Method and apparatus for providing a platform-independent audio/video service

摘要

A method and apparatus for providing a platform-independent audio/video service to a plurality of users over a packet-switched network. Audio/video signals are sent to a remote user where they are read using a sequence of processing operations that are independent of the remote user's processing unit. In other embodiments, the processing operations are comprised in a web browser or in hardware equipment which have as there main function the provision of the audio/video service. Also, other embodiments include an audio/video mailbox service that uses the foregoing audio/video service.