Playlists for real-time or near real-time streaming

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for real-time or near real-time streaming of content using transfer protocols such as an HTTP compliant protocol. In one embodiment, a method includes dividing a stream of data, representing the contiguous time based content of a program (e.g. a live video broadcast), into a plurality of distinct media files, and generating a playlist file having a plurality of tags and Universal Resource Indicators (URIs) indicating an order of presentation of the plurality of distinct media files. The plurality of media files and the playlist file can be made available for transmission to a client device which can retrieve the media files using the playlist file.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of the filing dates of the following U.S. provisional applications:[0002](1) Application No. 61 / 142,110 filed on Dec. 31, 2008 (Docket No. P7437Z);[0003](2) Application No. 61 / 160,693 filed on Mar. 16, 2009 (Docket No. P7437Z2);[0004](3) Application No. 61 / 161,036 filed on Mar. 17, 2009 (Docket No. P7437Z3); and[0005](4) Application No. 61 / 167,524 filed on Apr. 7, 2009 (Docket No. P7437Z4). All of these U.S. provisional applications are incorporated herein by reference to the extent that they are consistent with this disclosure.[0006]The present U.S. patent application is related to the following U.S. patent applications, each of which is incorporated herein by reference:[0007](1) Application Ser. No. 12 / ______ (Docket No. P7437US1), filed Jun. 5, 2009, entitled “REAL-TIME OR NEAR REAL-TIME STREAMING;”[0008](2) Application Ser. No. 12 / ______ (Docket No. P7437US2), filed Jun. 5, 2009, entitled “VARIANT STREAMS FOR REAL-TIM...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In one embodiment, a server device stores at least a portion of content to be streamed. The content is typically a time based stream of images or audio (e.g. sounds or music) or both; an example of a time based stream is a movie in which the order and presentation of images is based on time, and hence it can be considered a time based stream. The server includes a segmenter agent to decompose the content to be streamed into segments to be transmitted via packets according to a network protocol and an indexer agent to generate one or more playlist files that can facilitate a client in presenting the segmented user data. A client device is coupled with the server device (or another server which stores the segments and playlists and transmits them but does not generate them) via a network. The client device has an assembler agent to receive the one or more playlist files and facilitate retrieval of the segmented media files into the content according to the one or more playlist files. The client device can also have an output generator agent to output the content via one or more output components of the client device.

Problems solved by technology

In any large scale deployment, this can lead to great cost, and requires specialized skills to set up and run.

This results in a less than desirable library of content available for streaming.

Images