Server side play-list

• US 20040158579A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Gopalakrishnan, Palamalai
• Application Number:
  US10/365,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158579A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a server side play-list that provides functionality to a client device to skip forward, backwards, rewind to various elements in a content that is streamed from the server. The server maintains records of each element that the server streams. For each record of a streamed element, a unique play-list generation identifier value is created and maintained at the server. A client device receives a list of play-list generation identifier values that corresponds to elements received by the client device. The client device identifies elements through the list of play-list generation identifier values. The client device may render a particular element, the desires to skip to another element in the list. Using the play-list generation identifier value of the particular element, and identifying its relationship in a list of received play-list generation identifier values, the client device provides the desired play-list generation identifier value of the element it desires to receive.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a client device for content;

streaming each element of the content to the client device;

identifying each element of the content as each element is streamed to the client device; and

creating a list of all elements sent to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a request from the client device to receive an element from the list.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the element is from a broadcast point.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the element is identified by a broadcast publishing point identifier value.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying each element is performed by listing each element in a receding play-list entry list.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the client device requests to receive an element by identifying a generation identifier value to the element.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the streaming is performed through logically defined data-paths.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein each data-path leads to a particular source that defines the origin of a particular element.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein each element includes a header that comprises a flag to indicate a new element that is streamed to client device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each element includes a header that comprises information regarding the format of the element.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the elements are streamed from a device other than the server and defined by the server through unique data-paths.

12. A method comprising:

creating a play-list based on the origin of entries;

receiving the play-list at a client device; and

skipping forward or backward over the entries defined by the play-list.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising rewinding entries defined by the playlist.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the entries originate from the same source.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the entries originate from different sources.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a client device for content;

creating a data-path for a first element to be streamed to the client device, wherein the data-path defines a particular source to the element;

streaming the first element to the client device;

determining if the client device desires to receive a succeeding element of the content;

creating a data-path for the succeeding element wherein the data-path defines a particular source to the succeeding element; and

sending the element to the client device, if the client device desires receipt.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the elements comprise header information that indicates a change of elements to the client device.

18. A method comprising:

requesting content to be sent;

receiving elements of the content, wherein each element comprises a unique generation identifier value; and

storing a list of elements and their unique generation identifier values as they are received.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein one of the elements originates from a broadcast point and contains multiple elements, further comprising identifying the one of the elements originating from the broadcast point and treating it as a single element.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the one of the elements originating from the broadcast point is identified by a broadcast publishing point identifier value.

21. The method of claim of claim 18 wherein the client device refers to a play-list at the server.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the client device skips backward on the play-list.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the client device skips forward on the play-list.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the client device rewinds elements on the play-list.

25. The method of claim 18 further comprising requesting to receive a received element on the list based on the received element'"'"'s unique generation identifier value.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein the client device refers to a play-list on the server to request a subsequent element in the play-list that has not been received.

27. One or more computer-readable media containing computer program instructions for providing content to a client device, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving a request for content, wherein the content comprises elements;

associating the elements with a play-list;

associating each element with a unique generation identifier value;

streaming the elements to the client device; and

tracking the streamed elements by their unique generation identifier values.

28. One or more computer-readable media containing computer program instructions for receiving content by a client device, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

requesting content from a server, wherein the content comprises elements;

receiving the elements, each element being identified by a unique generation identifier value; and

requesting the received elements by identifying the unique generation identifier values of the elements.

29. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data-structure comprising:

a first data field functioning to signal a change of elements;

a second data field containing a unique play-list generation identifier value; and

a third data field containing the element.

30. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data-structure comprising:

a first data field containing play-list entry information;

a second data field containing header information;

a third data field containing information describing content;

a fourth data field containing a unique play-list generation identifier value;

a fifth data field containing a pointer to a source of an element containing the element;

a sixth data field containing a media begin offset describing the element;

a seventh data field containing a media end offset describing the element; and

an eighth data field containing a publishing point identifier.

31. A server including a processor configured to perform one or more operations comprising:

receiving a request from a client device for content, the content contains one or more elements;

identifying a logical source of each element;

creating a logical data-path from the logical source of each element in order to stream each element to the client device;

streaming the elements to the client device; and

maintaining a mapping of each element that is streamed to the client device.

32. The server of claim 31 wherein a play-list defines the order of the elements of the content.

33. The server of claim 31 further comprising:

generating a unique identifier value associated with each element that is streamed to the client.

34. The server of claim 31 further comprising:

generating a unique identifier value associated with each element and

storing the unique identifier values as part of the mapping of each element that is streamed to the client device.

35. A client device including a processor configured to perform one or more operations comprising:

requesting content from a server wherein the content comprises elements;

instructing a play-list resident at the server, wherein instructing the play-list allows the server to stream elements to the client device; and

maintaining a list of unique generation identifier values that associate elements that are received.

36. The client device of claim 35 further comprising:

requesting a received element from the server by identifying the unique generation identifier value to the server.

37. The client device of claim 35 further comprising:

requesting an element in the play-list that has not been received.