METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING MULTIMEDIA FILES IN A DATA NETWORK

• US 20100274664A1
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Media Patents S.L.
• Inventors: Fernández Gutiérrez, Álvaro
• Granted Patent: US 9,154,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.450
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding

Abstract

In one implementation a method of transmitting a multimedia file over a data network is provided that involves receiving from a device in a data network a first message in a first protocol that request first data associated with the multimedia file, the first data being useable by the device to establish a streaming session that involves a transmission of the multimedia file. The first message includes identifying data of a referring site. The method also involves transmitting to the device the first data and optionally the identifying data of the referring site and then receiving from the device a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating a streaming session associated with the multimedia file. A streaming session is then created for transmitting the multimedia file to the device. In another implementation a method is provided that involves receiving in a computing device from a referring site an identifier of first data associated with a multimedia file and identifying data of the referring site, wherein the first data is useable for establishing a streaming session for downloading the multimedia file. The method further involves transmitting from the computing device a first message in a first protocol that requests the first data associated with the multimedia file and receiving in the computing device the first data. Upon receiving the first data the computing device transmits a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating the streaming session associated with the multimedia file, the second message including the first data and the identifying data of the referring site. The computing device then receives via the streaming session, all or a portion of the multimedia file. In some implementations, the first protocol and the second protocol are the same.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a multimedia file over a data network comprising:

a) receiving from a device in a data network a first message in a first protocol that request first data associated with the multimedia file useable by the device to establish a streaming session that involves a transmission of the multimedia file, the message comprising identifying data of a referring site,

b) transmitting to the device the first data,

c) receiving from the device a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating a streaming session associated with the multimedia file,

d) creating a streaming session for transmitting the multimedia file with one or more advertisements to the device and associating the streaming session with the identifying data of the referring site; and

e) tracking the advertisements transmitted to the device and maintaining data useful for remunerating the referring site for the advertisements transmitted to the device and/or the advertisements played in the device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol and second protocol are the same.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the streaming session is created with a session identifier comprising the identifying data of the referring site.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the streaming session is created with a session identifier comprising the identifying data of the referring site.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein in addition to transmitting to the device the first data also transmitting to the device identifying data of the referring site.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia file comprises content and one or more advertisements, the content being transmitted after transmitting the one or more advertisements.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol or a version or derivative thereof

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first protocol is the Real Time Streaming Protocol or a version or derivative thereof

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second protocol is the Real Time Streaming Protocol or a version or derivative thereof

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second protocols are the Real Time Streaming Protocol or a version or derivative thereof.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first data and the identifying data of the referring site are transmitted to the device

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first data and the identifying data of the referring site are transmitted to the device via a third message in the Real-time Transport Protocol or a version or derivative thereof.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein processes a) and b) are executed in a first server and processes c) and d) are executed in a second server.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the first server is a web server and the second server is a streaming server.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the processes a), b), c) and d) are executed in a single server.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the single server is a streaming server.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein processes a) and b) are executed in a first server and processes c), d) and e) are executed in a second server.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the first server is a web server and the second server is a streaming server.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the processes a), b), c), d) and e) are executed in a single server.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the single server is a streaming server.

21. A method comprising:

a) receiving in a computing device from a referring site an identifier of first data associated with a multimedia file and identifying data of the referring site, the first data useable for establishing a streaming session,

b) transmitting from the computing device a first message in a first protocol that request the first data associated with the multimedia file,

c) receiving in the computing device the first data,

d) transmitting from the computing device a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating the streaming session associated with the multimedia file, the second message comprising the first data and the identifying data of the referring site; and

e) receiving in the computing device, via the streaming session, all or a portion of the multimedia file.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the multimedia file comprises content and one or more advertisements, the method further comprising the computing device transmitting information to the referring site after having received an advertisement and/or upon having played a portion or all of an advertisement associated with the streaming session.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the information transmitted to the referring site comprises first identifying information associated with the advertisement.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein the information transmitted to the referring site comprises second identifying information associated with a site from which the computing device receives the advertisement.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein the first protocol and second protocol are the same.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein the streaming session comprises a session identifier comprising the identifying data of the referring site.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the multimedia file comprises content and one or more advertisements, the method further comprising the computing device establishing communication with the referring site by use of the identifying data of the referring site in the session identifier and transmitting information to the referring site after having received an advertisement and/or upon having played a portion or all of an advertisement associated with the streaming session.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the information transmitted to the referring site comprises first identifying information associated with the advertisement.

29. A method according to claim 27, wherein the information transmitted to the referring site comprises second identifying information associated with a site from which the computing device receives the advertisement.

30. A method according to claim 21, wherein the multimedia file comprises content and one or more advertisements, the content being received in the computing device after having received the one or more advertisements.

31. A method according to claim 21, wherein the first protocol is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol or a version or derivative thereof

32. A method according to claim 21, wherein the first protocol is the Real Time Streaming Protocol or a version or derivative thereof

33. A method according to claim 21, wherein the second protocol is the Real Time Streaming Protocol or a version or derivative thereof.

34. A method according to claim 21, wherein the first and second protocols are the Real Time Streaming Protocol or a version or derivative thereof.

35. A method according to claim 21, wherein processes a) and b) are accomplished via communications between the computing device and a first server and processes c), d) and e) are accomplished via communications between the computing device and a second server.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the first server is a web server and the second server is a streaming server.

37. A method according to claim 21, wherein the processes a), b), c), d) and e) are accomplished via communications between the computing device and a single server.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the single server is a streaming server.