초록 ▼

A proxy apparatus and method for streaming media information via at least one network. When a user device communicates with the proxy apparatus using a particular bandwidth and requests that media information be provided from a media server, the proxy apparatus first determines if a version of the m

A proxy apparatus and method for streaming media information via at least one network. When a user device communicates with the proxy apparatus using a particular bandwidth and requests that media information be provided from a media server, the proxy apparatus first determines if a version of the media information encoded for the user device's connection bandwidth has been stored in the proxy apparatus. If a version of the media information encoded for the user device's bandwidth is not available from the proxy apparatus, the proxy apparatus sends a request to a media server for the media information. Once the media server receives the request, the media server begins to stream a copy of the media information encoded for the user device's bandwidth to the user device via the network and proxy device. If a version of the media information for the bandwidth is not available from the media server, the version for the largest bandwidth that does not exceed the bandwidth of the user device connection, is streamed to the user device. After the user device receives the media information, the proxy apparatus sends requests to the media server for versions of the same media information but encoded for different bandwidths. These copies of these various versions, along with the version actually received by the user device, are stored in a media storage device associated with the proxy device.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of streaming information from a proxy device to a user device, comprising:receiving a request for a version of the media information; streaming media information to the user device without interacting with a media server, if the requested version of the media information is available fro

1. A method of streaming information from a proxy device to a user device, comprising:receiving a request for a version of the media information; streaming media information to the user device without interacting with a media server, if the requested version of the media information is available from the proxy device; streaming the requested version of the media information from a media server to the user device through the proxy device if the requested version is not available from the proxy device; reading meta-tag information of the version of the media information; identifying other versions of the media information available from the media server based on the meta-tag information; retrieving the other versions of the media information from the media server; and storing the other versions of the media information in the media storage device.