Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Palamalai Gopalakrishnan

Jin Li

Craig Henry Wittenberg

Bret P O'Rourke

Christopher G Knowlton

Ravi Raman

In a networking environment, multiple end-users applications running on computing devices may operate behind a respective NAT device. Information transferred from one end-user application to another can be accomplished by establishing a connection from one private network to another. The NAT device translates information related to an end-user application operating within a private network to information that is understood by the public network environment. This translated information is communicated to the associated NAT device of the intended recipient. The NAT device of the intended recipient translates the public environment related information to information for the end-user in the private network.

Network address translation traversals for peer-to-peer networks

An implementation of trick mode methodology receives a first request to stream media for presentation at a first normal playback rate; streams a first media stream configured to the first normal playback rate; receives a second request to stream the media for presentation at a second greater playback rate; and performs one of the following responsive to receiving the second request: switching from streaming the first media stream to streaming from an appropriate position in a second media stream that corresponds to the second greater playback rate; or in an event that a second media stream corresponding to the second greater playback rate is not available, then streaming the first media stream at a higher bit rate in an attempt to comply with the second request.

Advanced trick mode

Server-side stream switching is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a server and a client. The server is capable of sending data within a first and a second stream via packets with a predetermined data designator, and of indicating switching from the first to the second stream via a packet with a predetermined switching designator. The client is capable of receiving the packets containing the data within the first and the second streams, and the packet with the predetermined switching designator. HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) server-side stream switching is particularly disclosed.

Server-side stream switching

Data rate smoothing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a real-time encoder and a rate-smoothing mechanism. The real-time encoder has a first layer and a second layer, where the first layer sends packets of data to the second layer at a dynamic bit rate. The mechanism adjusts the dynamic bit rate such that the rate is less than a predetermined maximum rate. In a further embodiment, the second layer also sends the packets to the mechanism, and the system also includes a buffer and a client. The buffer temporarily stores the packets received by the mechanism. The client receives the packets from the mechanism, where the mechanism deletes packets from the buffer when a predetermined backlog threshold is exceeded.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Palamalai Gopalakrishnan