Aggregation and synchronization of nearby media

• US 20060242259A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tumsi Dayakar, Kamesh C., Madan, Vikram, Swaney, Richard J., Vallabh, Jitesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,607,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• 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 21/472 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media make media content (e.g., audio, video, or pictorial data) from multiple sources available through a single interface of a client device. The client device may be a portable media playing device (such as a laptop, Tablet PC, MP3 player, portable video player, or the like). By aggregating media content from plural sources (such as a desktop PC, a set top box, etc.) and providing a unified listing of the available media content from these multiple sources on the client device, a user can view all available media content at a single location, without making multiple connections to multiple different sources. Additionally, the user can pull media content from these multiple sources to the client device. Features also are provided to automatically synchronize, obtain, and update media content on the media source(s) and/or the client device. Various ways of handling digital rights management issues associated with copying at least some media content also are described.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

publishing data indicating available media content stored on or accessible via a first media source and a second media source;

receiving the data indicating the available media content at a client device;

displaying, on the client device, information identifying at least a portion of the available media content; and

pulling at least some portion of the available media content to the client device.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

publishing data indicating available media content stored on or accessible via a third media source, wherein the receiving step additionally includes receiving the data indicating the available media content from the third media source.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the displaying step additionally includes displaying, on the client device, information identifying at least a portion of the available media from the third media source.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the pulling step additionally includes pulling at least some portion of the available media content from the third media source to the client device.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a display on the client device indicating that media content is available.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising:

generating a request, using the client device, indicating a desire to receive information identifying the available media content.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining, using at least one of the first media source or the second media source, whether the client device is authorized to receive media content or information identifying the available media content from at least one of the first media source or the second media source.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, using at least one of the first media source or the second media source, whether the client device is authorized to receive media content or information identifying available media content from at least one of the first media source or the second media source.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data indicating the available media content stored on or accessible via the first and second media sources is published via a broadcast protocol.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first media source includes a personal computer and the second media source includes a set-top box.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein, in the publishing step, the data indicating the available media content stored on or accessible via the first media source is published independent of the data indicating the available media content stored on or accessible via the second media source.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating at least a first media content file from the available media content to pull to the client device.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

determining whether the first media content file already exists on the client device.

14. A system, comprising:

at least a first media source and a second media source, wherein at least one of the first and second media sources publishes data indicating available media content stored on or accessible via at least one of the first media source and the second media source; and

a client device in electronic communication with at least one of the first media source and the second media source, wherein the client device includes an input system for receiving the data indicating the available media content at a client device, a display device for displaying information identifying at least a portion of the available media content, and a processor system for pulling at least some portion of the available media content to the client device.

15. A system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a third media content source that publishes data indicating available media content stored on or accessible via the third media source, and wherein the input system of the client device is in electronic communication with the third media source to receive the data indicating the available media content from the third media source.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the display device additionally displays information identifying at least a portion of the available media from the third media source.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the pulling step additionally includes pulling at least some portion of the available media content from the third media source to the client device.

18. A system according to claim 14, wherein the display device further generates a display indicating that media content is available from at least one of the first and second media sources.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the processor system of the client device further generates data indicating a desire to receive information identifying the available media content.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the first and second media sources determines whether the client device is authorized to receive media content or information identifying the available media content from at least one of the first media source or the second media source.

21-96. -96. (canceled)