Interactive data transmission system having staged servers

• US 20060215562A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evolve Interactive LLC (Endpoint IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hensen Mou
• Inventors: Mou, Hensen
• Granted Patent: US 7,518,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for use in a network including a local server coupled to a central server, the local server being coupled to a plurality of network devices, for interactively controlling from one of the plurality of network devices a flow of audio visual data from the central server to the network device, comprising obtaining a control command at the network device, the control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data from the central server to the network device. The control command is sent from the network device to the central server via the local server. A modified flow of the audio visual data is then received from the central server at the network device in response to the control command.

Claims

1. In an interactive television network including a first network device and a second network device, a method of interactively controlling from the first network device a flow of audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device for outputting to a television, the method comprising:

obtaining a control command at the first network device, the control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device;

sending the control command from the first network device to the second network device; and

receiving a modified stream of the audio visual data from the second network device at the first network device in response to the control command.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first network device is a set-top box and the second network device is a local server adapted for being coupled to a plurality of set-top boxes.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio visual data is a continuous stream of compressed audio visual data.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a file selection at the first network device, the file selection identifying a file stored in a memory associated with the second network device, the file including the audio visual data; and

sending the file selection from the first network device to the second network device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the file includes at least one of video data and audio data.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control command indicates a request to initiate the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control command indicates a request to pause the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control command indicates a request to advance the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device by a single frame.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control command indicates a request to modify a speed of the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the control command indicates a request to reduce the speed of the flow of the audio visual data.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the control command indicates a request to increase the speed of the flow of the audio visual data.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving a modified stream of the audio visual data from the second network device at the first network device in response to the control command comprises:

pausing the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device at the first network device; and

providing a menu of selections at the first network device to enable a file associated with the second network device to be selected.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving a modified stream of the audio visual data from the second network device at the first network device in response to the control command comprises:

continuing the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device at a point where the flow of the audio visual data was previously paused.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio visual data is stored in a file associated with the second network device, the method further comprising:

sending a location indicator from the first network device to the second network device, the location indicator indirectly identifying a location in the file.

15. In a network including a first network device and a second network device, a method of interactively controlling from the first network device a flow of audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device, the method comprising:

receiving a control command at the second network device from the first network device, the control command indicating a desired modification to the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device; and

modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device in response to the control command.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the control command indicates a request to initiate the flow of the audio visual data and wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device in response to the control command comprises:

initiating transmission of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device in response to the control command comprises:

modifying a speed of the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein modifying the speed of the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device comprises reducing the speed of the flow of the audio visual data.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein modifying the speed of the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device comprises increasing the speed of the flow of the audio visual data.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device in response to the control command comprises:

pausing the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device; and

providing a menu of selections at the first network device to enable a file associated with the second network device to be selected.

21. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the audio visual data is stored in a file associated with the second network device and modifying the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device in response to the control command comprises:

continuing the flow of the audio visual data from the second network device to the first network device at a point in the file where the flow of the audio visual data was previously paused.

22. A system adapted for enabling a user to interactively control flow of audio visual data to one of a plurality of set-top boxes, comprising:

a memory storing therein a plurality of files;

a local server configured to control transmission of audio visual data associated with one or more of the plurality of files in response to a control command; and

a plurality of set-top boxes coupled to the local server, each of the plurality of set-top boxes being configured to send a control command to the local server in order to modify an audio visual data stream being transmitted from the local server to the corresponding set-top box.