Patent ID: 7383229

Claim:
A method for streaming a streaming media file from a server to a client player for consumption of the steaming media file at the client player, the method comprising: transmitting a metering uniform resource locator (URL) from a first server to a client player over a network, wherein the metering URL includes a timestamp as a base reference time for measuring a time period in which the metering URL is valid; identifying, using the metering URL, a path to a user meter that meters receipt of metadata embedded in the streaming media file at select time locations; streaming the streaming media file from a second server to the client player over the network; receiving an embedded metering event comprising a decrement amount in the streaming media file at the client player, wherein the embedded metering event is a portion of the metadata; appending the metering event to the metering URL by the client player to create a new metering URL; transmitting the new metering URL to the remote first server receiving the decrement amount from the new metering URL; and ticking the user meter in the first server, wherein ticking comprises decrementing the user meter by the decrement amount.