Abstract: A system and method for determining data usage based on provenance information, in a stream-processing system, includes progressively setting usage information for output stream data objects (SDOs), determining input SDOs that an output SDO depends on, based on a provenance dependency function; recursively feeding back the usage information for a subset of SDOs that can be discarded; and discarding the subset of SDOs. A system and method for data retention based on usage information, in a stream-processing system, includes managing retention of SDOs by deleting SDOs that are determined to be of null usage; and enhancing retention characteristics of SDOs that are deemed to have usage.

Abstract: A resource-efficient live streaming system includes a broadcaster and a streaming server. The broadcaster receives a live feed and broadcasts a media stream to the streaming server containing several descriptions of the live feed along with control information. The broadcaster includes a stream thinner that implements a pruning algorithm. If descriptions from different streams are similar enough, one or more of them may be discarded without penalizing the quality of service perceived by the receivers. The streaming server assembles compressed data units into streams according to the control information from the broadcaster. The streaming server may also gather client feedback in order to estimate the status of the transmission channels and forwards the information to the broadcaster. The streaming server builds and streams media information to clients according to user preferences and receiver capabilities.

Abstract: Techniques for securely and adaptively delivering multimedia content are disclosed in which a set of alternate access units for each time slot is obtained. Then, the encryption stream index of each access unit from the set of alternate access units of the previous time slot are obtained. An encryption stream index is then assigned to each access unit in the set of alternate access units in the current time slot, such that the encryption index increases over time. Thus, the invention overcomes the problem of encrypting a multimedia stream that may have multiple access units for each time slot by selecting the encryption index for each access unit such that the encryption index increases, regardless of which access unit the delivery system (e.g., server) selects for transmission.

Abstract: Techniques for securely and adaptively delivering multimedia content. It is assumed that a set of alternate access units for each time slot is obtained. Then, the encryption stream index of each access unit from the set of alternate access units of the previous time slot are obtained. An encryption stream index is then assigned to each access unit in the set of alternate access units in the current time slot, such that the encryption index increases over time. Thus, the invention overcomes the problem of encrypting a multimedia stream that may have multiple access units for each time slot by selecting the encryption index for each access unit such that the encryption index increases, regardless of which access unit the delivery system (e.g., server) selects for transmission.

Abstract: A system and method for selection of a provenance dependency function in a stream-based data processing infrastructure to optimize backtracing performance in response to a provenance query includes determining performance of a set of dependency functions associated with an analysis component for determining relevancy of each input event received by the analysis component. The relevancy of each input event is determined according to each dependency function and storing a record of relevant events according to a recording method. Relevancy results of the dependency functions are aggregated, and the dependency functions are ordered according to a criterion. Data provenance is provided for a given output event using the input event recording method associated with a best dependency function according to the criterion.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for allocation of resources in a distributed computing system. For example, a method for allocating a set of one or more components of an application to a set of one or more resource groups includes the following steps performed by a computer system. The set of one or more resource groups is ordered based on respective failure measures and resource capacities associated with the one or more resource groups. An importance value is assigned to each of the one or more components, wherein the importance value is associated with an affect of the component on an output of the application. The one or more components are assigned to the one or more resource groups based on the importance value of each component and the respective failure measures and resource capacities associated with the one or more resource groups, wherein components with higher importance values are assigned to resource groups with lower failure measures and higher resource capacities.

Abstract: A signal stream is transmitted when an available transmission bandwidth becomes reduced by providing alternate signal streams of different bit rates from the same source. The alternate signal streams are sub-sampled to form frames that have particular identifiers added thereto. The server is informed in advance, before actually providing the frames, of the identifiers. Because the server knows the current bandwidth limitations and knows the identifiers of the frames, the server can pass for transmission only those frames of the alternate signal stream that can fit within the transmission bandwidth that is available.

Abstract: Techniques for deriving a provenance of one or more of a plurality of output data elements generated from a given output port of a PC are provided. At least one dependency function is created that relates the one or more output data elements to a set of one or more input ports of the PC and a corresponding plurality of input data elements. The dependency function comprises an encoding of at least one of one or more temporal filters and one or more sequence filters relating to the plurality of input data elements. The at least one dependency function is stored. A history of stream-level bindings of one or more input streams to one or more input ports of the processing component and one or more output streams from one or more output ports of the processing component is stored. The plurality of input data elements belonging to the one or more input streams and the plurality of output data elements belonging to the one or more output streams are stored.

Abstract: Techniques for deriving a provenance of one or more of a plurality of output data elements generated from a given output port of a PC are provided. At least one dependency function is created that relates the one or more output data elements to a set of one or more input ports of the PC and a corresponding plurality of input data elements. The dependency function comprises an encoding of at least one of one or more temporal filters and one or more sequence filters relating to the plurality of input data elements. The at least one dependency function is stored. A history of stream-level bindings of one or more input streams to one or more input ports of the processing component and one or more output streams from one or more output ports of the processing component is stored. The plurality of input data elements belonging to the one or more input streams and the plurality of output data elements belonging to the one or more output streams are stored.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating distributed processing systems includes inputting component descriptions in a distributed processing system and determining importance of each component. Capacity and failure characteristics of resource groups representing units of available processing capacity are also input. Components are assigned to a plurality of resource groups based on the capacity. Each resource group includes components where the failure characteristics permit simultaneous failures, such that in the event of such failures, an output value of the application is maximized.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically building applications for stream processing includes providing processing elements with a flow specification describing each input and a stream description describing each output such that the flow specification indicates a stream or streams which are to be received based on processing information and the stream descriptions indicate the processing information. Processing elements that can be reused are identified by determining equivalence between the processing elements. Processing elements that are new and are not reusable are instantiated in a flow graph. An application is dynamically composed, using the instantiated processing elements by routing available streams to the instantiated processing elements in accordance with the flow specifications.

