High bandwidth broadcast system having localized multicast access to broadcast content

Abstract

A method of multicasting digital data to a user accessing an Internet connection is disclosed. The method includes placing digital data that is to be multicast in IP protocol to generate IP digital data. The IP digital data is transmitted from a transmission site to a remote Internet point of presence through a dedicated transmission channel substantially separate from Internet backbone. The dedicated transmission channel may be, for example, a satellite channel. At the remote Internet point of presence, the IP digital data is multicast for delivery to at least one receiving Internet user's apparatus connected to but distal from the remote Internet point of presence.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for delivering streaming audio from an origination point to plural remote users coupled to a congested computer network while reducing the effect of network congestion on the timeliness and/or quality of said streaming audio delivery, the delivery system comprising: 
 at least one out-of-network connection that transmits the streaming audio from the origination point to plural intermediate nodes disposed within the congested network and thereby bypasses at least some of the congestion on the network; and    a streaming audio forwarding arrangement at each of said intermediate nodes, said forwarding arrangement transmitting the streaming audio to the plural remote users over the congested network via a two-way interactive network connection.    
     
     
         2 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the out-of-network connection carries the streaming audio as a one-way data stream.  
     
     
         3 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein each intermediate node includes a satellite receiver.  
     
     
         4 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein each said intermediate node injects the streaming audio into the network without providing to the origination point substantial TCP confirmation of delivery.  
     
     
         5 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the streaming audio includes a plurality of audio channels, and the out-of-network connection simultaneously sends the plurality of audio channels to each of the intermediate nodes.  
     
     
         6 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the out-of-network connection includes a satellite uplink.  
     
     
         7 . The delivery system of  claim 6  wherein the satellite uplink is one-way.  
     
     
         8 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the origination point is adapted to broadcast to at least one extraterrestrial satellite an uplink carrier carrying streaming audio data packets, the extraterrestrial satellite providing the streaming audio data packets on a downlink carrier comprising the out-of-network connection.  
     
     
         9 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the congested network comprises the Internet.  
     
     
         10 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the intermediate nodes each provide two-way Internet access to remote Internet users.  
     
     
         11 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein each said intermediate node includes a demultiplexer adapted to recover said streaming audio from said out-of-network connection, and a router adapted to receive and route said streaming audio over the congested network.  
     
     
         12 . The delivery system of  claim 11  wherein the out-of-network connection has a predetermined guaranteed reserved bandwidth that is sufficient to simultaneously carry plural streaming audio channels substantially in real time.  
     
     
         13 . The delivery system of  claim 1  wherein the origination point is adapted to provide plural audio streaming channels to said out-of-network connection in streaming IP format; and each said intermediate network node is adapted to provide access to said streaming IP format channels to each of said plurality of remote users.  
     
     
         14 . The delivery system of  claim 13  wherein the streaming IP format comprises a one-way data stream and the out-of-network connection provides a one-way satellite link.  
     
     
         15 . An audio media distribution system for distributing audio content to Internet users accessing the Internet, the audio distribution system comprising: 
 a) a satellite uplink;    b) an audio delivery system in communication with said satellite uplink and providing at least one audio data stream to said uplink;    c) the satellite uplink providing at least one dedicated digital communications channel of predetermined allocated bandwidth, said allocated bandwidth being sufficient to transmit said audio data stream substantially in real time;    d) a plurality of remote Internet access gateways;    e) a plurality of remote satellite downlink systems, each of said remote satellite downlink systems being in communication with one of said remote Internet access gateways;    f) each said remote satellite downlink systems comprising at least a satellite receiver/demultiplexer and an Internet router, said receiver/demultiplexer and Internet router cooperatively recovering said audio stream from said satellite channel and providing access to said audio stream substantially in real time to one or more Internet users.    
     
     
         16 . The audio media distribution system of  claim 15  wherein: 
 (i) the audio delivery system provides a plurality of audio data streams to said satellite uplink, and  
 (ii) the predetermined allocated bandwidth of said channels is sufficient to transmit said plurality of audio data streams substantially in real time.  
 
     
     
         17 . The audio media distribution system of  claim 15  wherein: 
 (i) the audio delivery system provides a plurality of audio data streams to said satellite uplink in streaming IP format, and  
 (ii) the remote satellite downlink system provides access to IP format streaming audio data to one or more Internet users.  
 
