Method for sharing a media collection in a network environment

• US 10,614,097 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2016
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: King, Ryan Eric, Brown, David E., Porter, Robert, Korman, Adam, Upendran, Manish, Wilson, Kathleen
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US15/074,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20160205113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 726 21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/637 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialization, adaptation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6236 between heterogeneous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0038 System on Chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/01 Automatic library building
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 : Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 : Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 : applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 : Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 : Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 : Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 : The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 : Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 : Multimedia

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides for the accessing and playing of media files having differing associated rights such as non-DRM media files, purchased and downloaded media files, subscription download files such as tethered downloads, and subscription streamed DRM files. In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method and user interface for sharing a media collection among computing devices in communication via a network. In one embodiment, the disclosed method allows access and playback, from each computing device on a network, of all media files in a media collection, regardless of their associated rights.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first computing device comprising a media collection and coupled to a second computing device in a networking environment, wherein the media collection comprises a first plurality of identifiers that each identifies a respective media file, and wherein the first computing device is configured to;

display a first graphical user interface (GUI) comprising a first field box and a second field box;

receive a first input in the first field box, wherein the first input comprises a first identifier associated with the first computing device, and wherein the first identifier is to be shown to the second computing device; and

receive a second input in the second field box, wherein the second input allows the first computing device to share the media collection with the second computing device, and

wherein the second computing device is configured to;

display a second GUI comprising a first area, a second area, and a third area, wherein the first area comprises the first identifier, wherein the second area is configured to display the media collection, and wherein the third area is configured to prompt a user to drag a media file to the third area to build a playlist;

receive a third input in which a second identifier identifying a first media file from the first plurality of identifiers is dragged to the third area; and

build the playlist comprising the second identifier identifying the first media file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second area comprises a first column listing a title associated with a second media file, a second column listing an artist associated with the second media file, a third column listing a length of the second media file, a fourth column listing a rating associated with the second media file, and a fifth column listing an album associated with the second media file.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is further configured to:

receive a fourth input requesting that the first media file identified by the second identifier be played;

in response to the fourth input, stream the first media file from the first computing device and play the first media file.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is further configured to receive a first selection of particular media files to be shared in the networking environment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first area further comprises a third identifier that identifies a third computing device available in the networking environment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is further configured to receive a second selection permitting all of the media collections of the first computing device to be shared in the networking environment.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the second computing device is further configured to:

display an artist option in which the second computing device displays media files in the media collection sorted by an artist name associated with media files in the media collection; and

display an album option in which the second computing device displays media files in the media collection sorted by an album name associated with media files in the media collection.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is further configured to access a non-digital rights management (DRM) media file via the first computing device, wherein the second computing device does not have a subscription to an online media service, and wherein the first computing device has the subscription to the online media service.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is further configured to access a purchased media file via the first computing device, wherein the second computing device does not have a subscription to an online media service, and wherein the first computing device has the subscription to the online media service.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is further configured to access a tethered downloaded media file via the first computing device, wherein the second computing device does not have a subscription to an online media service, and wherein the first computing device has the subscription to the online media service.

11. A method, comprising:

displaying, by a first computing device, a first graphical user interface (GUI) comprising a first field box and a second field box;

receiving, by the first computing device, a first input in the first field box, wherein the first input comprises a first identifier associated with the first computing device, and wherein the first identifier is to be shown to a second computing device in a networking environment;

receiving, by the first computing device, a second input in the second field box, wherein the second input allows the first computing device to share a media collection with the second computing device, and wherein the media collection comprises a first plurality of identifiers that each identifies a respective media file;

displaying, by the second computing device, a second GUI comprising a first area, a second area, and a third area, wherein the first area comprises the first identifier, wherein the second area is configured to display the media collection, and wherein the third area is configured to prompt a user to drag a media file to the third area to build a playlist;

receiving, by the second computing device, a third input in which a second identifier identifying a first media file from the first plurality of identifiers is dragged to the third area;

building, by the second computing device, the playlist comprising the second identifier identifying the first media file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second area comprises a first column listing a title associated with a second media file, a second column listing an artist associated with the second media file, a third column listing a length of the second media file, a fourth column listing a rating associated with the second media file, and a fifth column listing an album associated with the second media file.

13. The method of claim 11, farther comprising:

receiving, by the second computing device, a fourth input requesting that the first media file identified by the second identifier be played;

streaming, by the second computing device, the first media file from the first computing device; and

playing, by the second computing device, the first media file.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, by the first computing device, a selection of particular media files to be shared in the networking environment.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first area further comprises a third identifier that identifies a third computing device available in the networking environment.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising accessing, by the second computing device, a portion of the media file from the first computing device, wherein the second computing device does not have a subscription to an online media service, and wherein the first computing device has the subscription to the online media service.

17. A computing device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor and configured to store programming instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to;

display a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising a first area, a second area, and a third area, wherein the first area comprises a first identifier associated with another computing device, wherein the second area is configured to display a media collection of the other computing device, wherein the third area is configured to prompt a user to drag a media file to the third area to build a playlist, wherein the media collection comprises a first plurality of identifiers that each identifies a respective media file, and wherein the other computing device is coupled to the computing device in a networking environment;

receive an input in which a second identifier identifying a first media file from the first plurality of identifiers is dragged to the third area; and

build the playlist comprising the second identifier identifying the first media file.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the second area comprises a first column listing a title associated with a second media file, a second column listing an artist associated with the second media file, a third column listing a length of the second media file, a fourth column listing a rating associated with the second media file, and a fifth column listing an album associated with the second media file.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

display a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising a first area, a second area, and a third area, wherein the first area comprises a first identifier associated with another computing device, wherein the second area is configured to display a media collection of the other computing device, wherein the third area is configured to prompt a user to drag a media file to the third area to build a playlist, wherein the media collection comprises a first plurality of identifiers that each identifies a respective media file, and wherein the other computing device is coupled to the apparatus in a networking environment;

receive an input in which a second identifier identifying a first media file from the first plurality of identifiers is dragged to the third area; and

build the playlist comprising the second identifier identifying the first media file.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second area comprises a first column listing a title associated with a second media file, a second column listing an artist associated with the second media file, a third column listing a length of the second media file, a fourth column listing a rating associated with the second media file, and a fifth column listing an album associated with the second media file.