Method and Apparatus for Distributing Multimedia to Remote Clients

Abstract

Video and audio signals are streamed to remote viewers that are connected to a communication network. A host server receives an originating video and audio signal that may arrive from a single source or from a plurality of independent sources. The host server provides any combination of the originating video and audio signals to viewers connected to a communication network. A viewer requests the host server provide a combination of video and audio signals from the host server. The host server transmits an instruction set to be executed by the viewer. The instruction set causes the viewer to transmit parameters to the host user, including parameters relating to the processing capabilities of the viewer. The host server then transmits multimedia data to the viewer according to the received parameters. A plurality of viewers may be simultaneously connected to the host server. Each of the plurality of viewers may configure the received video and audio signals independent of any other viewer and may generate alerts based on the video and audio content.

1 . A method, implemented in hardware, of distributing media data to a client computer via a network from a server computer, the method comprising:
 receiving a data request at a server computer from a client computer via a network;   receiving a client specific parameter from said client computer;   capturing a stream of multimedia data comprising a video signal using at least one device configured to capture said stream of multimedia data;   receiving at the server computer a selection of a region of said video signal to view on said client computer;   encoding said stream of multimedia data in response to said client specific parameter, wherein said encoding is based on said selected region of said video signal; and   streaming said encoded stream to said client computer from said server computer via the network according to said client specific parameter.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said client computer specific parameter comprises data indicative of the processing capability of said client computer. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein streaming said encoded stream comprises streaming said encoded stream at a rate compatible with the processing capability of said client computer. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a second client specific parameter from a second client computer;   encoding said stream of multimedia data in response to said second client specific parameter as a second encoded stream; and   streaming said second encoded stream to said second client computer from said server computer via the network according to said second client specific parameter.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said second encoded stream is streamed to said second client computer while said encoded stream is streamed to said client computer at a different rate. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said client computer specific parameter is selected from the group consisting of video source selection, audio source selection, audio and video source selection, frame rate, compression level, image resolution, image brightness, image contrast, and image view. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said media data comprises at least one of audio data and video data. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 launching a delay monitoring module on said client computer;   detecting a change in received stream rate at said client computer;   communicating a request to a server computer requesting an updated client specific parameter comprising a multimedia data stream rate based on the detected change.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein detecting a change in received stream rate comprises repeatedly detecting a change at a time interval. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein detecting a change in received stream rate comprises detecting a change in received stream rate that exceeds a threshold. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein encoding said stream of multimedia data based on the selected region of said video signal comprises panning said video signal. 
   
   
       12 . A system for distributing media data, the system comprising:
 at least one device configured to capture a stream of multimedia data, said stream comprising a video signal;   a server configured to receive said stream of multimedia data from said at least one device; and   a client computer configured to communicate a request for multimedia data to said server over a network, wherein said request comprises a client specific parameter and a selection of a region of said video signal to view on said client computer, and   wherein said server is further configured to:
 encode said stream of multimedia data in response to said client specific parameter and based on said selection; and 
 stream said encoded stream to said client computer according to said client specific parameter. 
   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said server is configured to provide said streaming media data at a rate compatible with the processing capability of the client computer. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a second client computer, wherein said server is further configured to:
 receive a second client specific parameter from a second client computer; 
 encode said stream of multimedia data in response to said second client specific parameter as a second encoded stream; and 
 stream said second encoded stream to said second client computer from said server computer via the network according to said client specific parameter. 
   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said server is configured to stream said second encoded stream to said second client computer while streaming said encoded stream to said first client computer at a different rate. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein encoding said stream of multimedia data based on the selected region of said video signal comprises zooming said video signal. 
   
   
       17 . A method, implemented in hardware, of distributing media data to a client computer via a network from a server computer, the method comprising:
 receiving a data request at a server computer from a client computer via a network;   receiving a client specific parameter from said client computer;   capturing a stream of multimedia data using at least one device configured to capture said stream of multimedia data;   encoding said stream of multimedia data in response to said client specific parameter;   streaming said encoded stream to said client computer from said server computer via the network according to said client specific parameter;   launching a delay monitoring module on said client computer;   detecting a change in received stream rate at said client computer and;   communicating a request to the server computer requesting an updated client specific parameter comprising a multimedia data stream rate based on the detected change.