Network Foundation Technologies (NiFTy)
Encyclopedia
Network Foundation Technologies, LLC (NiFTy) is a U.S. based online broadcasting company founded
by Dr. Mike O’Neal, a computer scientist at Louisiana Tech University, and Marcus Morton, a music, film and multi-media entrepreneur. The company pioneered an online broadcasting technology that allows the computers and Internet connections of its audience to help deliver a broadcast on to other viewers. An application
, NiFTyTV, bypasses limitations inherent to online broadcasting by reducing bandwidth
costs at the source.
NiFTy is headquartered in Ruston, La., on the Louisiana Tech University
campus. The company largely employs graduates and students of the university's computer science program.
model for professional sports leagues, and provides online broadcasts for the Arena Football League and the Professional Bull Riders, as well as Grambling State University
.
The company receives ongoing support from the National Science Foundation (NSF)
as well as private funding, and has been awarded nine U.S. patents, with five pending. Patents #7,035,933, #7,512,676, #7,536,472, #7,543,074, #7,664,840, #7,818,407, #7,843,855, #7,895,324 and #7,925,726 were issued between 2006 and 2011.
design, where a broadcast stream is fed directly to a small number of viewers, who propagate the signal to more viewers. The audience grows as the signal repeats to more end-users, but only a few nodes
remain directly connected to the server
. The collective capacity of the viewers' computers and Internet connections then power a significant part of the online broadcast in a polite and non-invasive manner.
This technology overcomes the requirement that online broadcasters transmit a duplicate copy of each video stream
to every viewer. Employing end-users' computers to help broadcast the content stream reduces the server footprint and lowers energy consumption.
, former chairman of Motown Records and board member of PolyGram Records
and William J. MacDonald, creator and producer of the HBO series "Rome
."
from the Small Business Administration. The company also won the Louisiana Technology Company of the Year in March 2010. To date, the National Science Foundation has granted NiFTy $1.2 million in research funding
.
by Dr. Mike O’Neal, a computer scientist at Louisiana Tech University, and Marcus Morton, a music, film and multi-media entrepreneur. The company pioneered an online broadcasting technology that allows the computers and Internet connections of its audience to help deliver a broadcast on to other viewers. An application
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
, NiFTyTV, bypasses limitations inherent to online broadcasting by reducing bandwidth
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the difference between the upper and lower frequencies in a contiguous set of frequencies. It is typically measured in hertz, and may sometimes refer to passband bandwidth, sometimes to baseband bandwidth, depending on context...
costs at the source.
NiFTy is headquartered in Ruston, La., on the Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
campus. The company largely employs graduates and students of the university's computer science program.
Background
Founded in 2001, NiFTy was the first online broadcaster to incorporate the “Free For View”Free-to-view
Free-to-view is a term used for free of charge and encrypted audio and/or video contents transmission that do not require any form of continual subscription...
model for professional sports leagues, and provides online broadcasts for the Arena Football League and the Professional Bull Riders, as well as Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
.
The company receives ongoing support from the National Science Foundation (NSF)
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
as well as private funding, and has been awarded nine U.S. patents, with five pending. Patents #7,035,933, #7,512,676, #7,536,472, #7,543,074, #7,664,840, #7,818,407, #7,843,855, #7,895,324 and #7,925,726 were issued between 2006 and 2011.
Technology
NiFTy's technology centers on a balanced binary treeBinary tree
In computer science, a binary tree is a tree data structure in which each node has at most two child nodes, usually distinguished as "left" and "right". Nodes with children are parent nodes, and child nodes may contain references to their parents. Outside the tree, there is often a reference to...
design, where a broadcast stream is fed directly to a small number of viewers, who propagate the signal to more viewers. The audience grows as the signal repeats to more end-users, but only a few nodes
Node (networking)
In communication networks, a node is a connection point, either a redistribution point or a communication endpoint . The definition of a node depends on the network and protocol layer referred to...
remain directly connected to the server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
. The collective capacity of the viewers' computers and Internet connections then power a significant part of the online broadcast in a polite and non-invasive manner.
This technology overcomes the requirement that online broadcasters transmit a duplicate copy of each video stream
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
to every viewer. Employing end-users' computers to help broadcast the content stream reduces the server footprint and lowers energy consumption.
Board of Advisors
NiFTy's Board of Advisors includes music executive Clarence AvantClarence Avant
Clarence Avant is an American music executive, entrepreneur, and film producer. He was also known as the Godfather of Black Music.Avant's 75th birthday was celebrated by Billboard magazine, on its February 2006 issue....
, former chairman of Motown Records and board member of PolyGram Records
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
and William J. MacDonald, creator and producer of the HBO series "Rome
Rome (TV series)
Rome is a British-American–Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius and William J. MacDonald. The show's two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2007, and were later released on DVD. Rome is set in the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome's transition from Republic...
."
Awards
On February 15, 2011, NiFTy received a Tibbetts AwardTibbetts Award
Affectionately referred to as the "Tibbie", these national awards are made annually to those small firms, projects, organizations and individuals judged to exemplify the very best in SBIR achievement....
from the Small Business Administration. The company also won the Louisiana Technology Company of the Year in March 2010. To date, the National Science Foundation has granted NiFTy $1.2 million in research funding
Funding of science
Through history, the systems of economic support for scientists and their work have been important determinants of the character and pace of scientific research. The ancient foundations of the sciences were driven by practical and religious concerns and or the pursuit of philosophy more generally...
.