System and method for routing media

• US 9,135,635 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SITO Mobile R&D IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: SITO Mobile R&D IP, LLC
• Inventors: Jennings, Charles A., Bate, Donald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keehn, Richard G
• Application Number:
  US13/842,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0274 Split fees
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• 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 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/4623 : Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The system and method for streaming media to a viewer and managing the media comprises an enhanced service routing processor (ESRP), a real time switch management system (RTSMS), a name routing processor (NRP), and a managed media switch (MMS). The RTSMS has a reservation system. The ESRP receives media from an owner, manages the media according to media rules and order rules defined by the owner, and distributes the media to one or more switches, such as the MMS, according to the media rules and the order rules. The RTSMS is configured to receive the media rules and to receive a viewer'"'"'s media request via the reservation server. The reservation system of the RTSMS processes the media request according to the media rules and builds a reservation for the requested media. The RTSMS generates the reservation to the viewer and to the NRP. The NRP receives the reservation data from the viewer and from the RTSMS. The NRP processes the reservation data and locates an MMS that can stream the media to the viewer. The NRP transmits the IP address of the MMS to the viewer and transmits the reservation data to the MMS. The viewer initiates a session or connection with the MMS using the reservation number. If the reservation data from the viewer matches the reservation data from the NRP, the MMS streams the media to the viewer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by at least one computing device via a communication network, a request for media from a communication device, the at least one computing device comprising a combination of hardware and software;

determining, by the at least one computing device, at least one portion of the requested media to be streamed to the communication device; and

transmitting, by the at least one computing device for reception by the communication device, at least one play script comprising;

(i) at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media,

(ii) an indication that an advertising media clip is to be streamed to the communication device,

(iii) at least one universal resource locator (URL) associated with the identification of the at least one portion of the requested media, the at least one URL including at least one identification of at least one resource other than the at least one computing device to facilitate streaming of the at least one portion of the requested media, and

(iv) one or more instructions for use by the communication device together with the at least one URL to cause the at least one portion of the requested media to be streamed to the communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an identification of the advertising media clip.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the advertising media clip is identified based on at least one audience characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an indication that the advertising media clip is to be played by the communication device after the at least one portion of the requested media is to be played by the communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an indication that the advertising media clip is to be played by the communication device before the at least one portion of the requested media is to be played by the communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more instructions for use by the communication device together with the at least one URL further cause:

streaming the at least one portion of the requested media from at least one second resource to the communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media to:

identify a first portion of the at least one portion of the requested media for streaming to the communication device; and

identify a second portion of the at least one portion of the requested media for streaming to the communication device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more instructions for use by the communication device together with the at least one URL further cause:

streaming a first portion of the at least one portion of the requested media from at least one second resource to the communication device; and

then streaming the advertising media clip to the communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested media comprises one or more media clips, the method further comprising generating one or more media references for identifying the one or more media clips as the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media by processing the request in accordance with at least one rule.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting the advertising media clip based on at least one rule.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the request over a packet network.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the request via in-a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the request in hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating with the communication device in a session.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating with the communication device in an internet protocol session.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication device comprises at least one member of a group selected from a set top box, a media player device, and a device with a browser, and the method further comprises receiving the media request from the at least one member of the group.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media to comprise a plurality of universal resource locators (URLs) each identifying at least one media clip.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media-at the communication device; and

selecting at least one URL of the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media by the communication device to receive at least one of the at least one media clip.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting an identification of the advertising media clip as the indication that the advertising media clip is to be streamed to the communication device.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting at least one other universal resource locator (URL) associated with the indication of the advertising media clip, the at least one other URL including at least one other identification of the at least one resource other than the at least one computing device or at least one second resource other than the at least one computing device to facilitate streaming of the at least one portion of the requested media.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting at least one other universal resource locator (URL) associated with the indication of the advertising media clip.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising transmitting one or more other instructions for use by the communication device together with the at least one other URL to cause the advertising media clip to be streamed to the communication device.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting one or more other instructions for use by the communication device to cause the advertising media clip to be streamed to the communication device.

25. A system comprising at least one computing device comprising a combination of hardware and software to:

receive a request for media from a communication device;

determine at least one portion of the requested media to be streamed to the communication device; and

transmit for reception by the communication device at least one play script comprising;

(i) at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media,

(ii) an indication that an advertising media clip is to be streamed to the communication device,

(iii) at least one universal resource locator (URL) associated with the identification of the at least one portion of the requested media, the at least one URL including at least one identification of at least one resource other than the at least one computing device to facilitate streaming of the at least one portion of the requested media, and

(iv) one or more instructions for use by the communication device together with the at least one URL to cause the at least one portion of the requested media to be streamed to the communication device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an identification of the advertising media clip.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the advertising media clip is identified based on at least one audience characteristic.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an indication that the advertising media clip is to be played by the communication device after the at least one portion of the requested media is to be played by the communication device.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an indication that the advertising media clip is to be played by the communication device before the at least one portion of the requested media is to be played by the communication device.

