Architecture for building multi-media streaming applications

• US 8,819,258 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schaffa, Frank Andre, Westerink, Peter Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, LAN DAI T
• Application Number:
  US12/436,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/231, 709/202, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio

Abstract

A streaming engine and method includes a plurality of input types configured to pass one of samples and frames from an input stream. A processing block is configured to process the samples and frames independently of input and output types and produce any kind of output samples and frames in accordance with processing elements employed in the processing block. A plurality of output types is configured to initiate a session which determines connections between inputs and outputs so that the samples and the frames are received from the processing block in accordance with the session to appropriately direct the stream.

Claims

1. A streaming engine, comprising:

a plurality of input sources configured to pass samples from an input stream, wherein said samples are network protocols independent and independent from file formats;

a processing block including a processor configured to process the samples independently of input sources and output targets and produce any kind of output samples in accordance with one or more processing elements employed in the processing block, where each of said processing elements performs a processing function on the samples; and

a plurality of output modules configured to initiate a session which determines connections between inputs and outputs so that the samples are received from the processing block in accordance with the session to appropriately direct the stream.

2. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing block includes fan-out devices to distribute streams to a plurality of outputs.

3. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the session includes one of a single user session and a multi-user session.

4. The engine as recited in claim 3, wherein the single user session includes a video-on demand session and the multi-user session includes a live video session.

5. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing block includes a handler configured to be responsive to events to configure connections between inputs and outputs.

6. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the engine provides a plurality of sessions at a same time.

7. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing block includes at least one of an encoder and a decoder for processing the samples.

8. The engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the engine is configured in accordance with a control and management layer of an application programming interface such that inputs, outputs, processing elements and sample types are configurable.

9. The engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising a native connection configured as a by-pass of the processing block having streaming data from an input remain in its sample format.

10. The engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising threads residing in the inputs which are pushed to the outputs.

11. A device including a streaming engine stored in memory, comprising:

an application programming interface (API) stored in the memory and having a control and management layer for configuring and maintaining the streaming engine, the API being capable of configuring the streaming engine in accordance with a given application;

the streaming engine including;

a plurality of input sources configured to pass samples from an input stream, wherein said samples are network protocols independent and independent from file formats;

a processing block configured to process the samples independently of input sources and output targets and produce any kind of output samples in accordance with one or more processing elements employed in the processing block, where each of said processing elements performs a processing function on the samples; and

a plurality of output modules configured to initiate a session which determines connections between inputs and outputs so that the samples are received from the processing block in accordance with the session to appropriately direct the stream.

12. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processing block includes fan-out devices to distribute streams to a plurality of outputs.

13. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the session includes one of a single user session and a multi-user session.

14. The engine as recited in claim 11, wherein the engine provides a plurality of sessions at a same time.

15. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processing block includes at least one of an encoder and a decoder for processing the samples.

16. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the control and management layer configures inputs, outputs, processing elements and sample types.

17. The device as recited in claim 11, further comprising a native connection configured as a by-pass of the processing block having streaming data from an input remain in its sample format.

18. The device as recited in claim 11, further comprising threads residing in the inputs which are pushed to the outputs.

19. A method for integrating multi-media streaming applications on a computer device, comprising:

configuring one or more of inputs, outputs, processing elements and sample types for a streaming engine for a given application stored on a memory device;

initiating a session based on outputs of the streaming engine to determine connections between inputs and the outputs so that samples are appropriately directed;

wherein said samples are network protocols independent and independent from file formats;

processing the samples independently of input sources and output modules to produce any kind of output samples in accordance with one or more processing elements employed in a processing block, where each of said processing elements performs a processing function on the samples; and

outputting a stream from the streaming engine.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the session includes one of a single user session and a multi-user session.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein initiating includes initiating a plurality of sessions at a same time.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein processing includes at least one of encoding and decoding the samples.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising providing a native connection configured to by-pass of the processing block.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for integrating multi-media streaming applications, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of:

configuring one or more of such that inputs, outputs, processing elements and sample types for a streaming engine for a given application;

initiating a session based on outputs of the streaming engine to determine connections between inputs and the outputs so that samples are appropriately directed, wherein said samples are network protocols independent and independent from file formats;

processing the samples independently of input sources and output modules to produce any kind of output samples in accordance with one or more processing elements employed in a processing block, where each of said processing elements performs a processing function on the samples; and

outputting a stream from the streaming engine.

25. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 24, further comprising providing a native connection configured to by-pass of the processing block.