Patent ID: 7565429

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of transmitting, from a streaming server, a digital file comprising an advertising portion comprising a first type of content and a requested portion comprising a second type of content which is different than the first type of content, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, by the streaming server, via a streaming protocol, a request to transmit the digital file, wherein the streaming protocol is configured to allow non-sequential access to the digital file; transmitting, by the streaming server, the advertising portion of the digital file in response to the request to transmit the digital file; receiving, by the streaming server, via the streaming protocol, a request to transmit at least one portion of the requested portion of the digital file after beginning transmission of the advertising portion of the digital file and prior to completion of the transmission of the advertising portion of the digital file; transmitting, by the streaming server, a signal comprising an indication that the signal will be followed by the at least one portion of the requested portion of the digital file prior to completing the transmission of the advertising portion of the digital file; completing the transmission of the advertising portion of the digital file after transmitting the signal and before transmitting the at least one portion of the requested portion of the digital file; and after completing the transmission of the advertising portion of the digital file, transmitting, by the streaming server, the at least one portion of the requested portion of the digital file.