Multicasting multimedia content distribution system
First Claim
1. A method for a multicasting multimedia content distribution system, the method comprising:
- receiving a transmission schedule from a content server at a digital video recorder (DVR), the transmission schedule indicates transmission times for data streams;
creating a virtual multicast link between the content server and the DVR, the DVR registers with the content server for a specific data stream; and
receiving the specific data stream at the DVR from the content server at a scheduled time indicated by the transmission schedule, particular DVRs connected to a common local network register with the DVR to specify which data streams that a particular DVR wants to receive from the DVR.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a multicasting multimedia content distribution system. A content server creates a schedule of transmission times for data streams and assigns the streams to multicast groups. DVRs receive the schedule from content server that contains content descriptions for each data stream along with the transmission times of each particular content description. The content server transmits the content across the Internet according to the published schedule via a multicast transmission designated for a particular multicast group. Each DVR determines the content for which it has an interest, finds the scheduled time for transmission for the content, schedules a recording time in its recording schedule, and joins the associated multicast group at the scheduled time. The DVR receives the multicast stream for the group and stores the stream on its local storage device for use by the DVR or for viewing by a user.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for a multicasting multimedia content distribution system, the method comprising:
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receiving a transmission schedule from a content server at a digital video recorder (DVR), the transmission schedule indicates transmission times for data streams; creating a virtual multicast link between the content server and the DVR, the DVR registers with the content server for a specific data stream; and receiving the specific data stream at the DVR from the content server at a scheduled time indicated by the transmission schedule, particular DVRs connected to a common local network register with the DVR to specify which data streams that a particular DVR wants to receive from the DVR. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for a multicasting multimedia content distribution system, comprising:
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a logic that receives a transmission schedule from a content server at a digital video recorder (DVR), the transmission schedule indicates transmission times for data streams; a logic that creates a virtual multicast link between the content server and the DVR, the DVR registers with the content server for a specific data stream; and a logic that receives the specific data stream at the DVR from the content server at a scheduled time indicated by the transmission schedule, particular DVRs connected to a common local network register with the DVR to specify which data streams that a particular DVR wants to receive from the DVR. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for a multicasting multimedia content distribution system, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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receiving a transmission schedule from a content server at a digital video recorder (DVR), the transmission schedule indicates transmission times for data streams; creating a virtual multicast link between the content server and the DVR, the DVR registers with the content server for a specific data stream; and receiving the specific data stream at the DVR from the content server at a scheduled time indicated by the transmission schedule, particular DVRs connected to a common local network register with the DVR to specify which data streams that a particular DVR wants to receive from the DVR. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification