Method and system for providing rich media content over a computer network

• US 20050256941A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: Binham Communications Corp.
• Inventors: Ireland, Alexander Blair, Hadjitarkhani, Abie, Behrens, John Robert, Narimatsu, Nancy Kiyoko, Armstrong, Brooke Allysoun, Muller, Stephen John
• Granted Patent: US 7,421,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/156 Query results presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

The invention presented here is a method and system for providing rich media content over a computer network. In accordance with the invention, a server on a physical or wireless computer network polls the software, hardware, or appliance of an end user on the network, for the availability of software and/or hardware necessary for the display of rich media content. This polling is transparent to the end user and requires no action on the part of the end user. Based on the client'"'"'s response, the server sends an appropriately formatted version of the rich media file. The user is not necessarily aware that this transfer is taking place, as it is taking place in the background, while the user is performing other tasks or viewing content other than that which is being transferred. Once the rich media has been transferred in its entirety and stored, or cached, in the local memory of the client, the rich media content is displayed automatically in a designated display area. The user may then be able to manipulate the rich media content without affecting the other content or tasks that were being displayed prior to the display of the rich media content.

Claims

1. A method for providing rich media content to a user over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

determining the user'"'"'s ability to playback said rich media content locally;

providing the user with a version of said rich media content appropriate for said user'"'"'s ability to playback said rich media content locally;

loading said rich media content into a local cache of the user; and

displaying said rich media content from the user'"'"'s local cache after said rich media content has been completely loaded.