Abstract: A signal stream is transmitted when an available transmission bandwidth becomes reduced by providing alternate signal streams of different bit rates from the same source. The alternate signal streams are sub-sampled to form frames that have particular identifiers added thereto. The server is informed in advance, before actually providing the frames, of the identifiers. Because the server knows the current bandwidth limitations and knows the identifiers of the frames, the server can pass for transmission only those frames of the alternate signal stream that can fit within the transmission bandwidth that is available.

Abstract: Techniques for securely and adaptively delivering multimedia content. It is assumed that a set of alternate access units for each time slot is obtained. Then, the encryption stream index of each access unit from the set of alternate access units of the previous time slot are obtained. An encryption stream index is then assigned to each access unit in the set of alternate access units in the current time slot, such that the encryption index increases over time. Thus, the invention overcomes the problem of encrypting a multimedia stream that may have multiple access units for each time slot by selecting the encryption index for each access unit such that the encryption index increases, regardless of which access unit the delivery system (e.g., server) selects for transmission.

Abstract: Techniques for securely and adaptively delivering multimedia content. It is assumed that a set of alternate access units for each time slot is obtained. Then, the encryption stream index of each access unit from the set of alternate access units of the previous time slot are obtained. An encryption stream index is then assigned to each access unit in the set of alternate access units in the current time slot, such that the encryption index increases over time. Thus, the invention overcomes the problem of encrypting a multimedia stream that may have multiple access units for each time slot by selecting the encryption index for each access unit such that the encryption index increases, regardless of which access unit the delivery system (e.g., server) selects for transmission.

Abstract: A publisher-subscriber system includes a broker configured to receive and distribute at least one data stream from publishers to subscribers in accordance with subscriptions. An annotator/classifier is configured to annotate or classify the data stream by employing one or more additional stream-level attributes to create an annotated data stream wherein the annotated data stream applies the stream-level attribute to all messages therein such that subscribers can subscribe to the annotated data stream created by the annotator/classifier.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically building applications for stream processing includes providing processing elements with a flow specification describing each input and a stream description describing each output such that the flow specification indicates a stream or streams which are to be received based on processing information and the stream descriptions indicate the processing information. Processing elements that can be reused are identified by determining equivalence between the processing elements. Processing elements that are new and are not reusable are instantiated in a flow graph. An application is dynamically composed, using the instantiated processing elements by routing available streams to the instantiated processing elements in accordance with the flow specifications.

Abstract: A resource-efficient live streaming system includes a broadcaster and a streaming server. The broadcaster receives a live feed and broadcasts a media stream to the streaming server containing several descriptions of the live feed along with control information. The broadcaster includes a stream thinner that implements a pruning algorithm. If descriptions from different streams are similar enough, one or more of them may be discarded without penalizing the quality of service perceived by the receivers. The streaming server assembles compressed data units into streams according to the control information from the broadcaster. The streaming server may also gather client feedback in order to estimate the status of the transmission channels and forwards the information to the broadcaster. The streaming server builds and streams media information to clients according to user preferences and receiver capabilities.

Abstract: A resource-efficient live streaming system includes a broadcaster and a streaming server. The broadcaster receives a live feed and broadcasts a media stream to the streaming server containing several descriptions of the live feed along with control information. The broadcaster includes a stream thinner that implements a pruning algorithm. If descriptions from different streams are similar enough, one or more of them may be discarded without penalizing the quality of service perceived by the receivers. The streaming server assembles compressed data units into streams according to the control information from the broadcaster. The streaming server may also gather client feedback in order to estimate the status of the transmission channels and forwards the information to the broadcaster. The streaming server builds and streams media information to clients according to user preferences and receiver capabilities.

Abstract: Techniques for securely and adaptively delivering multimedia content. It is assumed that a set of alternate access units for each time slot is obtained. Then, the encryption stream index of each access unit from the set of alternate access units of the previous time slot are obtained. An encryption stream index is then assigned to each access unit in the set of alternate access units in the current time slot, such that the encryption index increases over time. Thus, the invention overcomes the problem of encrypting a multimedia stream that may have multiple access units for each time slot by selecting the encryption index for each access unit such that the encryption index increases, regardless of which access unit the delivery system (e.g., server) selects for transmission.

Abstract: A data server for use in caching streaming media or other large data objects at locations remote from a central server. The data server monitors data requests by one or more client computers to determine if a streaming media data object satisfies the requirements for storage in the data server. The data server utilizes an intelligent caching scheme to maximize the efficiency of data storage in the data server. The data server of the example embodiment is modular so as to accept commercially available streaming media data server components for individual streaming media formats, such as Real Networks, QuickTime or MPEG.