US5561670A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for operating a multicast system on an unreliable network
Assignee: Apple Inc
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Filing: 1994-05-13
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Granted: 1996-10-01
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Expires: 2014-05-13
Abstract
Abstract A multicast network system comprises a data network which provides a medium for data transfer. A media source having a control packet and media packets coupled to the data network broadcasts the control packet and the media packets to the data network and rebroadcasts the control packet in conjunction with the media packets to the data network. A media receiver is coupled to the network and receives the control packet and the media packets from the data network to process the control packet and the media packets to produce a media output.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric M. Hoffert
- 👤 Mark A. Green
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 22:26
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; H04L12/18; H04L12/1863; H04L12/1868; H04L65/00; H04L65/60; H04L65/61; H04L65/611; H04L65/75; H04L65/764; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/236; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/434; H04L65/1066; H04L65/1101
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of operating a multicast network comprising the steps of: transmitting a media packet digital signal on the multicast network; and transmitting a control packet digital signal on the multicast network, wherein the control packet digital signal includes format information on the media packet digital signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
47 words
A method of operating a multicast network comprising the steps of: transmitting a media packet digital signal on the multicast network; and transmitting a control packet digital signal on the multicast network, wherein the control packet digital signal includes format information on the media packet digital signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: receiving the control packet digital signal and the media packet digital signal by a media receiver; and processing the control packet digital signal and the media packet digital signal to produce a media output signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of processing the format information by the media receiver before processing the media packet digital signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the media packet digital signal includes audio samples and video frames and the method further comprises the steps of: generating datagrams having format information pertaining to the audio samples and the video frames; broadcasting the datagrams to the multicast network; and receiving the datagrams and using the datagrams to reconstruct the audio samples and the video frames from the multicast network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of outputting the reconstructed audio samples and video frames.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the format information of the control packet digital signal includes open channel information and open stream information, and further comprising the step of generating an array of the open channel information and the open stream information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of storing the control packet digital signal and the media packet digital signal, by the media receiver, in order to produce the media output signal at a later time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of: transmitting a second control packet digital signal having second format information on the multicast network; and transmitting a second media packet digital signal on the multicast network that conforms to the second format information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of: receiving the second control packet digital signal and the second media packet digital signal; and processing, by the media receiver, the second control packet digital signal and the second media packet digital signal to produce a second media output signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the step of processing the second control packet precedes processing the media packet digital signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
102 words
A media device, coupled to a network, comprising: a receiver, having a data format memory, which receives multiple transmissions of control packet digital signals having media packet digital signal format information, and stores the format information in the data format memory; a data processor, coupled to the receiver, which receives the media packet digital signal format information enabling media packet digital signals to be processed by the data processor to produce processor output signals; and an output device coupled to the data processor which receives signals from the data processor corresponding to received media packet digital signals to produce an output signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
102 words
A media device, coupled to a network, comprising: a receiver, having a data format memory, which receives multiple transmissions of control packet digital signals having media packet digital signal format information, and stores the format information in the data format memory; a data processor, coupled to the receiver, which receives the media packet digital signal format information enabling media packet digital signals to be processed by the data processor to produce processor output signals; and an output device coupled to the data processor which receives signals from the data processor corresponding to received media packet digital signals to produce an output signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The media device of claim 11 further comprising a media packet digital signal storage device which receives and stores media packet digital signals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The media device of claim 11, wherein the receiver receives a second control packet digital signal having second media data format information for storage in the data format memory.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The media device of claim 13, wherein the second data format information is stored in the data format memory before the receiver processes the media packet digital signals.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
49 words
An apparatus for operating on a multicast network, comprising: means for transmitting a media packet digital signal on the multicast network; and means for transmitting a control packet digital signal on the multicast network, wherein the control packet digital signal includes format information on the media packet digital signal.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
49 words
An apparatus for operating on a multicast network, comprising: means for transmitting a media packet digital signal on the multicast network; and means for transmitting a control packet digital signal on the multicast network, wherein the control packet digital signal includes format information on the media packet digital signal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-10-01 | 2000-04-01 | 2000-10-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-10-01 | 2004-04-01 | 2004-10-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-10-01 | 2008-04-01 | 2008-10-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |