Methods and apparatus for transmitting multimedia files in a data network

摘要

A method of transmitting a multimedia file involves receiving a first message in a first protocol that requests first data associated with the multimedia file, the first data useable to establish a streaming session that transmits the multimedia file. The first message includes identifying data of a referring site. The method also involves transmitting to a requesting device the first data and optionally the identifying data of the referring site and then receiving a second message in a second protocol for the purpose of creating a streaming session associated with the multimedia file. A streaming session is then created for transmitting the multimedia file to the device. In another implementation a method is provided that involves receiving in a computing device from a referring site an identifier of first data associated with a multimedia file and identifying data of the referring site, which is useable for establishing a streaming session.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method of transmitting a multimedia file, the method comprising:
receiving, by a web server, a first message in a first protocol from a computing device, the first message comprising a request for a digital file associated with a referring web site, a first URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) associated with the digital file, and data identifying the referring web site; updating the digital file by the web server to incorporate the referring web site identifying data; transmitting, by the web server, the updated digital file to the computing device; receiving, by a streaming server, a second message in a second protocol from the computing device, the second message comprising the referring web site identifying data and a second data identifying a multimedia file which comprises an advertising portion and a content portion, the advertising portion comprising an advertisement; generating, in the streaming server, a streaming session for transmitting the multimedia file to the computing device; associating the streaming session with the referring web site identifying data; transmitting, by the streaming server, at least a part of the multimedia file to the computing device; tracking, by the streaming server, the advertisement transmitted through the streaming session to the computing device; and effecting remuneration to the referring website with the streaming server using data relating to the advertisements transmitted through the streaming session.