Method of streaming video from multiple sources over a network

• US 6,510,553 B1
• Filed: 10/26/1998
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hazra, Rajeeb
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, AN SON PHI
• Application Number:
  US09/179,491
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 725/40, 725/43, 725/90, 725/87, 348/563-565
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

Reception of digital multimedia data signals from multiple sources in a stream over a fixed bandwidth communications path may be accomplished by subscribing to a base layer of a first source and a base layer of a second source, and subscribing to an enhancement layer of the first source. Data signals corresponding to the subscribed layers of the first and second sources may be received in a stream over the fixed bandwidth communications path, output signals may be produced which correspond to the received data signals for the first source, and output signals may be produced corresponding to the received data signals for the second source. The output signals for the first source may be displayed in a first portion or window of a display, and output signals for the second source may be simultaneously displayed in a second portion or window of the display, thereby providing a picture-in-picture (PIP) display for streaming digital video.

Claims

1. A method of receiving digital multimedia data signals from multiple sources in a stream communicated over a fixed bandwidth communications path comprising:

subscribing to a first layer of a first source, a first layer of a second source, and a second layer of the first source;

receiving data signals corresponding to the subscribed layers of the first and second sources in the stream over the fixed bandwidth communications path;

producing output signals corresponding to the received data signals for the first source and for the second source;

displaying the output signals for the first source in a first portion of a display;

substantially simultaneously displaying the output signals for the second source in a second portion of the display;

unsubscribing the second layer of the first source; and

subscribing to a second layer of the second source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer of the first source comprises a base layer of the stream, the second layer of the first source comprises an enhancement layer of the stream, and the first layer of the second source comprises another base layer of the stream.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subscribing to a third layer of the first source, the third layer comprising audio data signals;

receiving data signals corresponding to the third layer of the first source in a second stream over the fixed bandwidth communications path; and

producing audio output signals corresponding to the received data signals for the third layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second layer of the second source comprises an enhancement layer of the second stream.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the output signals for the first source in the second portion of a display; and

substantially simultaneously displaying the output signals for the second source in the first portion of the display.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

unsubscribing the second layer of the second source; and

subscribing to the second layer of the first source.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying the output signals for the first source in the first portion of a display; and

substantially simultaneously displaying the output signals for the second source in the second portion of the display.

8. An article comprising a machine readable medium having a plurality of machine readable instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor the instructions subscribe the processor to receive a first layer of a first source, a first layer of a second source, and a second layer of the first source, control the reception of data signals corresponding to the subscribed layers of the first and second sources in a stream over a fixed bandwidth communications path, produce output signals corresponding to the received data signals for the first source and the second source, display the output signals for the first source in a first portion of a display, substantially simultaneously display the output signals for the second source in a second portion of the display, unsubscribe the second layer of the first source, and to subscribe the processor to a second layer of the second source.

9. The article of claim 8, further comprising instructions to subscribe the processor to a third layer of the first source, the third layer comprising audio data signals, to receive data signals corresponding to the third layer in a second stream over the fixed bandwidth communications path, and to produce audio output signals corresponding to the received data signals for the third layer.

10. The article of claim 8, further comprising instructions to display the output signals for the first source in the second portion of a display, and to simultaneously display the output signals for the second source in the first portion of the display.

11. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions to unsubscribe the second layer of the second source;

and to subscribe the processor to the second layer of the first source.

12. A method of streaming digital multimedia data signals of multiple sources from at least one server system in a layered stream over a fixed bandwidth communications path in a network to a client system comprising:

subscribing to base layers of the multiple sources;

subscribing to an enhancement layer of a selected one of the sources;

receiving the base layers and the enhancement layer in the layered stream over the fixed bandwidth communications path at the client system;

displaying the base layer and the enhancement layer of the selected source in a first portion of a display of the client system;

substantially simultaneously displaying the base layer of at least one non-selected source in at least one other portion of the display; and

unsubscribing the enhancement layer of the selected source and subscribing to an enhancement layer of a newly selected source.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising subscribing to an audio layer of the selected source, receiving the audio layer at the client system, and producing audio output signals in synchronization with the displaying of the base and enhancement layers of the selected source.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving the base layers of the sources and the enhancement layer of the newly selected source;

displaying the base layer and the enhancement layer of the newly selected source in the first portion of the display; and

substantially simultaneously displaying the base layer of at least one non-selected source in at least one other portion of the display.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling subscription of the enhancement layer by a user of the client system by a graphical user interface.

16. An article comprising a machine readable medium having a plurality of machine readable instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor of a client system the instructions subscribe the client system to base layers of multiple sources of multimedia data, subscribe the client system to an enhancement layer of a selected one of the sources, control the reception of the base layers and the enhancement layer in a layered stream over a fixed bandwidth communications path at the client system, display the base layer and the enhancement layer of the selected source in a first portion of a display of the client system, display the base layer of at least one non-selected source in at least one other portion of the display, unsubscribe the enhancement layer of the selected source and subscribe to an enhancement layer of a newly selected source.

17. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for subscribing to an audio layer of the selected source, receiving the audio layer at the client system, and producing audio output signals in synchronization with the displaying of the base and enhancement layers of the selected source.

18. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for

receiving the base layers of the sources and the enhancement layer of the newly selected source;

displaying the base layer and the enhancement layer of the newly selected source in the first portion of the display; and

substantially simultaneously displaying the base layer of at least one non-selected source in at least one other portion of the display.

19. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions for controlling subscription of the enhancement layer by a user of the client system by a graphical user interface.