     
     
         18 . The audio media distribution system of  claim 17  wherein the IP format streaming audio data is provided as a unidirectional data stream and the satellite uplink is a unidirectional digital communications link.  
     
     
         19 . The audio media distribution system of  claim 15  wherein: 
 (i) the audio delivery system provides said audio content to said satellite uplink in streaming IP format, and  
 (ii) the remote satellite downlink system provides IP format streaming audio data to each of a plurality of remote Internet users.  
 
     
     
         20 . The media distribution system of  claim 15  wherein the IP format streaming audio data is provided as a unidirectional data stream.  
     
     
         21 . A method of streaming digital data comprising one or more channels of audio content to a plurality of Internet points of presence of an ISP or other entity, comprising the steps of: 
 a) predetermining an amount of bandwidth required to stream one or more channels of audio content to said points of presence substantially in real time;    b) reserving said amount of bandwidth of a digital data communications medium that is substantially separate from the Internet backbone; and    c) transmitting, substantially in real time, one or more channels of streaming audio content through said digital data communications medium to said plurality of points of presence.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the method further includes the step of: 
 d) providing, at each said points of presence, substantially real time access to said one or more channels of streaming audio content for one or more Internet users whom have access to the Internet through said points of presence.  
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the transmitting step (c) includes transmitting said one or more channels of audio content without receiving substantial TCP confirmation of delivery from said points of presence.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the transmitting step (c) includes streaming said one or more channels of audio content within a one-way data format transmitted through an extraterrestrial satellite link.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the transmitting step (c) includes streaming said one or more channels of audio content within a one-way data format transmitted through an extraterrestrial satellite link.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the transmitting step (c) includes transmitting said one or more channels of audio content without receiving substantial TCP confirmation of delivery from said points of presence.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the transmitting step (c) includes streaming said one or more channels of audio using a one-way data transmission format.  
     
     
         28 . A method of multicasting multimedia information including at least audio content to a user apparatus accessing the Internet through a remote Internet point of presence, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing the multimedia information in an IP protocol to generate IP multicast multimedia information;    b) transmitting the IP multicast multimedia information to the remote Internet point of presence through one or more one-way transmission bandwidth portions separate from one or more two-way Internet traffic bandwidth portions;    wherein the multimedia information includes a plurality of audio channels and wherein said audio channels are allocated to one or more reserved channel-sufficient portions of said one or more one-way transmission bandwidth portions, whereby each of said audio channels is multicast to the remote Internet point of presence without interruption due to a separate audio channel being transmitted through said one or more one-way transmission bandwidth portions.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the method also includes step c: transmitting additional IP protocol information to the remote Internet point of presence through two-way Internet traffic bandwidth for forwarding of both the IP multicast multimedia information and the additional IP protocol information to the user apparatus through a two-way connection between the remote Internet point of presence and the user apparatus.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein at least one user apparatus has multimedia output capabilities and simultaneously plays audio content provided by the IP multicast multimedia information and displays viewable image information provided by the additional IP protocol information.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the viewable image information includes at least a portion of an interactive web page, whereby a user may interact with the viewable information to maneuver through at least a portion of an Internet backbone.  
     
     
         32 . A method of bypassing an Internet backbone and multicasting digital data, including at least audio data, through a remote Internet point of presence from which remote, distal user apparatus receive Internet content, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing the digital data in an IP multicasting protocol to generate IP multicast data;    b) streaming the IP multicast data, substantially comprising one-way data flow, from a transmission site to the remote Internet point of presence through one or more reserved bandwidth portions substantially reserved to the streaming IP multicast data and associated information;    wherein the audio data includes a plurality of audio channels and wherein said audio channels are allocated to one or more reserved channel-sufficient portions of the one or more reserved bandwidth portions, whereby each of said audio channels is multicast to the remote Internet point of presence without interruption due to another video channel being transmitted through said one or more reserved bandwidth portions.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the method also includes step (c): transmitting additional IP protocol audio data to the remote Internet point of presence through one or more additional bandwidth portions for forwarding of both the IP multicast data and the additional IP protocol data to the remote user apparatus through TCP/IP connections between the remote point of presence and the remote user apparatus.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein a plurality of user apparatus each have multimedia output capability which simultaneously plays audio provided by the IP multicast data and displays other viewable image information provided by the additional IP protocol data.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the viewable image information includes at least a portion of an interactive web page, whereby a user may interact with the viewable information to maneuver through at least a portion of an Internet backbone.  
     
