Video and audio streaming for multiple users

• US 6,732,183 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BroadWare Technologies, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graham, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Marc D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, THONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/565,563
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/203, 709/231, 370/401, 370/352, 370/395, 370/229, 348/722, 345/327
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

A computer system provides streaming media to a plurality of clients over a network. The system includes a proxy module that forwards streaming media from a first streaming media source to a network server module that is communicating to the plurality of client terminals. The proxy module is comunicatable with the network server module to be signaled a switch request. In response to the switch request, the proxy module forwards streaming media from a second streaming media source to the network server module while the network server module is signaling streaming media from the first streaming media source to the plurality of client terminals.

Claims

1. A system for providing streaming media to a plurality of clients over a network, the system comprising:

a plurality of streaming media sources coupled to the network;

a network server module that couples to the plurality of clients to signal streaming media from at least a first streaming media source in the plurality of streaming media sources to each of the plurality of clients using a first channel;

a switching terminal to signal a switch request to the network server module, the switch request requesting streaming media from a second streaming media source in the plurality of streaming media sources; and

a proxy module that forwards streaming media from the first streaming media source to the network server module, the proxy module being communicatable with the network server module to be signaled the switch request, and in response to the switch request, the proxy module forwarding streaming media from the second streaming media source to the network server module to facilitate seamless transition on the first channel from the first streaming media source to the second streaming media source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy module forwards the streaming media from the second streaming media source to the network server module while the network server module signals streaming media from the first streaming media source to the plurality of client terminals.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores streaming media forwarded from the proxy module for the network server module, the network server module accessing the memory to receive the streaming media forwarded from the proxy module.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the proxy module forwards the streaming media from the second streaming media source to the network server module while the network server module is accessing the streaming media from the first streaming media source from the memory.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of streaming media sources coupled to the network each include a proxy module to receive streaming media from other streaming media sources to facilitate large scale proxy streaming media delivery.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching terminal is an administrator for the plurality of client terminals.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the switching terminal is one of the plurality of client terminals that receives streaming media from the network server module.