Delivering a data stream with instructions for playback

• US 20070083608A1
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nellymoser, Inc. (Quad Graphics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nellymoser, Inc. (Quad Graphics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Puterbaugh, John, Baxter, Robert, Vera, Epiphany
• Application Number:
  US11/231,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083608A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

An approach for delivering encoded content data to a portable device is described. The content data is encoded to form encoded content data. The instruction data is combined with the encoded content data to generate a data stream that is able to be recognized by a target operating environment as executable. The data stream is delivered to a portable device capable of running the target operating environment. A program, included in the instruction data, is executed in the target operating environment on the portable device to initiate decoding of the encoded content data based decoding instructions included in the instruction data. The decoded content data is presented on the portable device.

Claims

1. A method for delivering encoded content data to a portable device, the method comprising:

encoding content data to form encoded content data;

combining instruction data with the encoded content data to generate a data stream that is able to be recognized by a target operating environment as executable;

delivering the data stream to a portable device capable of running the target operating environment;

executing a program, included in the instruction data, in the target operating environment on the portable device to initiate decoding of the encoded content data based decoding instructions included in the instruction data;

and

presenting decoded content data on the portable device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting an encoding approach used to encode the content data based on at least one characteristic associated with either or both of a source and a destination of the content data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting an encoding approach comprises selecting a codec used to encode the content data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the characteristic comprises a characteristic associated with the portable device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the characteristic comprises a characteristic associated with a network over which the data stream is delivered.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the characteristic comprises a characteristic associated with a provider of the content data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction data includes constraints on usage of the content data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein presenting the decoded content data on the portable device is subject to the constraints.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the constraints include one or more constraints selected from the group consisting of:

a limit on the number of plays, a limit on the number of minutes of play, a constraint on forwarding, a constraint on downloading, a constraint on streaming, a constraint on purchasing, and an expiration date beyond which the content data cannot be played back on the portable device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing playback information on the portable device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising comparing the stored playback information with usage constraints derived from the instruction data to determine if the usage constraints are satisfied before playing the audio signal on the portable device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising encrypting the playback information.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising updating the playback information during presentation of the decoded content data on the portable device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is able to extract the encoded content data from the data stream.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the program is able to extract the encoded content data from the data stream by extracting a playback program from the data stream and initiating the playback program to extract the encoded content data from the data stream.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the content data comprises an audio signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein presenting the decoded content data on the portable device comprises playing a decoded representation of the audio signal on the portable device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein encoding the audio signal includes adaptive differential pulse code modulation.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein encoding the audio signal includes linear prediction residual coding.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein encoding the audio signal includes encrypting at least a portion of data representing the audio signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least some encoding is performed before the encrypting.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the decoding instructions comprise a decoder capable of decoding the encoded content data.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the decoder is capable of decoding the encoded content data fast enough to permit playback in real time without interruption.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the data stream to the portable device comprises delivering the data stream to the portable device over a communication network.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the communication network comprises a wireless communication network.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction data includes a pointer to a source of additional encoded content data to include in the data stream.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising delivering encoded content data retrieved from the source to the portable device.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising presenting an initial portion of the encoded content data while the additional encoded content data is being retrieved to avoid a delay from being perceived by a user of the portable device during the retrieval.

29. A server for delivering encoded content data to a portable device, the server comprising:

an encoder module configured to encode content data to form encoded content data;

a bundler module configured to combine instruction data with the encoded content data to generate a data stream that is able to be recognized by a target operating environment as executable; and

a network interface in communication with a network for delivering the data stream to a portable device capable of running the target operating environment;

wherein the instruction data includes a program configured for execution in the target operating environment on the portable device to

initiate decoding of the encoded content data based decoding instructions included in the instruction data, and

present decoded content data on the portable device.

30. The server of claim 29, further comprising an encoding selector coupled to the encoder module and configured to select an encoding approach used to encode the content data based on at least one characteristic associated with either or both of a source and a destination of the content data.

31. The server of claim 29, wherein the instruction data includes constraints on usage of the content data.