Abstract: A system and method for providing multiple audio streams for a video over a network such as the Internet. The system comprises a server that includes an encryption unit and a slicing unit, a plurality of boxes, and an ordering box. The server encodes multiple audio streams and a single video to be sliced into segments. The sliced segments of multiple audio streams and the single video are seeded to a number of the plurality of boxes. This may be repeated for other videos with multiple streams. When the ordering box makes a request for a single video with a single audio, then the number of boxes with segments of the requested video and multiple audio streams, filters and sends the requested video and requested single audio stream to the ordering box. Similarly, multiple closed caption streams can be handled and provided like the audio streams.

Abstract: To facilitate instant playback of an ordered title (e.g., a movie), a file pertaining to the title is fragmented into a header and segments. The header is seeded in all boxes in service and none, one or more segments are distributed to the network of boxes. When the title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are streamed in respectively from the boxes having the segments to enable continuous playback of the ordered title. Should one of the boxes fails to deliver the segment according to a certain requirement (e.g., a lower transmission rate), the box gets immediately replaced by a substitute machine that continues to supply the segment from where it was stopped.

Abstract: Techniques for fragmenting a file or a collection of media data are disclosed. According one aspect of the techniques, a file pertaining to a title is fragmented into a header and several tails or segments. The header is a continuous portion of the file while the segments are respective parts of the remaining portion of the file. The header is seeded substantially in all boxes, and none, one or more of the segments are distributed in each of the boxes in service. When a title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are continuously fetched respectively from other boxes that have the segments.

Abstract: Various techniques for a library with a significant number of titles are disclosed. A user may select and order a title whenever desired and play back the title fairly instantly. The library is dynamically updated in accordance with a schedule. According to one aspect of the techniques, whenever an ordered title is played back, a beginning portion of the data pertaining to the title is activated to be played back first. The beginning portion of the data is locally cached while the remaining portion of the data is supplied by other designated devices. To facilitate the management of the remaining portion of data for each of the titles in the library, the titles are partitioned into a number of groups or bands. The amount of the remaining portion of the data to be locally cached for each title is determined by a band the title belongs to. Further, as new titles are added in, the titles in each band are updated by retiring relatively unpopular titles to a lower band.

Abstract: Techniques for fragmenting a file or a collection of media data are disclosed. According one aspect of the techniques, a file pertaining to a title is fragmented into a header and several tails or segments. The header is a continuous portion of the file while the segments are respective parts of the remaining portion of the file. The header is seeded substantially in all boxes, and none, one or more of the segments are distributed in each of the boxes in service. When a title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are continuously fetched respectively from other boxes that have the segments.

Abstract: Techniques for updating a library with a significant number of titles are disclosed. A library in each of the boxes in service is updated synchronously or asynchronously. Any release to update the library is performed by propagating data chunks by a gossip protocol to all boxes in service. A proper release package is then recovered in each box from the received data chunk to update the library. According to one aspect of the techniques, a small set of seeding boxes is designated to propagate at least some or all of respective received data chunks to a set of the boxes. Each of the set of the boxes is caused to recursively propagate its received data chunks to other boxes chosen to continue spreading, if necessary, some or all of the received data chunks among the boxes till each of the boxes in service has received a designated portion of the data chunks.

Abstract: Techniques for seeding data among client machines, also referred to as boxes herein, are disclosed. To prevent the data distributed among the boxes from being illegitimately accessed or possessed, according to one aspect of the present invention, at least one of the data segments for a title cached locally in the boxes is made to miss some data portions that are stored separately. Essentially, the data segments are unusable without these data portions. When the title is ordered and an ordering box is authenticated, these data portions are then provided to complement the data segments so that a playback of the title becomes possible.

Abstract: Techniques for minimizing blocking artifacts in video images or frames are disclosed. In general, these blocking artifacts are the result of block-based compression standards, such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.261, H.263, and H.264. According to one aspect of the present invention, a blurring process is configured to replace pixels on the blocking boundaries with randomly selected pixels within respective regions, each of the regions is predefined with respect to a pixel being replaced. In a certain perspective, a blocking boundary is diffused without introducing blurring to other than the blocking artifacts. According to another aspect to the present invention, pixels in an image or frame are sequentially processed by a moving average process that is configured to smooth only those pixels that may cause subjective perception of the blocking artifacts.

Abstract: Techniques of providing media services based on a hybrid architecture are disclosed. The hybrid architecture is provided to take the benefits, features and advantages of both distributed architecture and client-server architecture. According to one aspect of the present invention, data pertaining to a title (e.g., a movie, a game, a data file or a piece of footage) is divided or organized into several segments that are distributed among boxes in service. General orders of titles being offered in a library are fulfilled by a group of selected client devices delivering respective segments to an ordering box. Special orders of certain programs (e.g., a live event or a rare title not included in the library) are fulfilled directly by at least a server. In addition, the server is configured to supply some of the segments to an ordering box or back up any one of the selected boxes designated to supply the needed data to an ordering box.

