Method of delivering seamless and continuous presentation of multimedia data files to a target device by assembling and concatenating multimedia segments in memory

• US 5,996,015 A
• Filed: 10/31/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Michael Norman, Yeung, Leo Yue Tak
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/961,706
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/212, 709/213, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 709/231, 709/232, 709/300
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and implementing computer system is provided including a multimedia server connected in a network configuration with client computer systems. The multimedia server includes various functional units which are selectively operable for delivering and effecting the presentation of multimedia files to the client such that a plurality of multimedia files are seamlessly concatenated on the fly to enable a continuous and uninterrupted presentation to the client. In one example, client selected video files are seamlessly joined together at the server just prior to file delivery from the server. The methodology includes the analog to digital encoding of multimedia segments followed by a commonization processing to ensure that all of the multimedia segments have common operating characteristics. A seamless sequential playlist or dynamically created playlist is assembled from the selected and commonized segments and the resources needed to deliver and play the playlist are reserved in advance to assure resource availability for continuous transmission and execution of the playlist. At a predetermined point prior to an end point of each selected multimedia segment, the next selected segment is initialized and aligned in memory in preparation for a seamless switch to the next segment at the end of a previous segment, thereby providing a seamless flow of data and a continuous presentation of a plurality of selected multimedia files to a client system.

Claims

1. A method for processing a plurality of multimedia segments to form a continuous stream of information, said method comprising:

streaming a first multimedia segment from a server device for playing on at least one target device;

determining that a second multimedia segment is to be played following said first multimedia segment;

preparing said second multimedia segment to be concatenated to said first multimedia segment;

concatenating said second multimedia segment to said first multimedia segment prior to a completion of a transfer of said first multimedia segment, said concatenating being operable to effect a seamless transition from said first multimedia segment to said second multimedia segment in transferring said first and second multimedia segments to the target device.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of multimedia segments comprises more than two multimedia segments, said method including:

concatenating sequential ones of said plurality of multimedia segments to effect a seamless transition between sequential ones of said multimedia segments in transferring said plurality of multimedia segments to the target device.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said target device is a network client terminal.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said target device is a network server terminal.

5. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said target device is a digital to analog video device.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said preparing further includes:

commonizing operating characteristics of said first and second multimedia segments such that said first and second multimedia segments have a common set of operating characteristics prior to being transferred to said target device.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 and further including:

preparing a playlist, said playlist being comprised of a listing of multimedia segments to be transferred to said target device.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 and further including:

determining resources required for transferring said multimedia segments to said target device; and

reserving said resources to ensure a constant availability of said resources during a transfer of said multimedia segments to said target device.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said multimedia segments are video segments.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 and further including:

commonizing operating characteristics of said first and second multimedia segments such that said first and second multimedia segments have a common set of operating characteristics prior to being transferred to said target device.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 and further including:

preparing a playlist, said playlist being comprised of a listing of multimedia segments to be transferred to said target device.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 and further including:

determining resources required for transferring said multimedia segments to said target device; and

reserving said resources to ensure a constant availability of said resources during a transfer of said multimedia segments to said target device.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said multimedia segments are audio segments.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 and further including:

commonizing operating characteristics of said first and second multimedia segments such that said first and second multimedia segments have a common set of operating characteristics prior to being transferred to said target device.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 and further including:

preparing a playlist, said playlist being comprised of a listing of multimedia segments to be transferred to said target device.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 and further including:

determining resources required for transferring said multimedia segments to said target device; and

reserving said resources to ensure a constant availability of said resources during a transfer of said multimedia segments to said target device.

17. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said multimedia segments are video segments.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17 and further including:

commonizing operating characteristics of said first and second multimedia segments such that said first and second

multimedia segments have a common set of operating characteristics prior to being transferred to said target device.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18 and further including:

preparing a playlist, said playlist being comprised of a listing of multimedia segments to be transferred to said target device.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 and further including:

determining resources required for transferring said multimedia segments to said target device; and

reserving said resources to ensure a constant availability of said resources during a transfer of said multimedia segments to said target device.

21. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

preparing a playlist, said playlist being comprised of a listing of multimedia segments to be transferred to said target device.

22. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

determining resources required for transferring said multimedia segments to said target device; and

reserving said resources to ensure a constant availability of said resources during a transfer of said multimedia segments to said target device.