Search engine to verify streaming audio sources
Assignee3Com Corporation
InventorsJonathan M. Fitch, Carl C. Hewitt, John A. Bryant, Eric C. Hewitt, Ben Robert Manuto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated method for periodically evaluating media streams on a network of computers. The invention is used to determine the availability of various media streams and identify various characteristics of each stream. By repeatedly obtaining the addresses, attempting to establish communication with each media stream, and then reporting the results the system can verify that each media stream is accessible and report various characteristics of the stream.
Claims12
An automated method for periodically evaluating media streams on a network of computers, comprising:
- periodically obtaining a first group of addresses by use of a universal stream tuning service, each of said addresses identifying a location of a media stream on said network;
- periodically obtaining a second group of addresses by use of said universal stream tuning service, each address in said second group identifying a location of a media stream on the network that was previously identified as being unavailable;
- attempting to establish communication with each of said media streams in order to determine characteristics of said media stream;
- terminating said communication with each media stream after characteristics have been determined if said connection to said media stream is established;
- and
- reporting the availability of each said media stream, and any determined characteristics of said stream.
An automated method for evaluating media streams on a network of computers, comprising:
- obtaining an address that identifies a location of a media stream on said network by use of a universal stream tuning service;
- attempting to establish a connection with said media stream by using said address;
- determining a transmission rate at which said media stream is being received if a connection to said media stream was established;
- and
- updating records that contain information about said media stream with information concerning whether a connection was made to said media stream and, if a connection was made, reporting said transmission rate.
A computer program for periodically evaluating media streams on a network of computers, comprising:
- a control loop that obtains a block of addresses from a universal stream tuning system database each time verification is required;
- at least one stream verification routine that receives an individual address from said control loop;
- a means for verifying that media streams associated with said addresses are capable of being accessed;
- and
- a means for delivering results of said stream verification to said database.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.