Generating multiple data streams from a single data source

• US 8,572,278 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bill, David S., Brown, Scott K., Raduchel, William J., Weigand, Gilbert G., Amen-Kroeger, Christopher L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US11/848,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20080049723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,251 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/201 Multicast operation; Broadcast operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/206 Real Time traffic

Abstract

A switch having a first communications interface to receive a stream of data units, a buffer to store the payload portion of the data unit, a replicator to duplicate at least the payload portion of the data unit, and a second communications interface to enable access to the stream of data units by two or more terminals.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting packets, the method comprising:

using a switch to receive communications;

using the switch to selectively filter and forward the received communications, wherein the switch selectively filters and forwards the received communications between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack;

as part of the received communications, receiving a stream of content, wherein the stream of content comprises at least one data unit having a payload portion and an address portion;

using the switch to store the stream of content;

receiving a request from a user terminal for the content of the stored stream, wherein the request includes address information of the user terminal; and

in response to the received request, using the switch to duplicate the stored stream of content by;

duplicating the stored stream of content;

replacing an address portion in at least one data unit comprising the duplicated stream with the address information of the user terminal; and

forwarding the duplicated stream to the user terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one data unit includes an Internet Protocol Packet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the address portion of the at least one data unit includes an Internet Protocol header.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the address portion of the at least one data unit specifies one or more pieces of layer three information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the switch to generate and associate different address portions with duplicates of the payload portion generated by the switch.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein using the switch to associate different attribute portions with the at least one data unit and duplicates of the payload portion includes specifying destination information that differs among the duplicates of the payload portion.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein using the switch to generate and associate different attribute portions includes changing an IP destination address.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein changing the IP destination address includes changing the IP destination address to an IP address corresponding to one or more terminals for which access to the payload portion will be enabled.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein using the switch to duplicate includes duplicating only the payload portion of the at least one data unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein using the switch to duplicate includes using the switch to duplicate the payload portion and an attribute portion.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one data unit includes audio content.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one data unit includes video content.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one data unit includes streamed media.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request to receive the stream of content from at least one requesting terminal of two or more terminals.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising enabling access to the at least one requesting terminal in response to the request.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the request is received from a device other than the two or more terminals.

17. A duplicating switch:

a first communications interface structured and arranged to receive communications including a stream of content, wherein the stream of content comprises at least one data unit having a payload portion and an address portion;

a processor structured and arranged to selectively filter and forward the received communications, wherein the switch selectively filters and forwards the received communications between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack;

a buffer structured and arranged to store the stream of content;

a second communications interface structured and arranged to receive a request from a user terminal for the content of the stored stream, wherein the request includes address information of the user terminal; and

a replicator structured and arranged to duplicate the stored stream of content in response to the received request by;

duplicating the stored stream of content;

replacing an address portion in at least one data unit comprising the duplicated stream with the address information of the user terminal; and

forwarding the duplicated stream to the user terminal.

18. The switch of claim 17, wherein the at least one data unit includes an Internet Protocol packet.

19. The switch of claim 17, wherein the address portion specifies one or more pieces of layer three information.

20. The switch of claim 17, wherein the processor is structured and arranged to generate and associate different address portions with duplicated versions of the payload portion.

21. The switch of claim 20, wherein the processor is structured and arranged to specify destination information that differs among the duplicated versions of the payload portion.

22. The switch of claim 20, wherein the processor is structured and arranged to change an IP destination address.

23. The switch of claim 22, wherein the processor is structured and arranged to change the IP destination address to an IP address corresponding to the user terminal.

24. The switch of claim 17, wherein the replicator is structured and arranged to duplicate the payload portion and the address portion.

25. The switch of claim 17, wherein the at least one data unit includes audio content.

26. The switch of claim 17, wherein the at least one data unit includes video content.

27. The switch of claim 17, wherein the at least one data unit includes streamed media.

28. The switch of claim 17, further comprising a third communications interface structured and arranged to receive a request to receive the stream of data units from at least one requesting terminal of two or more terminals.

29. The switch of claim 28, wherein the second communications interface is structured and arranged to enable access by the at least one requesting terminal to a duplicated version of the payload portions in response to the request.

30. The switch of claim 28, wherein the requestor includes a device other than the two or more terminals.

31. The switch of claim 17, wherein the second communications interface transmits the duplicated stream of content to two different terminals.

32. The switch of claim 31, wherein the two different terminals receive the stream of content at two different temporal offsets.

33. The switch of claim 17, wherein the replicator includes more than one pointer to the stream of contents of the buffer to enable a first terminal to receive the stored stream of content at a different point in the stored stream of content than a second terminal.

34. The switch of claim 17, wherein the buffer includes more than one instance of the stream of content.

35. The switch of claim 17, wherein the replicator is structured and arranged to duplicate only the payload portion of the at least one data unit.

36. A method for distributing online video content to consumers over the Internet using a duplicating switch, the method comprising:

using the duplicating switch to receive communications;

using the duplicating switch to selectively filter and forward the received communications, wherein the duplicating switch selectively filters and forwards the received communications between different domains;

receiving a stream of online video content, wherein the stream of online video content comprises at least one data unit having a payload portion and an address portion;

using the switch to store the stream of online video content;

receiving a request from a user terminal for the online video content of the stored stream, wherein the request includes address information of the user terminal; and

in response to the received request, using the duplicating switch to duplicate the stored stream of online video content by;

duplicating the stored stream of online video content;

replacing an address portion in at least one data unit comprising the duplicated stream with the address information of the user terminal; and

forwarding the duplicated stream to the user terminal.