System for and method of extracting a time-based portion of media and serving it over the Web

• US 20070088844A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Meta Interfaces LLC
• Original Assignee: Meta Interfaces LLC
• Inventors: Seims, Josh
• Application Number:
  US11/445,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088844A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application

Abstract

Methods of and systems for serving media are disclosed. One method includes selecting a segment of a block of media data, formatting a data package containing the selected segment for playing on a media player, and transmitting the data package to a client system. Preferably, the transmission forms streaming video data, which can later be played on a client system using a media player. In one embodiment, thumbnails of video frames from the block of media data are presented to a user, who then selects a beginning frame and an end frame that together define the selected segment, which is then streamed to the user or is downloaded for later playback. Preferably, the data package is formatted according to Advanced Systems Format and transmitted to the client system according to HyperText Transfer Protocol. In some embodiments, the selected video clip can be stored on the client system and indexed so that it can be searched against and played at a later time.

Claims

1. A method of serving media comprising:

selecting a segment of a block of media data;

formatting a data package containing the selected segment for playing on a media player; and

transmitting the data package to a client system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the data package forms streaming media.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising playing the selected segment on a media player on the client system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data package is formatted according to Advanced Systems Format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data package is transmitted to the client system according to HyperText Transfer Protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the block of media data corresponds to one of audio data, video data, audio/video data, and animation data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the segment of the block of media data comprises selecting start and end frames from multiple frames that correspond to the block of media.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the start and end frames are selected using a graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a cost of transmitting the data package, wherein the cost is based on a size of the selected segment.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a cost of transmitting the data package, wherein the cost is based on a relation between a size of the selected segment and a size of the block of media data.

11. A method of managing media data comprising:

selecting a segment from a block of media data;

formatting a data package containing the segment for playing on a media player; and

storing the data package on a client system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein formatting the data package comprises generating a header corresponding to the selected segment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the header comprises metadata.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the metadata comprises any one or more of a title, an artist, a movie classification, and a song classification.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the data package is formatted using Advanced Systems Format.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing a search for the formatted data package based on at least a portion of the metadata.

17. A system for processing media data comprising:

a server for selecting a segment of a block of media data, encapsulating the selected data segment, and transmitting the encapsulated data segment over a transmission medium; and

a client system for receiving and playing the encapsulated data segment.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the client system comprises a media player.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the client system comprises a Web browser for communicating with the server for selecting the segment.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the server comprises a presentation module and a selection module, wherein the presentation module is for presenting multiple media files and the selection module is for selecting a segment from one of the multiple media files.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the media data are audio/video data and the selection module presents video frames corresponding to scenes from one of the multiple media files.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the video frames is a thumbnail video frame.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the selection module comprises a graphical user interface.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the selection module is configured to select frames corresponding to the segment using drag-and-drop.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the selection module is configured to select frames corresponding to the segment using a radio button.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the media data are any one of video data, audio data, audio/video data, and animation data.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the server and the client system are configured to communicate according to HyperText Transfer Protocol.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the server is configured to encapsulate the selected data segment according to Advanced Systems Format.

29. A system for processing media data comprising:

means for selecting a segment of a block of media data;

means for encapsulating the selected data segment; and

means for transmitting the encapsulated data segment over a transmission medium to a client system configured to receive and rendering the encapsulated data segment.

30. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

selecting a segment of a media block; and

formatting a data packet containing the selected segment for playing on a media player.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the method further comprises sending the formatted data packet over a transmission medium to a client system.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the data package is formatted according to Advanced Systems Format.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the data package is transmitted to the client system according to HyperText Transfer Protocol.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the method further comprises searching for the segment of media block using search criteria, the search criteria including meta data corresponding to the segment of the media block.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the block of media data corresponds to one of audio data, video data, audio/video data, and animation data.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein selecting the segment of the media block comprises selecting start and end frames from the media block.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the segment of a media block is selected using a graphical user interface.