Method and system for multicast delivery of multimedia content on demand

A method for delivering streaming media content from at least one source to a plurality of clients, comprising the actions of:

• receiving with a server a first streaming content from the at least one source;
• and
• at least one of:
• determining at an application layer of a network protocol whether at least one client of the plurality of clients desires to receive streaming content from the at least one source before multicasting the first streaming content from the server so that one or more of the plurality of clients may receive the first streaming content;
• determining at an application layer of a network protocol whether at least one client of the plurality of clients desires to receive streaming content from the at least one source before multicasting the first streaming content from the server so that one or more of the plurality of clients may receive the first streaming content, wherein if it is determined that the at least one client of the plurality of clients desires to receive streaming content from the at least one source, multicasting the first streaming content so that at least one of the plurality of clients may receive the first streaming content, and wherein if it is determined that no client desires to receive streaming content from the at least one source, preventing the multicasting of the first streaming content;
• determining at an application layer of a network protocol whether at least one client of the plurality of clients who has previously received the streaming content from the at least one source multicasted from the server desires to continue to receive streaming content from the at least one source to determine at the application layer of a network protocol whether to discontinue multicasting the first streaming content from the server;
• and
• determining at an application layer of a network protocol whether at least one client of the plurality of clients who has previously received the streaming content from the at least one source multicasted from the at least one server desires to continue to receive streaming content from the at least one source multicasted from the server to determine at the application layer of a network protocol whether to discontinue multicasting the first streaming content from the at least one server, wherein if it is determined that the at least one client of the plurality of clients who has previously received the streaming content from the at least one source desires to not continue to receive streaming content from the at least one source, terminating multicasting of the first streaming content, and wherein if it is determined at the application layer of a network protocol that the at least one client of the plurality of clients who has previously received the streaming content from the at least one source desires to continue to receive streaming content from the at least one source, continuing multicasting the first streaming content.

A method for delivering streaming media content over a network including a server from at least one source to a plurality of clients, comprising the actions of:

• receiving with a server a first streaming content from the at least one source;
• placing the first streaming content onto the network and multicasting the first streaming content;
• and
• while receiving with the server the first streaming content from the at least one source, determining whether all of the plurality of clients have ceased to desire to receive the multicasted first streaming content from the at least one source, and if a determination is made that all of the plurality of clients have ceased to desire to receive the multicasted first streaming content from the at least one source, preventing the first streaming content from continuing to enter the network, and if a determination is made that at least one of the plurality of clients continues to desire to receive the multicasted first streaming content from the at least one source, continue multicasting of the first streaming content and continue placing the first streaming content onto the network.

A method for delivering streaming multimedia content from a plurality of sources to a plurality of clients, comprising the actions of:

• determining if at least one client of the plurality of clients desires to receive at least one source of the plurality of sources;
• multicasting the at least one source to the at least one client;
• and
• terminating the multicast of the at least one source if none of the plurality of clients desires to continue to receive content from the at least one source.

An apparatus for delivering streaming media content from at least one source to a plurality of clients over a network, the apparatus comprising:

• a server adapted to receive a first streaming media content from a first source and adapted to multicast the received first streaming media content to at least one client of the plurality of clients,
• wherein the server includes logic at an application layer of a network protocol to determine whether any of the plurality of clients desires to at least one of:
• receive a multicast transmission of the first streaming media content;
• and
• continue receiving a multicast transmission of the first streaming media content, and
• wherein the server includes logic at the application layer of the network protocol to at least one of:
• not initiate multicasting of the first streaming media content if it is determined that no client desires to receive the multicast transmission of the first streaming media content;
• and
• terminate multicasting of the first streaming media content if it is determined that no client desires to continue receiving the multicast transmission of the first streaming media content.

An apparatus for delivering streaming media content from at least one source to a plurality of clients over a network, the apparatus comprising:

• a server adapted to receive a first streaming media content from a first source and adapted to multicast the received first streaming media content to at least one client of the plurality of clients,
• wherein the server includes logic to determine whether any of the plurality of clients desires to at least one of:
• receive a multicast transmission of the first streaming media content;
• and
• continue receiving a multicast transmission of the first streaming media content, and
• wherein the server includes logic to at least one of prevent the first streaming media content from being placed on the network and prevent the first streaming media content from continuing to be placed on the network if at least one of:
• it is determined that no client desires to receive the multicast transmission of the first streaming media content;
• and
• it is determined that no client desires to continue receiving the multicast transmission of the first streaming media content.

A video distribution system, comprising:

• a server;
• and
• a plurality of cameras adapted to send respective streaming video contents to the server,
• wherein the server is adapted to receive at least some of the sent streaming video contents and adapted to multicast at least some of the received streaming media content to a plurality of clients over a network,
• wherein the total bit rate of the streaming video contents capable of being received by the server exceeds a network bandwidth, and wherein the server is adapted to limit the number of multicasts of respective streaming media contents to a total bit rate that does not exceed the network bandwidth by determining whether at least one of the received streaming video contents is desired to be viewed by a client and not placing that at least one received streaming video onto the network if the at least one client does not desire to view the received streaming video.

A method for multicasting over a network comprising a server and a plurality of clients, streaming media content to the plurality of clients, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a server, media content from a source;
• determining whether respective clients of a plurality of clients communicatively coupled with the server have furnished an indication requesting media content from the source;
• and
• causing the server to multicast streaming media content onto the network for transmission to the respective ones of the plurality of clients, the multicast streaming media content including media content from the source when a determination is made that at least one of the plurality of clients has furnished an indication requesting media content from the source, the multicast streaming media content not including media content from the source when a determination is made that none of the plurality of clients has furnished an indication requesting media content from the source.