Abstract: Techniques for managing direct communication between two devices are disclosed. Each of the device is behind a network address translator. According to one embodiment, a server, in responding to a request from a requesting device for needed data, is configured to determine some of devices in service to be candidates from a database, where the database has many entries, each of the entries pertaining to one of the devices. The candidates are determined in accordance with at least compatibility of respective network address translators with a network address translator of the requesting device. Among the candidates, the server then designates a finalist that is preferably not designated to be a supplying device more often than it should be on average. The server then notifies either the requesting device or the supplying device so that the requesting device can get the needed data directly from the supplying device.

Abstract: Techniques for seeding data among client machines, also referred to as boxes herein, are disclosed. To prevent the data distributed among the boxes from being illegitimately accessed or possessed, according to one aspect of the present invention, each box is configured to perform what is referred to herein as a transcription process. In other words, when encrypted data is received, the data is decrypted and then re-encrypted with a key agreeable with a next box configured to receive the data.

Abstract: Techniques for managing media services in a distributed environment are disclosed. Data representing an item in the media service is distributed among devices in service. When a requesting device is newly joined and requests for the item, at least one supplying device is designed to supply the data to the requesting device. The supplying device may be a server or a peer device. In one case, each of the devices is behind a network address translator. A server, in responding to a request from a requesting device for needed data, is configured to determine some of devices in service to be candidates from a database, where the database has many entries, each of the entries pertaining to one of the devices. The candidates are determined in accordance with at least compatibility of respective network address translators with a network address translator of the requesting device.

Abstract: Techniques for sharing data among a plurality of networked devices, also referred to network nodes, are discussed. To best use an available uploading bandwidth of a device sharing data with a receiving device, a portion of the data is uploaded within the available uploading bandwidth, and another portion of the data is uploaded from another device locally caching the same data. To satisfy the minimum transmission rate of the data to the receiving device, both portions of the data are concurrently uploaded from the two devices to the receiving device. In reference to a predetermined minimum uploading bandwidth and the available uploading bandwidth, the two portions of data are interleaved and must be reassembled to recover the data for consumption in the receiving device. A size of the first portion of the data is determined by a server in view of the available uploading bandwidth a designated supplying box has.

Abstract: To ensure that media services are only provided to those authorized users or receiving devices, various conditional access mechanisms are provided to secure that media services are only received in those authorized. Different from a prior art conditional access system, an entitlement control message containing a master key can be sent directly to an ordering box. Depending on implementation, a secure session may be established between a server and an ordering box, such that all secured information including a master key may be transported. Further an ordering box does not need to possess a key or keys needed to decrypt an entitlement control message, such key(s) may be transported from time to time in a secure session established between the server and the ordering box.

Abstract: Techniques for keeping personalized settings across network are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, personalized settings (e.g., parameters or table) are managed in a primary client device associated with a subscriber. A copy of the copy of personalized settings is maintained in a server. When it is detected that the subscriber is logged on in a different client device (e.g., a box), a copy of the personalized settings is uploaded to the different client device that is configured to respond to the personalized settings. As a result, the subscriber sees the familiar settings on the different client device.

Abstract: Techniques for deblocking digital images or frames are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a blurring process is configured to modify pixels on the blocking boundaries based on surrounding pixels in a region that is adaptively calculated. The deblocking process is particularly useful in compression standards that operate on variable blocks. The deblocking process can be used as postprocessing or implemented as an in-line deblocker.

Abstract: A graphic user interface is provided to facilitate a playback of a movie from any desired point. The graphic user interface includes a track bar to reflect how much time data pertaining to the movie title is available for playback. After it is determined that a current data point is being dragged along the track bar, a time corresponding to the current data point is tracked as such a subsequent playback of the movie starts right from the current data point. In one embodiment, dragging the current data point along the track bar is achieved by a scroll wheel.

Abstract: Techniques for displaying a library of many movies and providing interactive mechanisms for users to browse the library, select or order a title are disclosed. In one embodiment, data pertaining to a title is distributed across a network. Whenever a movie is ordered, depending on implementation, either a leading portion of the data locally cached is played back or a time-fill program is activated during which distributed data is fetched as data streams from a set of designated boxes. In addition, movie titles are presented or displayed in movie banners, each resembling at least part or all of a corresponding movie poster distributed and promoted commercially by a studio or production company. Such a movie banner provides an expression with substantially similar style, colors and background such that a coincident impact may be created on audience when the movie banner is seen. Further each of the banners is embedded with a link that leads to a full review of the movie when selected.

Abstract: Techniques for displaying a library of many movies and providing interactive mechanisms for users to browse the library, select or order a title are disclosed. In one embodiment, movie titles are presented or displayed in movie banners, each resembling at least part or all of a corresponding movie poster distributed and promoted commercially by a studio or production company. Such a movie banner provides an expression with substantially similar style, colors and background such that a coincident impact may be created on audience when the movie banner is seen. Further each of the banners is embedded with a link that leads to a full review of the movie when selected.

Abstract: Techniques for distributing restricted media to consumers are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, personalized settings (e.g., parameters or table) are managed in a primary client device associated with a user. A copy of the personalized settings is maintained in a server. When the primary box is replaced, a copy of the personalized settings is uploaded to a different client device that is configured to respond to the personalized settings. Data pertaining to titles in a personal vault is preloaded. When there is an order for a release that is restricted for distribution over an open network, data pertaining to such a release is also loaded. As a result, the subscriber sees the familiar settings on the different client device and would not miss any release while the primary box is being replaced or repaired.