VIDEO SHARING PLATFORM PROVIDING FOR DOWNLOADING OF CONTENT TO PORTABLE DEVICES

• US 20080178242A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Crackle Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Crackle Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: HAKEN, Piers, HAZEL, Steven, EYAL, Aviv, HODGSON, David Charles Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/950,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178242A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for use in providing content includes hosting a network site on a computer network, displaying on the network site links to one or more videos, and displaying on the network site at least an on-demand preview of a first video in response to a corresponding one of the links being selected. A storage medium stores a computer program for use on a client computer. Several other methods, systems and programs are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for use in providing content, comprising:

hosting a network site on a computer network;

displaying on the network site links to one or more videos uploaded over the network;

generating one or more video files from the uploaded video in a format that is supported for playback on one or more portable video players;

displaying on the network site a tool for searching through the one or more videos;

displaying on the network site a result of a search through the one or more videos;

displaying on the network site procedures for allowing downloading of video that is representative of the result of the search on one or more portable video players; and

downloading one or more generated video files, that is representative of the result of the search to one of the portable video players in response to the procedures being followed, wherein each transferred video clip is playable on the portable video player, and wherein the downloading is performed in pieces from two or more computers on the network.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

updating the video that is representative of the result of the search in the portable video player.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the network site an option to subscribe to a feed for automatically downloading and synchronizing content on a portable video player.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the one of the portable video players is plugged into a client computer during the downloading.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the network site comprises a video sharing website.

6. A system for use in providing content, comprising:

a portable video player coupled to a network; and

a data center coupled to the network that is configured to host a network site on the computer network, display on the network site links to one or more videos uploaded over the network, generate one or more video files from the uploaded video in a format that is supported for playback on the portable video player, display on the network site a tool for searching through the one or more videos, display on the network site a result of a search through the one or more videos, display on the network site procedures for allowing downloading of video that is representative of the result of the search on the portable video player, and downloading one or more generated video files that are representative of the result of the search to the portable video player in response to the procedures being followed, wherein each transferred video clip is playable on the portable video player, and wherein the downloading is performed in pieces from two or more computers on the network.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the data center is further configured to update the video that is representative of the result of the search in the portable video player.

8. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the data center is further configured to display on the network site an option to subscribe to a feed for automatically downloading and synchronizing content on the portable video player.

9. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the portable video player is coupled to the network by being plugged into a client computer that is coupled to the network.

10. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the network site comprises a video sharing website.