Method of sizing an embedded media player page

• US 20040045040A1
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo AD Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayward, Monte Duane
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

In a method of displaying video data using an embedded media player page, frame dimensional data for a first video file is received from a database 106. The database 106 includes frame dimensional data indexed therein for a plurality of video files. The plurality of video files includes the first video file, and the plurality of video files is retrievable from at least one video server 104 through a communications network 114. A media player is launched within the embedded media player page. A video display area of the media player is sized based upon the received frame dimensional data. The video data from the first video file is displayed within the video display area.

Claims

1. A method of displaying video data using an embedded media player page, comprising the steps of:

receiving frame dimensional data for a first video file from a database, said database including frame dimensional data indexed therein for a plurality of video files, said plurality of video files including said first video file, said plurality of video files being retrievable from at least one video server through a network;

launching a media player within said embedded media player page; and

sizing a display area of said media player based upon said received frame dimensional data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said database further includes a respective address on said network where each of said plurality of video files is located, said method further comprising the steps of receiving address data for said first video file and retrieving using said address data said first video file for display of said video data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said frame dimensional data include a frame width and a frame height for said first video file, said sizing step including the steps of setting a width of said display area based upon said frame width and setting a height of said display area based upon said frame height.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first video file is a synchronized multimedia integration language (SMIL) file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said media player is called locally from a client as an object for embedding in said embedded media player page.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of calling at least one control for said media player as an object for embedding in said embedd d media player page and locating said at least one control based in part upon said frame dimensional data for said video file.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of prompting a user to select said first video file from said plurality of video files and sizing said display area using default dimensional data when said database does not include frame dimensional data for said first video file.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said default dimensional data includes a default height value and a default width value for said display area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said embedded media player page is displayed in a pop-up window generated by a browser, said method further comprising the step of sizing said pop-up window based upon dimensions of said display area.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said embedded media player page includes content displayed adjacent at least one edge of said display area, said method further comprising the step of sizing said pop-up window to provide sufficient margin to display said content between said at least one edge and an edge of said pop-up window.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said content includes at least one of:

advertising content, branding content, and a search window.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said displayed content is adjusted in accordance with said received frame dimensional data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said video file is streamed through said network to said client from one of said at least one video server.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said sizing step is performed by executing a script file associated with said embedded media player page.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of prompting a user to select a video file from a list of video files derived from said plurality of video files indexed in said database, said list being displayed to said user by said client.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said list is displayed to said user in response to a search of said database, said database further including respective description data for each of said plurality of video files.

17. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program code for directing a processor to display video data in an embedded media player page (200), comprising:

a first code segment for receiving frame dimensional data for a first video file from a database (106), said database (106) including frame dimensional data indexed therein for a plurality of video files, said plurality of video files including said first video file, said plurality of video files being retrievable from at least one video server (104) through a network (114);

a second code segment for launching a media player within said embedded media player page (200); and

a third code segment for sizing a display area of said media player based upon said received frame dimensional data.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein said database (106) further includes a respective address on said network (114) where each of said plurality of video files is located, said medium further comprising a fifth code segment for receiving address data for said first video file and a sixth code segment for instructing a client (110) to retrieve using said address data said first video file for displaying said video data.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein said frame dimensional data include a frame width and a frame height for said first video file, said third code segment further comprising a code segment for setting a width of said display area based upon said frame width and setting a height of said display area based upon said frame height.

20. The medium of claim 17, wherein said first video file is a synchronized multimedia integration language (SMIL) file.

21. The medium of claim 17, wherein said embedded media player page (200) is displayed in a pop-up window generated by a browser, said medium further comprising a fourth code segment for sizing said pop-up window based upon dimensions of said display area.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein said embedded media player page (200) includes content displayed adjacent at least one edge of said display area, said medium further comprising a fifth code segment for sizing said pop-up window to provide sufficient margin to display said content between said at least one edge and an edge of said pop-up window.

23. The medium of claim 17, wherein said first video file is streamed through said network (114) to said client (110) from one of said at least one video server (104).

24. The medium of claim 17, further comprising a fourth code segment for prompting a user to select said video file from a list of video files from said plurality of video files indexed in said database (106), said list being displayed to said user by said client (110) in response to a search of said database, said database (106) further including respective description data for each of said plurality of video files.

25. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave encoded with computer program code for directing a processor to display video data in an embedded media player page (200), comprising:

a first code segment for receiving frame dimensional data for a first video file from a database (106), said database (106) including frame dimensional data indexed therein for a plurality of video files, said plurality of video files including said first video file, said plurality of video files being retrievable from at least one video server (104) through a network (114);

a second code segment for launching a media player within said embedded media player page (200); and

a third code segment for sizing a display area of said media player based upon said received frame dimensional data.

26. The data signal of claim 25, wherein said database (106) further includes a respective address on said computer network (114) where each of said plurality of video files is located, said medium further comprising a fourth code segment for receiving address data for said first video file and a fifth code segment for instructing a client (110) to retrieve using said address data said first video file for displaying said video data.

27. The data signal of claim 25, wherein said frame dimensional data include a frame width and a frame height for said first video file, said third code segment further comprising a code segment for setting a width of said display area based upon said frame width and setting a height of said display area based upon said frame height.

28. The data signal of claim 27, wherein said first video file is a synchronized multimedia integration language (SMIL) file.

29. The data signal of claim 25, wherein said embedded media player page (200) is displayed in a pop-up window generated by a browser, said medium further comprising a fourth code segment for sizing said pop-up window based upon dimensions of said display area.

30. The data signal of claim 29, wherein said embedded media player page includes content displayed adjacent at least one edge of said display area, said medium further comprising a fifth code segment for sizing said pop-up window to provide sufficient margin to display said content between said at least one edge and an edge of said pop-up window.

31. The data signal of claim 25, wherein said video file is streamed through said network (114) to said client (110) from one of said at least one video server (104).

32. The data signal of claim 25, further comprising a fifth code segment for prompting a user to select said video file from a list of video files from said plurality of video files indexed in said database (106), said list being displayed to said user by said client (110) in response to a search of said database (106), said database (106) further including respective description data for each of said plurality of video files.