Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer network managing – Computer network monitoring
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-20
2001-04-17
Maung, Zarni (Department: 2155)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer network managing
Computer network monitoring
C709S232000, C709S235000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219704
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to multimedia systems for network applications and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for adaptively and dynamically delivering multimedia content based on continuously monitored network conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multimedia presentations have become popular on networks, including the Internet. A multimedia presentation may contain text, graphics, action video, sound, and the like, where the various objects are related temporally as well as spatially. Transmitting such a multimedia stream between a server and a client across networks could potentially create bursty network conditions. A bursty network bandwidth profile is undesirable from both a server and network standpoint since it is difficult to characterize and allocate or reserve resources for such a data stream.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for adaptively and dynamically delivering multimedia content based on continuously monitored network conditions.
Given the temporal relationships among the multimedia items in the stream and also the current network condition, the present invention computes a transmission schedule such that the transmission delay and the burstyness of the network bandwidth utilization are minimized, while maintaining the integrity of the multimedia presentation.
According to the invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for selecting and scheduling the transmission of multimedia objects within a multimedia data stream based on network conditions and/or viewer capabilities. Objects (versions) are defined within the multimedia contingent and their temporal relationship to each other. An estimated transmission schedule of the multimedia objects is produced based on the network conditions and the object temporal constraints. The resulting viewer delay is then calculated based on the transmission schedule and a comparison to a target delay by adding the estimated delay in transmission for each of the objects. Multimedia objects are iteratively modified (selecting versions of) to achieve a desired target delay.
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Cholchin So Edward
Kim Michelle Yoonkyung
Tantawi Asser Nasreldin
Willebeek-LeMair Marc Hubert
Cameron Esq. Douglas W.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Maung Zarni
McGuireWoods LLP
Winder Patrice
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