Method and server for downloading a broadcasted multimedia content over a distribution network

• US 8,327,406 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 6, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Lamrani, Lotfi, Gentric, Philippe, Delahaye, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dubasky, Gigi L
• Application Number:
  US10/562,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,086 Days
• Field of Search: 725/87, 725/91, 725/98, 725/103, 725/112, 725/114, 725/118, 725/138, 725/144, 725/148, 709226-227, 709/245
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/24 Arrangements for distribution of identical information via broadcast system and non-broadcast system
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The invention applies to the transmission of a multimedia content from a server to a client terminal. The multimedia content is available from the server as one or more sets of files. Upon reception of an initial request from the client, the server sends a document back to the client, said document causing the client to repetitively send fetching request. Upon reception of a fetching request, the server selects the file to download.

Claims

1. A server having access to at least a first set of files (S₁) generated by slicing an encoded multimedia content in a first set of slicing positions ({T_1,1, . . . , T_1,K}), and a second set of files (S₂) generated by slicing the encoded multimedia content in a second set of slicing positions ({T_2,1, . . . , T_2,K}) shifted in time compared to the first set of slicing positions, forming at least two sets of slices that can be decoded independently one from the other, and enclosing each slice in a file (F_i,j), thereby generating at least a first set of files (S₁) and a second set of files (S₂), said server comprising:

means for receiving an initial request directed to a multimedia content from a client device, the multimedia content including at least one of audio content and video content,

means for sending a document to the client device upon reception of said initial request, said document causing the client device to repetitively send a fetching request designating said multimedia content, wherein said fetching request does not identify a specific file to be sent from the server to the client device,

means for selecting at least one file (F_i,j) including at least one of audio content and video content amongst said sets of files (S_i), upon reception of said fetching requests from the client device, wherein said at least one file (F_i,j) is selected by evaluating an out-of-date time of a most recent file and a delay time of a next file to get ready, and

means for downloading the selected file(s) (F_i,j) to the client device.

2. A server as claimed in claim 1, wherein said document contains a resource identifier designating said multimedia content and specific to the client device, and causes the client device to repetitively send fetching requests containing said resource identifier, and said server further comprises:

means, activated upon reception of a first fetching request, for selecting a first file to be downloaded amongst said sets of files (S_i) and for keeping a record of said resource identifier together with an indication of the selected file, and

means, activated upon reception of subsequent fetching requests, for checking said record in order to select the next file to be downloaded and for updating said record.

3. A server as in claim 1, wherein said document comprises an instruction for the client device to send a subsequent fetching request before the end of the playback of the file that was downloaded in response to the previous fetching request.

4. A server as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for selecting a file to download based on a jump indication contained in said fetching request.

9. A network system comprising:

a source for acquiring a multimedia content,

an encoder encoding said multimedia content,

a slicer for slicing said encoded multimedia content in at least a first set of slicing positions ({T_1,1, . . . , T_1,K}) and a second set of slicing positions ({T_2,1, . . . , T_2,K}) forming at least two sets of slices that can be decoded independently one from the other, and for enclosing each slice in a file (F_i,j) thereby generating at least two sets of files (S_i),

a distribution network,

an access provider for providing a client device with an access to said distribution network, and

a server as in claim 1.

5. A method for downloading an encoded multimedia content to a client device, said method comprising the steps of:

encoding a multimedia content, the multimedia content including at least one of audio content and video content,

slicing said encoded multimedia content in at least a first set of slicing positions ({T_1,1, . . . , T_1,K}) and a second set of slicing positions ({T_2,1, . . . , T_2,K}) forming at least two sets of slices that can be decoded independently one from the other,

enclosing each slice in a file (F_i,j) thereby generating at least two sets of files (S_i),

receiving an initial request from the client device, said initial request being directed to said multimedia content,

sending a document to the client device upon reception of said initial request, said document causing the client device to repetitively send a fetching request designating said multimedia content, wherein said fetching request does not identify a specific file to be sent from the server to the client device,

selecting at least one file (F_i,j) including at least one of audio content and video content amongst said sets of files (S_i), upon reception of said fetching requests from the client device, wherein said at least one file (F_i,j) is selected by evaluating an out-of-date time of a most recent file and a delay time of a next file to get ready, and

downloading the selected file(s) (F_i,j) to the client device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said document contains a resource identifier designating said multimedia content and specific to the client device, and causes the client device to repetitively send fetching requests containing said resource identifier, said method further comprises the steps of:

upon reception of a first fetching request, selecting a first file to be downloaded amongst said sets of files (S_i) and keeping a record of said resource identifier together with an indication of the selected file, and

upon reception of subsequent fetching requests, checking said record in order to select the next file to be downloaded and updating said record.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein said document comprises an instruction for the client device to send a subsequent fetching request before the end of the playback of the file that was downloaded in response to the previous fetching request.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step of selecting a file to download takes into account a jump indication contained in the received fetching request.