Remotely controlling playback of content on a stored device

• US 20060293769A1
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sadovsky, Vladimir, Rosenbloom, Oren, Jaisimha, Mysore Y., Manders, Blake, Roslyakov, Konstantin
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/88
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• 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 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable media are disclosed for remotely controlling playback of content stored on a device. The system, method, and computer-readable media can transmit state-based commands from a host unit to the device in order to control playback of the content. The host unit can control playback of the content without requiring the device to transfer the content to the host unit. The host unit can also be updated as soon as there is a change in any state of the device.

Claims

1. A system for controlling playback of content stored on a device comprising:

at least one host unit for controlling playback of content stored on a device without requiring the content to be transferred to the host unit; and

at least one state-based controller coupled to the host unit to allow the host unit to remotely control the playback of the content through state-based commands.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is at least one of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player, and wherein the device being at least one of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player includes a hybrid device that is a combination of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the host unit is at least one of an automotive media receiver, set-top box, personal computer, printer, and docking station.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the content includes Digital Rights Management (DRM) protected content.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of host units controlling playback the content stored on the device, wherein the plurality of host units are updated when a state of the device has changed.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein installation, drivers, and set-up are not required to enable the host unit to control the playback of the content stored on the device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one host unit communicates with other host units and devices though Media Transfer Protocol (MTP).

8. A method for remotely controlling playback of content stored on a device comprising:

remotely transmitting state-based commands to a device for controlling playback of content stored on the device, wherein the content is played back without requiring the content to be transferred away from the device; and

updating at least one host unit when a state of the device has changed.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the host unit maintains a record of the current state of the device.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the device is at least one of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player, and wherein the device being at least one of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player includes a hybrid device that is a combination of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the host unit is at least one of an automotive media receiver, set-top box, personal computer, printer, and docking station.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of host units can control the playback of the content stored on the device.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein installation, drivers, and set-up are not required to enable the host unit to control the playback of the content stored on the device.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the content includes Digital Rights Management (DRM) protected content.

15. One or more computer-readable media with instructions for executing a method for remotely controlling playback of content stored on a device comprising:

remotely transmitting state-based commands to a device for controlling playback of content stored on the device, wherein the content is played back without requiring the content to be transferred away from the device; and

updating at least one host unit when a state of the device has changed.

16. The computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein the device is at least one of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player, and wherein the device being at least one of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player includes a hybrid device that is a combination of an audio player, digital still camera, digital video camera, mobile phone, video player, and media player.

17. The computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein the host unit is at least one of an automotive media receiver, set-top box, personal computer, printer, and docking station.

18. The computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein a plurality of host units can control the playback of the content stored on the device.

19. The computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein installation, drivers, and set-up are not required to enable the host unit to control the playback of the content stored on the device.

20. The computer-readable media according to claim 15, wherein the content includes Digital Rights Management (DRM) protected content.