Method and system for accessing audio/visual content

• US 20090077195A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sheshagiri, Mithun, Gibbs, Simon J.
• Application Number:
  US11/901,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077195A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4425 Monitoring of client processing errors or hardware failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system for accessing audio/visual content is provided. Such access involves initiating a download of selected content over a communication link, for display on a display device, and monitoring the download status to detect download conditions that may lead to a delay in the display of the selected content. Then, upon detecting download conditions that may lead to delay in display of the selected content, displaying alternate available content on the display device.

Claims

1. A method for accessing audio/visual content, comprising:

initiating a download of selected content over a communication link, for display on a display device;

monitoring the download status to detect download conditions that may lead to a delay in the display of the selected content; and

upon detecting download conditions that may lead to delay in display of the selected content, displaying alternate available content on the display device.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

while displaying said available content on the display device, continuing download of the selected content.

3. The method of claim 2 further including:

displaying said available content on the display device until a sufficient amount of the selected content is downloaded for display for a certain duration of time.

4. The method of claim 3 further including:

upon download of sufficient content, ceasing display of said available content, and displaying the downloaded content.

5. The method of claim 4 further including:

upon download of sufficient content, prompting a user when to cease display of said available content and start displaying the downloaded content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying available content on the display device further includes selecting available content of interest to the user, and displaying the selected available content.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting available content of interest to the user further includes selecting available content based on information indicating user interests.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said available content includes content that can be displayed without delay.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said available content includes local content and said selected content includes remote content for access via the communication link.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the remote content includes Internet video content and the local content includes local video content.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the available content includes local available content previously downloaded based on user interests.

12. An apparatus for accessing audio/visual content, comprising:

a downloader configured for downloading selected content over a communication link, for display on a display device; and

a scheduler configured for detecting download conditions that may lead to a delay in the display of the selected content, and upon such detection, displaying available content on the display device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the downloader is further configured for continuing the download of the selected content, while said available content is being displayed.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the scheduler is configured for displaying said available content on the display device until a sufficient amount of the selected content is downloaded for display for a certain duration of time.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the scheduler is further configured such that upon the download of sufficient content, the scheduler ceases display of said available content, and displays the downloaded content.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the scheduler is further configured such that, upon the download of sufficient selected content, the scheduler prompts a user to determine when to cease display of said available content and start displaying the downloaded content.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the scheduler is further configured for selecting available content of interest to the user, and displaying the selected available content.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the scheduler is further configured for selecting available content of interest to the user by selecting available content based on information indicating user interests.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said available content includes content that can be displayed without delay.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said available content includes local content and said selected content includes remote content for access via a communication link.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the remote content includes Internet video content and the local content includes local video content.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the available content includes local available content previously downloaded based on user interests.

23. A client module for accessing audio/visual content, comprising:

a user profiler configured for obtaining user interest information;

a downloader configured for downloading selected content from a server over a communication link, for display on a display device; and

a scheduler configured for detecting download conditions that may lead to a delay in the display of the selected content, and upon such detection, selecting available content based on the user interest information and displaying the selected available content on the display device.

24. The client module of claim 23 wherein:

the downloader is further configured for continuing the download of the selected content, while said available content is being displayed.

25. The client module of claim 24 wherein:

the scheduler is configured for displaying said available content on the display device until a sufficient amount of the selected content is downloaded for display for a certain duration of time.

26. The client module of claim 24, wherein the scheduler is further configured such that upon download of sufficient content, the scheduler ceases display of said available content, and displays the downloaded content.

27. The client module of claim 24, wherein the scheduler is further configured such that, upon the download of sufficient selected content, the scheduler prompts a user to determine when to cease display of said available content and start displaying the downloaded content.

28. The client module of claim 23, wherein said available content includes content that can be displayed without delay.

29. The client module of claim 28, wherein said available content includes local content and said selected content includes remote content for access via the communication link.

30. The client module of claim 29, wherein the remote content includes Internet video content and the local content includes local video content.

31. The client module of claim 29, wherein the available content includes local available content previously downloaded based on user interest information.

32. The client module of claim 24, wherein the scheduler is further configured for estimating duration of the delay, and selecting available content for display further based on the estimated duration of the delay.