Method and apparatus for content distribution via non-homogeneous access networks
First Claim
1. A method of streaming content via a distribution network to any of a plurality of heterogeneous access networks, comprising:
- encapsulating content according to the steps of;
preprocessing said content into at least one packet having a format and size optimized for storage and retrieval at a local streaming server, wherein said preprocessing step further comprises transcoding said content into at least one packet format, wherein said transcoding occurs prior to storage on said local streaming server;
encapsulating said at least one packet of content in a payload portion of a real time transport protocol (RTP) packet; and
encapsulating said RTP packet in a payload portion of an Internet Protocol (IP) packet structure;
retrieving from said local streaming server, said content encapsulated according to said IP packet structure;
processing, at said local streaming server, said retrieved content into a format native to an access network from which a user request originated;
streaming processed content to said access network via said distribution network, said distribution network format being different than said access network formats; and
extracting said content from said IP packet downstream of said distribution network.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for streaming content to an access network in an interactive information distribution system. The method encapsulates the content in accordance to an Internet Protocol (IP). The content is then transcoded into a format supported by the access network, and streamed over a distribution network to a remote server or to a subscriber terminal that is coupled to the access network. The apparatus is embodied as stream caching server for streaming the content encapsulated within the IP packet to access networks via a stream distribution network in response to a request for content. A packet processor is coupled to the stream server for processing the encapsulated content within the IP packets into a format native to the access network.
130 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of streaming content via a distribution network to any of a plurality of heterogeneous access networks, comprising:
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encapsulating content according to the steps of; preprocessing said content into at least one packet having a format and size optimized for storage and retrieval at a local streaming server, wherein said preprocessing step further comprises transcoding said content into at least one packet format, wherein said transcoding occurs prior to storage on said local streaming server; encapsulating said at least one packet of content in a payload portion of a real time transport protocol (RTP) packet; and encapsulating said RTP packet in a payload portion of an Internet Protocol (IP) packet structure; retrieving from said local streaming server, said content encapsulated according to said IP packet structure; processing, at said local streaming server, said retrieved content into a format native to an access network from which a user request originated; streaming processed content to said access network via said distribution network, said distribution network format being different than said access network formats; and extracting said content from said IP packet downstream of said distribution network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus providing scalable streaming of content to at least one access network of a plurality of heterogeneous access networks associated with an interactive information distribution system, said apparatus comprising:
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at least one stream caching server for streaming said content as an Internet Protocol (IP) packet to said at least one access network via a stream distribution network in response to a request for content, said content being encapsulated within said IP packet, wherein each said IP packet further comprises said content encapsulated in a payload portion of a Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP) packet; and a packet processor coupled to said at least one stream caching server for processing said encapsulated content within said IP packets into at least one packet in a format native to said at least one access network of said plurality of heterogeneous access networks prior to streaming said IP packet to said at least one access network via said stream-distribution network, wherein the format of said distribution system is different than the formats of said access networks and a number of content packets in each RTP payload is configured as a read block for transcoding of said content packets into a format supported by said access networks, wherein said content is stored as said IP packets on at least one storage medium respectively coupled to said at least one stream caching server. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification