Audio-video data switching and viewing system

A computer-operated method for viewing and switching of audio-video data over a network using a client-server system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of audio and video sources containing information referring to an event;
• streaming on the server side contents of a first audio file and a first video file from the audio and video sources to a plurality of users over a network, the first audio file being interleaved with the first video file;
• establishing separate sessions with the plurality of users by sending each user a separate stream;
• and
• controlling on the server side the streaming of video files, so as to switch between video files, streaming, upon switching, a second video file which is different from the first video file without altering the first audio file.

A computer system for viewing and switching of audio-video data, comprising:

• a plurality of audio and video sources containing information referring to an event;
• a streaming server for streaming the contents of a first audio file and a first video file from the audio and video sources to a plurality of users over a network, the first audio file being interleaved with the first video file, the streaming server establishing separate sessions with the plurality of users by sending each user a separate stream;
• and
• a feed distributor, connected between the audio and video sources and the streaming server, the feed distributor controllably feeding the first audio file and first video file to the streaming server, wherein the feed distributor can receive instructions from a user to switch between video files, wherein the video files are differentially compressed before streaming and comprise key frames, and wherein switching between the first video file and the second video signal occurs when a key frame of the second video file is encountered.

A computer-operated method for viewing and switching of audio-video data over a network using a client-server system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of audio and video sources containing information referring to an event;
• streaming on the server side contents of a first audio file and a first video file from the audio and video sources to a plurality of users over a network, the first audio file being interleaved with the first video file;
• establishing separate sessions with the plurality of users by sending each user a separate stream;
• controlling on the server side the streaming of video files, so as to switch between video files, streaming, upon switching, a second video file which is different from the first video file, wherein the video files are differentially compressed before streaming and comprise key frames, and wherein the controlling step switches between the first video file and the second video file when a key frame of the second video file is encountered.

A computer-operated method for viewing and switching of audio-video data over a network using a client-server system, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing at least one audio file and at least two video files containing information referring to same event;
• (b) streaming on the server side contents of a first audio file and a first video file to a plurality of users over a network, the first audio file being interleaved with the first video file;
• (c) establishing separate sessions with the plurality of users by sending each user a separate stream;
• (d) simultaneously with step (b), outputting a second video file different from the first video file;
• and
• (e) controlling on the server side the streaming of video files, so as to switch streaming from the first video file to the second video file for at least one user.

A computer system for viewing and switching of audio-video data, comprising:

• a plurality of audio and video sources containing information referring to an event;
• a streaming server for streaming the contents of a first audio file and a first video file from the audio and video sources to a plurality of users over a network, the first audio file being interleaved with the first video file, the streaming server establishing separate sessions with the plurality of users by sending each user a separate stream;
• and
• a feed distributor, connected between the audio and video sources and the streaming server, the feed distributor controllably feeding the first audio file and first video file to the streaming server, the feed distributor also simultaneously outputting a second video file different from the first video file without the second video file being streamed to a user, wherein the feed distributor comprises a session manager that switches between video files whereby, upon switching, the feed distributor streams the second video file to at least one selected user and stops streaming the first video file to the selected user.

A method for persistently streaming a plurality of multimedia files over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) establishing a persistent connection with a client by exposing an application-level protocol and initializing a steaming session with a server;
• wherein, the streaming session encapsulates a plurality of multimedia files that are transmitted and received by the client without using bandwidth of the streaming session;
• (b) creating one or more instances of a software object comprising one or more multimedia files to controllably feed a first instance in the streaming session;
• wherein the one or more multimedia files is selected from the encapsulated plurality of multimedia files;
• (c) exposing remote methods of the protocol for exchanging requests and parameters on the server side and the client side to transmit commands to one or more instances of the software object;
• (d) receiving on the server side a client request for a second instance of the software object;
• (e) transferring the second instance of the software object to the streaming session;
• wherein the second instance of the software object is different than the first instance;
• and
• (f) switching to the second instance of the software object without interrupting the persistent streaming session.

A system for persistently streaming a plurality of multimedia files over a network, the system comprising:

• (a) an application-level protocol for establishing a persistent connection with a client and initializing a steaming session with a server;
• wherein, the streaming session encapsulates a plurality of multimedia files that are transmitted and received by the client without using bandwidth of the streaming session;
• (b) one or more instances of a software object comprising one or more multimedia files to controllably feed a first instance in the streaming session;
• wherein the one or more multimedia files is selected from the encapsulated plurality of multimedia files;
• (c) one or more server side objects communicatively coupled to the application protocol for exposing one or more remote methods of the protocol for exchanging requests and parameters with a client side object to transmit commands to one or more instances of the software object;
• and
• (d) one or more client side objects communicatively coupled to the application protocol for exposing one or more remote methods of the protocol for exchanging requests and parameters with the server side object to transmit commands to one or more instances of the software object.