System and associated terminal, method and computer program product for controlling the flow of content

• US 20050089022A1
• Filed: 10/22/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VL Collective IP, LLC (VideoLabs, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Muhonen, Ahti, Vainio, Antti-Pentti, Hannikainen, Ari
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/426 Receiver side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/263 Rate modification at the source after receiving feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/654 Transmission by server directed to the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system for controlling a flow of content includes a terminal and a network entity. The terminal is capable of sending a content status including terminal status information having a listing of one or more pieces of content stored in a memory of the terminal. The network entity includes a content flow manager that is capable of receiving the terminal status information. Then, based upon the terminal status information, the content flow manager can control the flow of content to the terminal. More particuarly, for example, the content flow manager can be capable of controlling the terminal to delete at least one piece of content from a memory of the terminal, and/or download at least one piece of content from a source of content.

Claims

1. A system of controlling a flow of content, the system comprising:

a terminal capable of sending a content status including terminal status information; and

a network entity comprising a content flow manager capable of receiving the terminal status information and server status information regarding a source of content, wherein the server status information comprises a listing of at least one piece of content available from the source, and wherein the content flow manager is capable of controlling the flow of content to the terminal based upon the terminal status information and the server status information.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises a memory, and wherein the control flow manager is capable of controlling the terminal to at least one of delete at least one piece of content from the memory of the terminal, and download at least one piece of content from the source.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the terminal status information comprises a listing of at least one piece of content stored in the memory of the terminal, and wherein the control flow manager is capable of controlling the terminal to delete at least one piece of content from the memory of the terminal based upon the listing of at least one piece of content stored in the memory of the terminal.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the server status information comprises a listing of at least one piece of available content from the source, and wherein the control flow manager is capable of controlling the terminal to download at least one piece of content from the source based upon the listing of at least one available piece of content from the source.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein the control flow manager is capable of determining if the memory of the terminal includes at least one piece of content to delete, and wherein the control flow manager is capable of sending a response to the terminal instructing the terminal to delete at least one piece of content when the control flow manager determines that the memory of the terminal includes at least one piece of content to delete.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the control flow manager is further capable of determining if source includes at least one available piece of content for the terminal to download, and wherein the control flow manager is capable of sending a response to the terminal instructing the terminal to download at least one available piece of content when the control flow manager determines that the source includes at least one available piece of content for the terminal to download.

7. A terminal comprising:

a memory capable of storing at least one piece of content;

a controller capable of sending a content status including terminal status information comprising a listing of at least one piece of content stored in the memory, wherein the controller is capable of sending the content request such that a network entity can receive the terminal status inquiry and control a flow of content to the terminal based upon the terminal status information.

8. A terminal according to claim 7, wherein the controller is capable of sending the content status such that the network entity can instruct the controller to at least one of delete at least one piece of content from the memory of the terminal, and download at least one piece of content from a source of content.

9. A terminal according to claim 8, and wherein the controller is capable of sending the content status such that the network entity can instruct the controller to delete at least one piece of content from the memory of the terminal based upon the listing of at least one piece of content stored in the memory of the terminal.

10. A terminal according to claim 8, wherein the controller is capable of sending the content status such that the network entity can instruct the controller to download at least one piece of content from the source based upon server status information comprising a listing of at least one available piece of content from the source.

11. A terminal according to claim 8, wherein the controller is capable of sending the content status such that the network entity can determine if the memory of the terminal includes at least one piece of content to delete, and send a response to the terminal instructing the controller to delete at least one piece of content when the network entity determines that the memory of the terminal includes at least one piece of content to delete.

12. A terminal according to claim 111, wherein the controller is capable of sending the content status such that the network entity can further determine if the source includes at least one available piece of content for the terminal to download, and sending the response further indicating if the source includes at least one available piece of content, and wherein the controller is further capable of downloading the at least one available piece of content when the network entity determines that the source includes at least one available piece of content.

13. A method for controlling a flow of content, the method comprising:

sending a content status including terminal status information comprising a listing of at least one piece of content stored in a memory of the terminal;

receiving the terminal status information; and

controlling the flow of content to the terminal based upon the terminal status information.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein controlling a flow of content comprises controlling the terminal to at least one of delete at least one piece of content from the memory of the terminal, and download at least one piece of content from a source of content.

15. A method according to claim 14, and wherein controlling a flow of content comprises controlling the terminal to delete at least one piece of content from the memory of the terminal based upon the listing of at least one piece of content stored in the memory of the terminal.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein controlling a flow of content comprises controlling the terminal to download at least one piece of content from the source based upon server status information comprising a listing of at least one available piece of content from the source.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein controlling a flow of content comrpises:

determining if the memory of the terminal includes at least one piece of content to delete; and

sending a response to the terminal instructing the terminal to delete at least one piece of content when the the memory of the terminal is determined to include at least one piece of content to delete.

18. A method according to claim 17, controlling a flow of content further comrpises:

determining if the source includes at least one available piece of content for the terminal to download,

wherein sending a response comprises sending a response to the terminal further instructing the terminal to download at least one available piece of content when the source is determined to include at least one available piece of content.

19. A computer program product for controlling a flow of content, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving a content status including terminal status information comprising a listing of at least one piece of content stored in a memory of the terminal; and

a second executable portion for controlling the flow of content to the terminal based upon the terminal status information.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the second executable portion is adapted to instruct the terminal to at least one of delete at least one piece of content from the memory of the terminal, and download at least one-piece of content from a source of content.

21. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the second executable portion is adapted to instruct the terminal to delete at least one piece of content from the memory of the terminal based upon the listing of at least one piece of content stored in the memory of the terminal.

22. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the second executable portion is adapted to instruct the terminal to download at least one piece of content from the source based upon server status information comprising a listing of at least one available piece of content from the source.

23. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the second executable portion is adapted to determine if the memory of the terminal includes at least one piece of content to delete, and send a response to the terminal instructing the terminal to delete at least one piece of content when the second executable portion determines the memory of the terminal includes at least one piece of content to delete.

24. A computer program product according to claim 23, wherein the second executable poirtion is further adapted to determine if the source includes at least one available piece of content for the terminal to download, and wherein the second executable portion is adapted to send a response to the terminal further instructing the terminal to download at least one available piece of content when the second executable portion determines the source includes at least one available piece of content.