Reassigning streaming content to distribution servers
First Claim
1. A method comprisingreceiving, at a first distribution server in a server farm, a content stream from a source device via a communication network, wherein the first distribution server is the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device;
- transmitting the received content stream from the first distribution server directly to a plurality of destination devices without involvement of any other distribution servers, via the communication network, wherein the plurality of destination devices are outside of the server farm and are not distribution servers;
detecting, using at least one processor, a traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream, the detecting of the traffic condition comprising detecting that a number of visitor devices directly receiving the content stream simultaneously directly from the first distribution server has increased beyond a predetermined threshold;
transmitting an indication of the traffic condition to a traffic management device;
receiving an instruction from the traffic management device to assign at least one other distribution server to additional destination devices in response to the indication of the traffic condition;
transmitting the received content stream from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server for distribution to the additional destination devices in response to the instruction while the first distribution server remains the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device;
detecting a second traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream;
transmitting an indication of the second traffic condition to the traffic management device;
receiving a second instruction from the traffic management device to cease the transmitting of the received content stream to the at least one other distribution server in response to the indication of the second traffic; and
ceasing the transmitting of the received content stream from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server in response to the second instruction while the first distribution server remains the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Example systems and methods of distributing content in computer networks are provided. Content received at a first distribution server is transmitted to a plurality of destination devices via the communication network. When a traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream is detecting, an indication of the traffic condition to a traffic management device. Then, an instruction is received from the traffic management device to assign at least one other distribution server to additional destination devices in response to the indication of the traffic condition, and the received content stream is transmitted from the distribution server to the at least one other distribution server for distribution to the additional destination devices in response to the instruction.
260 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising
receiving, at a first distribution server in a server farm, a content stream from a source device via a communication network, wherein the first distribution server is the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device; -
transmitting the received content stream from the first distribution server directly to a plurality of destination devices without involvement of any other distribution servers, via the communication network, wherein the plurality of destination devices are outside of the server farm and are not distribution servers; detecting, using at least one processor, a traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream, the detecting of the traffic condition comprising detecting that a number of visitor devices directly receiving the content stream simultaneously directly from the first distribution server has increased beyond a predetermined threshold; transmitting an indication of the traffic condition to a traffic management device; receiving an instruction from the traffic management device to assign at least one other distribution server to additional destination devices in response to the indication of the traffic condition; transmitting the received content stream from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server for distribution to the additional destination devices in response to the instruction while the first distribution server remains the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device; detecting a second traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream; transmitting an indication of the second traffic condition to the traffic management device; receiving a second instruction from the traffic management device to cease the transmitting of the received content stream to the at least one other distribution server in response to the indication of the second traffic; and ceasing the transmitting of the received content stream from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server in response to the second instruction while the first distribution server remains the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a first distribution server, cause the first distribution server to perform operations comprising:
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receiving, at a first distribution server in a server farm, a content stream from a source device via a communication network, wherein the first distribution server is the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device; transmitting the received content stream from the first distribution server directly to a plurality of destination devices without involvement of any other distribution servers, via the communication network, wherein the plurality of destination devices are outside of the server farm and are not distribution servers; detecting, using at least one processor, a traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream, the detecting of the traffic condition comprising detecting that a number of visitor devices directly receiving the content stream simultaneously directly from the first distribution server has increased beyond a predetermined threshold; transmitting an indication of the traffic condition to a traffic management device; receiving an instruction from the traffic management device to assign at least one other distribution server to additional destination devices in response to the indication of the traffic condition; transmitting the received content stream from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server for distribution to the additional destination devices in response to the instruction while the first distribution server remains the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device; detecting a second traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream; transmitting an indication of the second traffic condition to the traffic management device; receiving a second instruction from the traffic management device to cease the transmitting of the received content stream to the at least one other distribution server in response to the indication of the second traffic; and ceasing the transmitting of the received content stream from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server in response to the second instruction while the first distribution server remains the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
a first distribution server having a processor and computer readable medium stored thereon comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a first distribution server, cause the first distribution server to perform operations comprising; receiving, at a first distribution server in a server farm, a content stream from a source device via a communication network, wherein the first distribution server is the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device; transmitting the received content stream from the first distribution server directly to a plurality of destination devices without involvement of any other distribution servers, via the communication network, wherein the plurality of destination devices are outside of the server farm and are not distribution servers; detecting, using at least one processor, a traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream, the detecting of the traffic condition comprising detecting that a number of visitor devices directly receiving the content stream simultaneously directly from the first distribution server has increased beyond a predetermined threshold; transmitting an indication of the traffic condition to a traffic management device; receiving an instruction from the traffic management device to assign at least one other distribution server to additional destination devices in response to the indication of the traffic condition; transmitting the received content stream from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server for distribution to the additional destination devices in response to the instruction while the first distribution server remains the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device; detecting a second traffic condition regarding the transmitting of the received content stream; transmitting an indication of the second traffic condition to the traffic management device; receiving a second instruction from the traffic management device to cease the transmitting of the received content stream to the at least one other distribution server in response to the indication of the second traffic condition; and ceasing the transmitting of the received content stream from the first distribution server to the at least one other distribution server in response to the second instruction while the first distribution server remains the single receiving point in the server farm for the content stream from the source device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification