Device profile-based media management

• US 20090063703A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Finkelstein, Jeff, Crowley, Matthew W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/240
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums

Abstract

A server configured to provide media to devices remote from the server is configured to provide different media to different devices at substantially a same time. The is server configured to recognize a device that requests media. The server is configured to automatically set a resolution at which a media is provided to the device based on the recognition of the device.

Claims

1. A system comprising a server configured to provide media to devices remote from the server, the server configured to provide different media to different devices at substantially a same time, the server configured to recognize a device that requests media, the server configured to automatically set a resolution at which a media is provided to the device based on the recognition of the device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to stream media to remote devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein recognizing the device comprises recognizing which device will play the media.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein recognizing the device comprises receiving an identification of the device in a message sent by the device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein recognizing the device comprises receiving a user input that provides information indicative of the device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured such that the device can be provided the media starting at a location in the media designated by another device which was provided the media by the server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured such that multiple devices can be provided media that is viewed jointly.

8. A system comprising a server configured to provide media to devices remote from the server, the server configured to provide media to a plurality of devices having different resolutions through a common channel, the server configured to determine which of the devices is being used to play the media, the server being configured to dynamically switch a resolution at which the media is provided based on a change in which of the devices is being used to play the media.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the common channel comprises internet access circuitry of a first device of the plurality of devices.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the server comprises a generic profile that includes data relating to capabilities of devices capable of connecting to the server, and the server is configured to determine at least one capability of at least one of the plurality of devices to which the media is provided based on the generic profile.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of devices provides data relating to its capabilities to the server at about a time when media is requested to be received by the device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to limit content to be provided based on an identification of the device being used to play the media.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to maintain a device profile for at least some of the devices that access media from the server, the device profile comprising at least one of resolution information, connection speed information, and media format information.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein determining which of the devices is being used to play the media comprises receiving device identification data that corresponds to the device that plays the media from at least one of the plurality of devices.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to change from providing media at a first resolution to play media on a first device to providing media at a second resolution to play media on a second device based on an identification that the second device is being used to play the media, and is configured to change back to providing media at the first resolution based on an identification that the second device is no longer being used to play the media.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to provide the media at a first resolution to a first device and provide the media at a second resolution to a second device when the first and second devices access the server through different channels.

17. A system comprising a first device, the first device comprising:

network access circuitry configured to allow access to a remote server such that the remote server can provide media data to the first device;

a display having a first resolution configured to display media from the server based on signals received from a processing circuit;

the processing circuit configured to

access the server,

receive data indicative of a request to play media on the display of the first device;

receive data from a second device indicative of a request to play media on a display of the second device, the display of the second device having a second resolution different than the first resolution,

provide data to the server indicative of a resolution at which to provide the media based on at least one of the data indicative of a request to play media on the display of the device and the data from the second device indicative of a request to play media on the display of the second device,

receive media data from the server based on the data provided to the server,

provide signals to the display based on media data received from the remote server and based on data indicative of a request to play media on the display of the first device, and

provide data output signals to a wireless transmitter based on media data received from the remote server and based on data from a second device indicative of a request to play media on the display of the second device;

the wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter being configured to transmit signals containing media data to the second device based on the output signals provided by the processing circuit.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the wireless transmitter is separate from the network access circuitry.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein

providing data to the server indicative of a resolution at which to provide the media comprises providing device identification data to the server;

the system further comprises the server configured to

receive the device identification data,

compare the device identification data to a profile stored by the server, the profile containing data indicative of the resolution at which to provide media when particular device identification data is received, and

to provide the media data to the device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuit is configured to provide both signals to the display and data output signals to the wireless transmitter at a same time based on media data received from the remote server.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to,

identify that media data is to be displayed on the second device;

provide data output signals based on media data received from the server to a transmitter for transmission to the second device based on the identification that media data is to be displayed on the second device;

after the identification that media data is to be displayed on the second device, identify that media data is no longer to be displayed on the second device; and

provide signals to the display based on media data received from the server based on the identification that media data is no longer to be displayed on the second device, the signals provided to the display being based on a same media piece as the data output signals provided to the transmitter.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the network access circuitry is configured to allow the first device to wirelessly access a network and the wireless transmitter is configured to allow the first device to transmit data directly to the second device.

23. A method comprising:

receiving data indicative of a last location at which a first device viewed a media piece;

using the data indicative of a last location at which a first device viewed the media piece to play the media piece on a second device at about the location indicated.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving data indicative of a last location at which a first device viewed a media piece comprises receiving and using the data in the first device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving data indicative of a last location at which a first device viewed a media piece comprises receiving the data at a server.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein using the data indicative of a last location at which a first device viewed the media piece to play the media piece on a second device comprises using the data indicative of a last location to identify a location in the media piece from which the server will start streaming the media piece to the second device.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the server is configured to be capable of providing a same media piece to a plurality of different devices at a same time but at different locations within the media piece.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the server is configured to be capable of providing different media pieces to different devices at a same time.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein

the first device comprises a display having a first resolution;

the second device comprises a display having a second resolution;

the first resolution is different than the second resolution;

the method further comprises providing the media piece from the server to the first device at a first resolution when the media is played on the display of the first device;

the method further comprises providing the media piece from the server to the second device at a second resolution when the media is played on the display of the second device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the media piece is provided from the server to the second device using the first device.