US 6,205,140 B1 · Communication of dynamic dependencies along media streams

Abstract

A method for communicating between a sender and a receiver a set of dependencies among a set of media streams in a data network. The method comprises the step of creating a payload data packet having a header and a set of stream descriptors, where the header has a required stream field. Each stream descriptor is uniquely associated with a media stream belonging to the set of media streams and has a connection field to provide a network address for its associated media stream. Each stream descriptor that is associated with a media stream having a dependency also has a dependency field. The method also comprises the steps of creating a control data packet having the payload data packet as a payload; setting the required stream field to a value indicative of a required set of media streams, the required set of media streams being a subset of the set of media streams; and setting the dependency fields to indicate the set of relationships.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method for communicating between a sender and a receiver a set of dependencies among a set of media streams, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a payload data packet having a header and a set of stream descriptors, wherein the header has a required stream field, wherein each stream descriptor is associated with a unique media stream belonging to the set of media streams and has a connection field to provide a network address for its associated media stream, and wherein each stream descriptor belonging to a subset of the set of stream descriptors has a dependency field;
creating a control data packet having the payload data packet as a payload;
setting the required stream field to a value indicative of a required set of media streams, the required set of media streams being a subset of the set of media streams;
and
setting the dependency fields to indicate the set of dependencies.

2 more elements

A method for receiving a set of dependencies among a set of media streams, the method comprising the step of:

receiving a first control data packet, the first control data packet comprising:
a sequence field indicating a first sequence number;
a time stamp field indicating a clock time;
and
a first payload data packet having:
a header with a required stream field having a value indicative of a first required set of media streams, the first required set of media streams being a subset of the set of media streams;
a set of stream descriptors each having a connection field to provide a network address for an associated media stream belonging to the set of media streams, and wherein each stream descriptor belonging to a first subset of the set of stream descriptors within the first payload data packet has a dependency field, the dependency fields indicating the set of dependencies;
and
an expiration time stamp field.

6 more elements

A computer readable storage medium, wherein stored in the storage medium are instructions to program a computer to:

receive a first control data packet, the first control data packet comprising:
a sequence field indicating a first sequence number;
a time stamp field indicating a clock time;
and
a first payload data packet having:
a header with a required stream field having a value indicative of a first required set of media streams, the first required set of media streams being a subset of a set of media streams;
a set of stream descriptors each having a connection field to provide a network address for an associated media stream belonging to the set of media streams, and wherein each stream descriptor belonging to a first subset of the set of stream descriptors within the first payload data packet has a dependency field, the dependency fields indicating a set of dependencies among the set of media streams;
and
an expiration time stamp field.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Communication of dynamic dependencies along media streams

Life of this patent

Communication of dynamic dependencies along media streams

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26