30. The system of claim 25, further comprising a routing processor device to determine at least one second resource to stream the at least one portion of the requested media for reception by the communication device.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media comprises:

an identification of a first portion of the at least one portion of the requested media for streaming to the communication device; and

an identification of a second portion of the at least one portion of the requested media for streaming to the communication device.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the media comprises one or more media clips and wherein the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media comprises one or more media references for identifying the one or more media clips.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the system generates the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media by processing the request in accordance with at least one rule.

34. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one computing device selects the advertising media clip based on at least one rule.

35. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one computing device receives the request over a packet network.

36. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one computing device receives the request via hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

37. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one computing device receives the request in hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

38. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one computing device communicates with the communication device in a session.

39. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one computing device communicates with the communication device in an internet protocol session.

40. The system of claim 25 wherein the communication device comprises at least one member of a group selected from a set top box, a media player device, and a device with a browser.

41. The system of claim 25 wherein the at least one computing device generates the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media to comprise a plurality of universal resource locators (URLs) each identifying at least one media clip.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the communication device receives the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media and selects at least one URL of the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media to receive at least one of the at least one media clip.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the communication device receives the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media and selects at least one URL of the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media to receive at least one of the at least one media clip.

44. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit an identification of the advertising media clip as the indication that the advertising media clip is to be streamed to the communication device.

45. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit at least one other universal resource locator (URL) associated with the indication of the advertising media clip, the at least one other URL including at least one other identification of the at least one resource other than the at least one computing device or at least one second resource other than the at least one computing device to facilitate streaming of the at least one portion of the requested media.

46. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit at least one other universal resource locator (URL) associated with the indication of the advertising media clip.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit one or more other instructions for use by the communication device together with the at least one other URL to cause the advertising media clip to be streamed to the communication device.

48. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit one or more other instructions for use by the communication device to cause the advertising media clip to be streamed to the communication device.

49. A system comprising:

at least one computing device comprising hardware; and

instructions executable by the at least one computing device to;

receive a request for media from a communication device;

determine at least one portion of the requested media to be streamed to the communication device; and

transmit for reception by the communication device at least one play script comprising;

(i) at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media,

(ii) an indication that an advertising media clip is to be streamed to the communication device,

(iii) at least one universal resource locator (URL) associated with the identification of the at least one portion of the requested media, the at least one URL including at least one identification of at least one resource other than the at least one computing device to facilitate streaming of the at least one portion of the requested media, and

(iv) one or more instructions for use by the communication device together with the at least one URL to cause the at least one portion of the requested media to be streamed to the communication device.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an identification of advertising media clip.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the advertising media clip is identified based on at least one audience characteristic.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an indication that the advertising media clip is to be played by the communication device after the at least one portion of the requested media is to be played by the communication device.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one play script further comprises an indication that the advertising media clip is to be played by the communication device before the at least one portion of the requested media is to be played by the communication device.

54. The system of claim 49, further comprising a routing processor device to determine at least one second resource to stream the at least one portion of the requested media to the communication device.

55. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media comprises:

an identification of a first portion of the at least one portion of the requested media to be streamed to the communication device; and

an identification of a second portion of the at least one portion of the requested media to be streamed to the communication device.

56. The system of claim 49, wherein the media comprises one or more media clips, the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media comprises one or more media references for identifying the one or more media clips.

57. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to generate the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media by processing the request with at least one rule.

58. The system of claim 49 wherein the instructions executable by the at least one computing device further comprise instructions to select the advertising media clip based on at least one rule.

59. The system of claim 49 wherein the instructions executable by the at least one computing device further comprise instructions to receive the request over a packet network.

60. The system of claim 49 wherein the instructions executable by the at least one computing device further comprise instructions to receive the request via hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

61. The system of claim 49 wherein the instructions executable by the at least one computing device further comprise instructions to receive the request in hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

62. The system of claim 49 wherein the instructions executable by the at least one computing device further comprise instructions to communicate with the communication device in a session.

63. The system of claim 49 wherein the instructions executable by the at least one computing device further comprise instructions to communicate with the communication device in an internet protocol session.

64. The system of claim 49 wherein the communication device comprises at least one member of a group selected from a set top box, a media player device, and a device with a browser.

65. The system of claim 49 wherein the instructions executable by the at least one computing device further comprise instructions to generate the at least one identification of the at least one portion of the requested media to comprise a plurality of universal resource locators (URLs) each identifying at least one media clip.

66. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit an identification of the advertising media clip as the indication that the advertising media clip is to be streamed to the communication device.

67. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit at least one other universal resource locator (URL) associated with the indication of the advertising media clip, the at least one other URL including at least one other identification of the at least one resource other than the at least one computing device or at least one second resource other than the at least one computing device to facilitate streaming of the at least one portion of the requested media.

68. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit at least one other universal resource locator (URL) associated with the indication of the advertising media clip.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit one or more other instructions for use by the communication device together with the at least one other URL to cause the advertising media clip to be streamed to the communication device.

70. The system of claim 49, wherein the at least one computing device further comprises instructions executable by the at least one computing device to transmit one or more other instructions for use by the communication device to cause the advertising media clip to be streamed to the communication device.