Patent ID: 6275471
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
A method of real-time reliable media delivery by a distributed media delivery system, said delivery system having a plurality of media servers and a plurality of media clients interconnected over a network, comprising the steps of:initiating transmission of streaming data from a first media server to a first media client, said streaming data representing a media selection available for delivery and being stored as a plurality of substream components on said first media server;defining a plurality of data packets by concatenating a real-time header to each of said substream components, said real-time header establishing a time relationship between each of said data packets;determining a transmission estimate by said first media server, said transmission estimate being the transmission time for a data packet from said first media server to said first media client and back to said first media server;transmitting said data packets across the network to said first media client;determining a remaining transmission time by said first media client and returning a message to said first media server when said first media client fails to receive at least one of said data packets; andevaluating feasibility of retransmitting said missing data packet by said first media server in response to said message, such that said missing data packet being retransmitted to said first media client when said remaining transmission time exceeds said transmission estimate, thereby enabling said first media client to reconstruct said media selection from said data packets using said real-time header.