Media exchange protocol and devices using the same

• US 20070079010A1
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sadovsky, Vladimir, Heredia, Edwin
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A media exchange description language (MX-DL) is disclosed. The media exchange description language (MX-DL) may be used to facilitate media exchange within a media exchange network, such as a home network. Methods of determining an operability of a media item within a media exchange network are also disclosed. The methods may utilize the media exchange description language (MX-DL) to convert a media format of the media item into a compatible media format usable within a media exchange network. Devices and device components for performing the disclosed methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of determining an operability of a media item within a media exchange network, said method comprising the steps of:

comparing (i) a set of content parameters associated with the media item and (ii) device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network;

if the set of content parameters associated with the media item is compatible with the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network,

making the media item accessible to the one or more devices; and

if the set of content parameters associated with the media item is not compatible with the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network,

attempting to convert the set of content parameters into a compatible set of content parameters based on the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network, and

if conversion is possible,

converting the set of content parameters into the compatible set of content parameters, and

making the media item with the compatible set of content parameters accessible to the one or more devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of content parameters associated with the media item comprises one or more parameters selected from an audio parameter, a video parameter, an image encoding parameter, a content encapsulation parameter, a content protection parameter, a content encryption parameter, a bit-rate limitation parameter, a screen format conversion parameter, display resolution parameters, channel mode audio parameters, number or audio and video channels, geographical display and frequency parameters, geographical standardization parameters, display frame rate parameters, frequency range parameters, color map parameters, signal quantization parameters, chroma parameters, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of converting comprises adjusting one or more parameters within the set of content parameters associated with the media item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

receiving the media item from a media source outside the media exchange network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the media source comprises a digital television signal source, a digital radio signal source, a DVD, a CD, a digital picture camera, a digital video camera, an Internet video service, an Internet radio service, content downloaded from the Internet, a cell phone network, a portable music device, a PDA, analog television, analog radio, microphones, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the steps of (i) making the media item accessible to the one or more devices and (ii) making the media item with the compatible set of content parameters accessible to the one or more devices comprises storing the media item in a storage component that is accessible to a device capable of utilizing the media item or sending the media item directly to the device capable of utilizing the media item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more devices within the media exchange network are selected from a digital television, a digital television tuner, a digital radio player, a DVD video player, a CD player, a cellular phone, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a computer, a microprocessor, a device capable of converting a set of content parameters for a media item into a compatible set of content parameters for the media item based on the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more devices within the media exchange network comprises a device capable of converting a set of content parameters for a media item into a compatible set of content parameters for the media item based on the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network upon receiving a request for the conversion.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the media exchange network comprises a home network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of content parameters associated with the media item is compatible with the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network, but a receiving device in the media exchange network has limited hardware functionality in order to convert the media item into a high quality media file, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

making the media item accessible to a second device having greater hardware functionality than the receiving device;

utilizing the second device to convert the media item into a high quality media file; and

allowing access to the high quality media file by any of the one or more devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of content parameters associated with the media item is compatible with the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network, but a player device in the media exchange network has limited playback capabilities for the media item, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

making the media item accessible to a second device capable of converting the media item into a media format that matches optimum playback capabilities of the player device;

utilizing the second device to convert the media item into a media format that matches the optimum playback capabilities of the player device; and

allowing access to the converted media item by any of the one or more devices.

13. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

14. A device or device component containing application code for performing the method of claim 1.

15. A media exchange network capable of performing the method of claim 1.

16. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for facilitating media exchange in a media exchange network, said computer-executable instructions comprising a protocol that provides (i) a description of a set of content parameters associated with a media item, (ii) a description of device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network, and (iii) if the set of content parameters associated with the media item is not compatible with the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network, an attempted conversion of the set of content parameters into a compatible set of content parameters.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the description of the set of content parameters and the description of device capabilities are provided as a set of elements using an extensible mark-up language, wherein the set of elements comprises a beginning element designated <

mediaXchange> and

a matching closing element designated <

/mediaXchange>

, and one or more additional elements positioned between the beginning element and the closing element, said one or more additional elements comprising one or more primitives, one or more compounds, one or more declarations, one or more restrictions, one or more extensions, or a combination thereof.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein one or more primitives describe a codec format, a profile of the codec format, and a level value, if any, for the codec format.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more compounds identify capabilities of a given device, identify a collection of primitives used to encode a content item, or both.

20. A media exchange network comprising at least one computing device, said computing device capable of executing the computer readable medium of claim 17.

21. A device or device component capable of comparing (i) a first set of content parameters associated with a media item and (ii) device capabilities of one or more devices within a media exchange network, said device being capable of converting the first set of content parameters into a second set of content parameters for the media item, wherein the second set of content parameters is compatible with the device capabilities of one or more devices within the media exchange network.

22. A media exchange network comprising the device or device component of claim 21.