Patent · US Expired

Program insertion in real time IP multicast

US6771644B1 · kind B1 · utility

100Cited by
8References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 17, 1999
Grant dateAug 3, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 17, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L12/1895
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Program insertion in real time IP multicast enables the seamless insertion of a secondary program within an IP multicast session of a primary program. A primary content provider transmits its multimedia stream to a first proxy that transmits the data to a destination multicast session. A secondary content provider interested in inserting a program into that destination multicast session sends a request through a second proxy to the first proxy requesting a time slot to insert secondary program. The request includes the duration of the secondary program. The first proxy responds with a time slot or a denial of the request depending if a time slot is available. Assuming an available time slot, at the appropriate time the first proxy transfers control of the destination multicast session to the second proxy which transmits the secondary program. Upon completion of the secondary program the second proxy returns control of the session to the first proxy. All scheduling and control transfer occurs through the development of a new protocol to manage the transfer of control. Smooth transitions occur by manipulation of the RTP header in the packets and the associated RTCP stream.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.