Controlling playback of content stored on a portable storage medium

• US 20050044481A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterActual Technologies Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Collart, Todd R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,499,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/202
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/022 Control panels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/12 by sensing distinguishing features of or on records, e.g. diameter end mark
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/16 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method of playing multimedia content comprising reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium; and utilizing a control structure stored on the separate storage medium to alter the playback of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium. A method of providing multimedia content comprising the steps of reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium; and downloading a control structure to control the display of the local multimedia content.

Claims

1. A method of playing multimedia content comprising:

reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium; and

utilizing a control structure stored on a separate storage medium to alter the playback of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium.

2. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on the separate storage medium in response to the reading at the local machine of the local multimedia content;

wherein the control structure modifies a flow of the local multimedia content.

3. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein the separate multimedia content is a subtitle.

4. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein the separate multimedia content is captions.

5. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein the separate multimedia content is a menu.

6. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein the separate multimedia content is an alternate camera angle.

7. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein the separate multimedia content further comprises programmatic content.

8. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein said programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

9. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein the separate multimedia content is in a different language than said local multimedia content.

10. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein said determining is automatic.

11. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user action, which is affected by the user;

wherein said determining further comprises determining as a function of said receiving of the indication of the user action.

12. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein the separate multimedia content further comprises additional multimedia content.

13. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, wherein said additional multimedia content is a subtitle.

14. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, wherein said additional multimedia content is captions.

15. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, wherein said additional multimedia content further comprises a menu.

16. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, wherein said additional multimedia content is an alternate camera angle.

17. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, wherein said additional multimedia content is a subpicture.

18. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, wherein said additional multimedia content further comprises programmatic content.

19. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 18, wherein said programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

20. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, wherein said additional multimedia content is in a different language than said local multimedia content.

21. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user action, which is effected by the user; and

wherein said determining further comprises determining as a function of said receiving of the indication of the user action.

22. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises identifying said portable storage medium using a tracking identifier on said portable storage medium.

23. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 22, wherein said tracking identifier is retrieved from the BCA.

24. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, further comprising reading at said local machine a user identifier.

25. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 24, wherein said determining is based upon said user identifier.

26. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, further comprising reading at said local machine a unique identifier.

27. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in a cache memory.

28. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in RAM.

29. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 2, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in a hard drive.

30. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable storage medium is an electronic storage medium.

31. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable storage medium is an optical storage medium.

32. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein said control structure is stored in a cache memory.

33. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein said control structure is stored in RAM.

34. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein said control structure is stored in a hard drive.

35. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein said control structure is based upon a user profile.

36. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein said control structure is downloaded.

37. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium based upon a version of the local multimedia content.

38. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 37 wherein a version of the separate multimedia content is downloaded based upon a version of the local multimedia content.

39. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium based upon a playback location of the local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium.

40. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 39 wherein the playback time of the local multimedia content is the current playback location of the local multimedia content.

41. A method of providing multimedia content comprising the steps of:

reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium; and

downloading a control structure to control the display of the local multimedia content.

42. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium in response to the reading at the local machine of the local multimedia content.

43. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content is captions.

44. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content is a menu.

45. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content is an alternate camera angle.

46. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content further comprises programmatic content.

47. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 46, wherein said programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

48. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content is in a different language than said local multimedia content.

49. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein said determining is automatic.

50. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user action, which is effected by the user;

wherein said determining further comprises determining as a function of said receiving of the indication of the user action.

51. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content further comprises additional multimedia content.

52. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 51, wherein said additional multimedia content is a subtitle.

53. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 51, wherein said additional multimedia content is captions.

54. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 51, wherein said additional multimedia content further comprises a menu.

55. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 51, wherein said additional multimedia content is an alternate camera angle.

56. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 51, wherein said additional multimedia content is a subpicture.

57. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 51, wherein said additional multimedia content further comprises programmatic content.

58. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 57, wherein said programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

59. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 51, wherein said additional multimedia content is in a different language than said local multimedia content.

60. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 51, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user action, which is effected by the user; and

wherein said determining further comprises determining as a function of said receiving of the indication of the user action.

61. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, wherein the method further comprises identifying said portable storage medium using a tracking identifier on said portable storage medium.

62. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 61, wherein said tracking identifier is retrieved from the BCA.

63. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, further comprising reading at said local machine a user identifier.

64. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 63, wherein said determining is based upon said user identifier.

65. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, further comprising reading at said local machine a unique identifier.

66. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in a cache memory.

67. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in RAM.

68. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in a hard drive.

69. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, wherein the portable storage medium is an electronic storage medium.

70. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, wherein the portable storage medium is an optical storage medium.

71. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, wherein said control structure is stored in a cache memory.

72. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, wherein said control structure is stored in RAM.

73. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, wherein said control structure is stored in a hard drive.

74. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, wherein said control structure is based upon a user profile.

75. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41, wherein said control structure is downloaded.

76. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41 further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium based upon a version of the local multimedia content.

77. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 76 wherein a version of the separate multimedia content is downloaded based upon a version of the local multimedia content.

78. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 41 further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium based upon a playback location of the local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium.

79. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 78 wherein the playback time of the local multimedia content is the current playback location of the local multimedia content.

80. A method comprising:

receiving a request for an indication of whether separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium, the request having been generated in response to reading local multimedia content;

transmitting the separate multimedia content stored on the separate storage medium; and

transmitting a control structure to control the display of the separate multimedia content.

81. A method of claim 80 wherein the received request includes a playback time of the local multimedia content.

82. A method of claim 81 wherein the playback time is the current playback time of the local multimedia content.

83. A method of claim 80 wherein the separate multimedia content is programmatic content.

84. A method of claim 83 wherein the programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

85. A method of claim 83 wherein the programmatic content is web content.

86. A method of claim 80 wherein the received request includes a version of the local multimedia content.

87. A method of claim 86 wherein the separate multimedia content is a version compatible with a version of the local multimedia content.