The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Wai Pun Yiu

Shueng Han Gary Chan

Anthony Cheuk Pan Lui

A scalable Media-on-Demand (MoD) method to a large group of users in the Internet. This method makes use of peer buffering capabilities to collaborate in the distribution and downloading of media, facilitated by a central repository for the search of optimal peers as parent nodes to connect to and for the support of advanced features such as fast forward and backward plays. The method relieves the server load by shifting the media streaming functionality to the client side with high media receiving continuity and quality, leading to well-balanced and low network loads.

Peer-to-peer interactive media-on-demand

A method of video distribution within a peer-to-peer network. Once the video has initially been downloaded from a server, various fragments of it reside on various peers of the network. At the location of each fragment, the peer which stores it preferably also carries pointers to preceding-fragment, following-fragment, and same-fragment locations. This provides a list-driven capability so that, once a user has attached to any fragment of the program, the user can then transition according to the previous-fragment and following-fragment pointers to play, fast-forward, or rewind the program.

Growing community of inventors

Hong Kong, China

Wai Pun Yiu