any of said portions of said multimedia file preceding said next portion; specifying to any of said devices said next portion to be downloaded while indicating said size of said next portion; and downloading said next portion of said multimedia file. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
24. A method according to 23 and further comprising determining said buffer size by the formula
DR*FS/(PR+DR)where DR is said download rate of said multimedia file, PR is said current play rate of said multimedia file, and FS is the size of said multimedia file.
Specification