     
         36 . A method of multicasting digital data, including at least audio digital data, to user apparatus accessing an Internet connection, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing the digital data in an IP multicasting protocol to generate IP multicast data;    b) streaming the IP multicast data from a transmission site to a remote Internet point of presence through one or more portions of bandwidth substantially dedicated to the streaming IP multicast data and associated information; and    c) multicasting at least a portion of the IP multicast data from the remote Internet point of presence for delivery to at least one receiving Internet user's apparatus distal from the remote Internet point of presence;    wherein the audio digital data includes a plurality of audio channels and wherein said audio channels are allocated to one or more reserved channel-sufficient portions of the one or more portions of bandwidth, whereby each audio channel is multicast to the remote Internet point of presence without interruption due to another audio channel being transmitted through said one or more portions of bandwidth.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said receiving Internet user apparatus each include a video display with an audio output that simultaneously plays audio provided by the IP multicast data and displays other viewable image information provided to the users apparatus by the remote Internet point of presence.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the viewable image information includes at least a portion of an interactive web page, whereby a user may interact with the viewable image information to maneuver through at least a portion of an Internet backbone.  
     
     
         39 . A method of distributing multicast audio content to Internet user apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) transmitting IP protocol digital audio content to Internet user apparatus through two-way IP protocol bandwidth; and    b) simultaneously streaming multicast content to Internet user apparatus through one or more one-way reserved bandwidth portions bypassing the two-way IP protocol bandwidth for reception by the Internet user apparatus in conjunction with the IP protocol content;    wherein the multicast content includes a plurality of audio channels and said audio channels are allocated to one or more reserved channel-sufficient portions of the one or more one-way bandwidth portions, whereby each audio channel is multicast without interruption due to any other audio or video channel being transmitted through said one-way bandwidth portions.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the one-way bandwidth utilizes a connection independent of said two-way IP protocol Internet bandwidth.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39  wherein said two-way IP protocol Internet bandwidth includes the Internet backbone segment.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40  wherein said two-way IP protocol Internet bandwidth includes an Internet backbone segment.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39  wherein a plurality of the user apparatus each have an audio and video output capabilities for simultaneously outputting audio provided by the multicast content and displaying additional viewable image information provided by the IP protocol content.  
     
     
         44 . A method of delivery of at least audio content to remote user computing apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing at least the audio content in a multicasting protocol to generate audio multicast content;    b) streaming the audio multicast content to a local point of presence through one or more one or more transmission bandwidth portions reserved for the audio content for subsequent distribution to the remote user computing apparatus;    wherein the audio content includes a plurality of audio channels and wherein said audio channels are allocated one or more channel-sufficient segments of the one or more transmission bandwidth portions, whereby each of said audio channels is streamed to the local point of presence without substantial interruption due to a separate audio channel being transmitted through the one or more transmission bandwidth portions.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the one or more bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the method also includes the step of transmitting additional Internet protocol information through TCP/IP Internet bandwidth portions for forwarding of both the audio content and the additional Internet protocol information to the remote user computing apparatus.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the method also includes the step of transmitting additional Internet protocol information through TCP/IP Internet bandwidth portions for forwarding of both the audio content and the additional Internet protocol information to the remote user computing apparatus.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  wherein a plurality of user computing apparatus each have a audio output and video display that simultaneously plays audio provided by the audio content and additional viewable image information provided by the additional Internet protocol information.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the one or more one-way transmission bandwidth portions are included in a transmission connection independent of an Internet backbone segment.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the one or more one-way transmission bandwidth portions are included in a transmission connection independent of an Internet backbone.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the one or more one-way transmission bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the one or more reserved bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the one or more reserved transmission bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the one or more reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the one or more reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the one or more portions of bandwidth include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the one or more portions of bandwidth include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the one or more portions of bandwidth include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the one or more one-way reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the one or more one-way reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 47  wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.