Media content router

• US 20070143377A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBY Solutions Incorporated (Best Buy Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Waites, Nigel
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

The present invention is a router with extended capabilities allowing it to make digital media content on a home local area network accessible over a wide area network such as the Internet, and a method for using such a media content router. The router can provide automated services for the local files such as photolab processing of digital images, or file backups. A pair of the routers can collaborate to play home media content at an away location when feasible, or transfer such files for away storage.

Claims

1. A system for remote processing of digital files, comprising:

a) a file server connected to a local area network (LAN) containing a designated folder for digital files;

b) a media content server containing trigger logic to notify a media content router when a file requiring processing is placed into the designated folder; and

c) the media content router containing;

(i) router logic to manage the LAN and providing connectivity to a wide area network (WAN) for a digital device on the LAN; and

(ii) upload logic to transmit the file requiring processing across the WAN to a remote service facility upon receipt of the notification from the media content router.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the trigger logic causes notification of the media content router essentially immediately when a file requiring processing is placed into the designated folder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the upload logic causes the file to be transmitted without interaction with a user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the upload logic causes transmission to the remote service facility of files requiring processing to have lower priority than all other types of communications activities through the media content router.

5. A system for remote processing of digital files, comprising:

a) a file server connected to a local area network (LAN) containing a plurality of digital files;

b) a set of criteria that determine whether a given digital file requires processing at a remote service facility;

c) a media content server containing identification logic to identify to a media content router a set of digital files on the file server that satisfy the criteria;

d) a media content router containing;

(i) router logic to manage the LAN and providing connectivity to a wide area network (WAN) for a digital device on the LAN; and

(ii) upload logic to transmit the set of digital files identified by the media content server across the WAN to the remote service facility.

e) a scheduler that periodically causes the identification logic to be executed.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the upload logic causes transmission to the remote service facility of files requiring processing to have lower priority than all other types of communications activities through the media content router.

7. A media content router having digital media adapter functionality, comprising:

a) router logic, whereby the media content router manages a local area network (LAN) and provides connectivity to a wide area network (WAN) for a digital device on the LAN;

b) catalog logic whereby, upon a request from a digital device connected to the LAN or the WAN, the media content router transmits a list of digital media content items stored in file servers on the LAN to the digital device; and

c) search logic whereby, upon a request from a digital device connected to the LAN or the WAN specifying search criteria, the media content router finds and transmits a list of any digital media content items stored in file servers on the LAN satisfying the criteria to the digital device.

8. The media content router of claim 7, further comprising:

d) file transfer logic whereby, upon a request from a digital device connected to the LAN or to the WAN, said request specifying a digital media content item stored on the LAN and designating the address of a target device on the LAN or the WAN, the media content router transmits the specified item to the target device,

9. The media content router of claim 7, further comprising:

d) graphical user interface (GUI) logic, whereby a user can interact with a GUI display on a monitor to cause the media content router to perform one or more of the following tasks;

(i) a catalog of all digital media content items stored in file servers on the LAN;

(ii) a search of file servers on the LAN for all digital media content items satisfying a set of criteria specified by the user; and

(iii) a presentation of a digital media content item on a target presentation device on the LAN or on the WAN.

10. A system for remote presentation of digital media content, comprising:

a) a first media content router managing a first LAN and connecting the first LAN to a wide area network (WAN);

b) a second media content router managing a second LAN and connecting the second LAN to the WAN;

c) catalog logic, comprising;

(i) logic in the first media content router to receive a request from a digital device on the first LAN for a catalog of digital media content;

(ii) logic in the first media content router to request a catalog from the second media content router of digital media content stored on the second LAN and return a catalog result; and

(iii) logic in the first media content router to return the catalog result to the digital device;

d) search logic, comprising;

(i) logic in the first media content router to receive a request from a digital device on the first LAN to search for digital media content satisfying a set of criteria;

(ii) logic in the first media content router to request the second media content router to search for digital media content stored on the second LAN satisfying the set of criteria and return a search result; and

(iii) logic in the first media content router to return the search result to the digital device;

e) presentation logic, comprising;

(i) logic in the first media content router to receive a request from a digital device on the first LAN to present an item of digital media content to a target digital device on the first LAN;

(ii) logic in the first media content router to request the second media content router to transmit the item of digital media content stored on the second LAN; and

(iii) logic in the first media content router to direct the item of digital media content for presentation on the target digital device;

f) copy logic, comprising;

(i) logic in the first media content router to receive a request from a digital device on the first LAN to copy an item of digital media content to a target digital device on the first LAN;

(ii) logic in the first media content router to request the second media content router to transmit the item of digital media content stored on the second LAN; and

(iii) logic in the first media content router to direct the item of digital media content for storage on the target digital device;

11. A method for remote processing of digital files, comprising:

a) placing a digital file into a designated folder in a file server;

b) sending notice by a media content server to a media content router that the digital file is ready for processing; and

c) copying the digital file across a wide area network to a remote service facility during periods when the media content router is not being used for other communications activities.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein sending notice is done essentially immediately after placing the digital file into the designated folder.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital file contains a digital image and the remote service facility is an image processing laboratory, further comprising:

d) processing the digital image by the image processing laboratory.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

d) selecting by a user from a list of digital files that have been previously copied to the remote service facility those digital files that the remote service facility will process.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

d) storing the digital file on a backup storage medium at the remote service facility.

16. A method for remote processing of digital files, comprising:

a) storing a set of criteria for selecting which digital files on a local area network require processing;

b) periodically sending an electronic signal to a media content router that processing is due;

c) upon receipt of the electronic signal, sending by the media content router a request to a media content server to identify any digital files on a local area network satisfying the criteria;

d) transmitting by the media content router the identified digital files to a remote service facility; and

e) processing the identified digital files by the remote service facility.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting only occurs in periods of non-use of the media content router by other processes on the LAN.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of criteria indicates that a digital file, having a timestamp designating that the digital file was created or last modified after a specified date and time, requires processing.

19. A method for synchronization of digital files on two local area networks (LAN'"'"'s) connected across a wide area network (WAN), comprising:

a) placing a first digital file into a designated folder in a file server on the first LAN;

b) sending notice by a first media content server on the first LAN to a first media content router, connecting the first LAN to the WAN, that the first digital file is ready to be copied;

c) handshaking between the first media content router and a second media content router, connecting the second LAN to the WAN, to identify periods of inactivity on both media content routers; and

d) initating the copying of the first digital file to a file server on the second LAN during periods of inactivity on the second LAN.

20. A method for presenting an item of digital media content for a user, comprising:

a) facilitating by a first media content router a first local area network (LAN) and connecting it to a wide area network (WAN);

b) making a user request to the first media content router, through a graphical user interface on a monitor on the first LAN, to present a selected item of digital media content;

c) choosing a target digital media presentation device connected to the first LAN on which the first media content router will present the selected item;

d) querying by the first media content router a media content server on the first LAN, to determine whether the requested item is stored in a file server on the first LAN;

e) if the requested item is stored in a file server on the first LAN, the first media content router queueing the requested item for immediate presentation on the target device;

f) if the requested item is not stored in a file server on the first LAN, the first media content router commanding a second media content router, facilitating a second LAN and connecting it to the WAN, to send the selected item;

g) estimating the time to copy the selected item from a file server on the second LAN across the WAN;

h) determining by logic in the first media content router and the second media content router whether presentation would be perceptibly degraded by the estimated copy time;

i) choosing whether to queue the item for immediate presentation on the target device or to store it on a file server on the first LAN based on the estimated transfer time;

j) initiating copying of the selected item to a device on the first LAN.