Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

Sanjay Bhatt

Anders Edgar Klemets

Eduardo P Oliveira

Scott Colville

Anand Paka

Tong L Wynn

Troy Batterberry

James Morris Alkove

Daniel F Plastina

Jason S Flaks

James Walter

William F Schiefelbein

James C Stewart

James H Dooley, Iv

Richard C Machin

Iv James H Dooley

James T Walter

Richard Machin

Systems and/or methods ('tools') are described that enable a digital rights management policy to be associated with digital media having an arbitrary content type or transfer control protocol. In some embodiments, the tools encrypt data segments of a media file and add a descriptor to each of those segments. These descriptors can enable a receiver of the encrypted media file to decrypt the file and consume it according to the correct digital rights management policy.

Protecting digital media of various content types

Various embodiments utilize methods of protecting content, such as Digital Rights Management (DRM), to enable secure playback of content on machines and devices within a local network, such as a home media network. In at least some embodiments, messages and content are delivered using, respectively, a control protocol for streaming and a transport protocol. In at least some embodiments, the control protocol for streaming is Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), and the transport protocol is Real Time Transport Protocol (RTP).

Carrying protected content using a control protocol for streaming and a transport protocol

Fast startup for streaming media includes one or both of a technique for predictive start and a technique for switching delivery channel(s) during streaming. Predictive start allows a media content source to predict which media stream(s) are desired by the requesting client device and begin streaming those predicted media stream(s) to the client device. The delivery channel switching technique allows the media content source to begin streaming the media stream(s) using one delivery channel (e.g., using the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)), and then check whether another delivery channel (e.g., using the User Datagram Protocol (UDP)) will work and switch to that other delivery channel if it will work.

Fast startup for streaming media

A source device permits a user of a remote device to access a protected file on the source device when the user of the remote device has a right to access the protected file. The user locates the protected file on the source device using the remote device and accesses the protected file using a media player on the remote device. The media player constructs a path by which the source device streams the protected file. The remote device responds to an authentication request from the source device that the user of the remote device has a right to access the protected file. The user is authenticated to confirm that the user of the remote device has a right to access the protected file. The protected file is streamed to the remote device via a path constructed by the remote device.

Remotely accessing protected files via streaming

Data can be streamed from a server to a client via an established connection. Commands (e.g., commands to navigate the streamed data) can be communicated to the server and streaming can continue (possibly from a different location) without breaking the connection. In one implementation, the connection is an HTTP 1.1 (HyperText Transfer Protocol version 1.1) connection.

Communicating via a connection between a streaming server and a client without breaking the connection

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use with a client and server device connected through a communication link. The client device sends a startup request to the server device. The startup request identifies a streamable media content that is to be provided to the client device, a communication link bandwidth associated with the communication link, and an amount of the desired streamable media content that is to be provided at a bitrate greater than the encoded bitrate but no greater than about the communication link bandwidth. The server device buffers at least the amount of the streamable media content, and transmits the amount of the buffered streamable media content at the higher bitrate. The server device locates a discrete rendering point in the amount of the buffered streamable media content and initiates transmission beginning with the discrete rendering point. After transmitting the amount of the buffered streamable media content, the server device transmits subsequent portions of the streamable media content to the client device at a bitrate about equal to the encoded bitrate. The client device buffers received streamable media content, and subsequently renders the buffered streamed media content.

Startup methods and apparatuses for use in streaming content

Methods and apparatuses are provided which allow a receiving device to dynamically control and/or otherwise influence a sending device's decision regarding the level of error correction that is applied to streamed media. One method includes having the receiving device generate a request for streamed media that specifies an initial requested error correction level. In this manner, the receiving device is allowed to initially negotiate an error correction level with the sending device that will be providing the streamed media. The receiving device may also dynamically modify the requested level of error correction applied to the streaming media. The sending and receiving devices may also initially and/or dynamically negotiate different error correction encoding schemes. Different error encoding scheme(s) and/or error correction levels can also be selectively applied to different types of streamed media data.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Sanjay Bhatt