Multiple audio streams

Abstract

A system and method for providing multiple audio streams for a video over a network such as the Internet. The system comprises a server that includes an encryption unit and a slicing unit, a plurality of boxes, and an ordering box. The server encodes multiple audio streams and a single video to be sliced into segments. The sliced segments of multiple audio streams and the single video are seeded to a number of the plurality of boxes. This may be repeated for other videos with multiple streams. When the ordering box makes a request for a single video with a single audio, then the number of boxes with segments of the requested video and multiple audio streams, filters and sends the requested video and requested single audio stream to the ordering box. Similarly, multiple closed caption streams can be handled and provided like the audio streams.

1 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of units coupled to a network, wherein one of the units initiate a request for video and audio streams in response to a server to determine one or more units provided with segments of the requested video and a multiple audios for the requested video, each of the one or more units selects the requested audio and supply segments of the requested video and audio to the ordering box.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more units selects the requested audio by selecting from the multiple audios residing as individual streams at the one or more boxes. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more units multiplexes the segments of the requested video and audio for transfer to the ordering box. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more units selects the requested audio by filtering the requested audio from the multiple audios residing as one stream at the one or more boxes. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple audio includes audio in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, or Japanese. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the request includes a subtitle or closed caption. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to provide directly streaming pertaining to a program to one or more of the units when bandwidth is available. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the streaming is multicast to the one or more units. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein none of the segments are provided by the server so that a considerable computational requirement on the server is distributed among the one or more units. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the units is offering a library with a substantial number of titles including multiple audios for each video, but each unit storing less than a complete file for each of the titles. 
   
   
       11 . A method of providing media services comprising:
 providing segments of a video and associated multiple audios to one or more units;   receiving a request from one of a plurality of units, the request including an order for video and audio;   identifying one or more units other than the requesting unit to provide segments pertaining to the requested video and audio to the requesting unit;   each of the identified one or more units, selecting the requested audio from the multiple audios associated with the requested video; and   streaming the requested video and audio from each of the identified one or more units to the requesting unit.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selecting step comprises selecting the requested audio from the multiple audios residing as individual streams at the one or more units. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  12 , further comprising multiplexing the segments of the requested video and audio for transfer to the requesting unit. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selecting step comprises filtering the requested audio from the multiple audios residing as one audio stream at the one or more units. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the multiple audio includes audio in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, or Japanese. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing directly streaming pertaining to a program from a server to one or more of the units when bandwidth is available. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the streaming is multicast to the one or more boxes. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein none of the segments are provided by a server so that a considerable computational requirement on the server is distributed among the one or more boxes. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the boxes is offering a library with a substantial number of titles including multiple audios for each video, but each box storing less than a complete file for each of the titles. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the request includes a subtitle or closed caption. 
   
   
       21 . A method of providing media services comprising:
 providing segments of a program including a single video and multiple audios to a number of units in a plurality of units;   receiving a request for the program from one of the units in the plurality of units;   selecting a single video and a single audio from the program residing at the number of units; and   sending segments of the single video and single audio to the ordering unit.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the selecting comprises filtering the requested audio from the multiple audios. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the selecting comprises identifying a data stream of the requested audio. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising multiplexing the single video and the single audio into one data stream.