Patent ID: 7792787

Claim:
A distributed media network system comprising: at least one meta data server, wherein in response to receiving a request for media data, the meta data server i) provides first meta data associated with a first portion of the requested media data, the first portion of the requested media data being unusable without a second portion of the requested media data, and ii) subsequently provides second meta data associated with said second portion of the requested media data; one or more media data servers separate and independently operated from the meta data server, wherein at least one of said first and second meta data provided by the meta data server includes identification of at least one of the one or more media data servers having at least one of said first and second portions of the requested media data; and at least one client connected to the meta data server for transmitting a request for media data to the meta data server, the client using said first and second meta data received from the meta data server to locate said at least one of the one or more media data servers and access said first and second portions of the requested media data.