Patent ID: 8402153

Claim:
A system for distributing multimedia content, comprising: a source server comprising a processor and configured to provide a first multicast multimedia stream of the multimedia content; a plurality of dispersed media servers, each dispersed media server comprising a processor and configured to: receive first instructions for adapting multimedia streams: receive the first multicast multimedia stream from the source server; adapt, based upon the first instructions, the first multicast multimedia stream to provide a first unicast multimedia stream conforming to a first quality of service requirement for transmission to a first recipient computer; transmit the first unicast multimedia stream to the first recipient computer; adapt, based upon the first instructions, the first multicast multimedia stream to provide a second multicast multimedia stream conforming to a second quality of service requirement for transmission to a second recipient computer; transmit the second multicast multimedia stream to the second recipient computer; detect a change in the first quality of service requirement for the first recipient computer; request second instructions for adapting multimedia streams in response to detecting the change in the first quality of service requirement for the first recipient computer: receive the second instructions; and adapt, based upon the second instructions, the first multicast multimedia stream to provide a second unicast multimedia stream conforming to the changed first quality of service requirement for transmission to the first recipient computer.