Multimedia stream pre-fetching and redistribution in servers to accommodate mobile clients
First Claim
1. A method for streaming media data to a mobile client device, said method comprising:
- a) receiving information sufficient for determining a predicted position of said mobile client device at a future time;
b) identifying a server capable of streaming media data to an area including said predicted position; and
c) informing said server of said mobile client device, wherein said informing comprises said server obtaining from a source at least a portion of said media data not previously obtained by said server;
wherein said server streams said media data to said mobile client device with said mobile client device in said area serviced by said server.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for streaming media data to a mobile client device. Using information such as the previous locations of the mobile client device, a prediction is made of a future location of the client device. A server servicing the predicted location, such as the server closest to the predicted location, is identified. This server is informed of the impending arrival of the mobile device into the area serviced by the server. The server can thus obtain ahead of time the media stream needed for the client, so that the data are available to the client without disruption when the client moves to the predicted location. To account for uncertainty in the prediction, the data can also be directed to other servers that can service the predicted location.
114 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for streaming media data to a mobile client device, said method comprising:
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a) receiving information sufficient for determining a predicted position of said mobile client device at a future time;
b) identifying a server capable of streaming media data to an area including said predicted position; and
c) informing said server of said mobile client device, wherein said informing comprises said server obtaining from a source at least a portion of said media data not previously obtained by said server;
wherein said server streams said media data to said mobile client device with said mobile client device in said area serviced by said server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer system communicatively coupled to a plurality of servers, said computer system comprising:
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a bus;
a memory unit coupled to said bus; and
a processor coupled to said bus, said processor for executing a method for streaming media data to a mobile client device, said method comprising;
a) receiving information sufficient for determining a predicted position of said mobile client device at a future time;
b) identifying a server capable of streaming media data to an area including said predicted position; and
c) informing said server of said mobile client device, wherein said informing comprises said server obtaining from a source at least a portion of said media data not previously obtained by said server;
wherein said server streams said media data to said mobile client device with said mobile client device in said area serviced by said server. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer readable medium having computer readable code stored thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method for streaming media data to a mobile client device comprising:
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a) receiving information sufficient for determining a predicted position of a mobile client device at a future time;
b) identifying a server capable of streaming media data to an area including said predicted position; and
c) informing said server of said mobile client device, wherein said informing comprises said server obtaining from a source at least a portion of said media data not previously obtained by said server;
wherein said server streams said media data to said mobile client device with said mobile client device in said area serviced by said server. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification