Method and apparatus for tracking user location within video or audio content streamed to a mobile handset

• US 20090092378A1
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: MSpot Inc (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wai, King Sun, Ho, Edwin
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing audio or video content to a mobile handset is provided.

Claims

1. A method for resuming playback of streamed digital content at a location where the playing of said content previously was stopped, comprising the steps of:

streaming content in a wireless fashion from a server to a mobile handset;

playing the content on said mobile handset;

stopping the playing of the content on said mobile handset;

instructing said server to stop streaming the content;

recording a location within said content when said mobile handset stopped playing said content; and

resuming streaming and playing of said content at said location at a later time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is audio content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is video content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said location is the beginning of a chapter of said video content.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said location is a location in a chapter of said video content other than the beginning of said chapter.

6. An apparatus for resuming the streaming of digital content at a location where the playing of streaming of said content previously was stopped, comprising:

a server containing digital content and the ability to stream said content to a mobile handset over a wireless network;

said server further including a log for recording the location within said content at the time it stops playing on said mobile handset; and

said server further containing the ability to resume streaming of said content at said location at a later time.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the content is audio content.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the content is video content.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said location is the beginning of a chapter of said video content.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said location is a location in a chapter of said video content other than the beginning of said chapter.

11. A method for streaming digital content at a location other than the beginning of said digital content, comprising:

storing a piece of digital content as a plurality of blocks, each block beginning at a unique location within said digital content;

receiving a command from a mobile handset requesting the streaming of said digital content starting at a particular location;

identifying which of said plurality of blocks most closely aligns with said particular location; and

streaming the identified block to the mobile handset over a wireless network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the content is audio content.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the content is video content.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each block comprises one or more chapters of said video content.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least two of the blocks contain at least one chapter in common.

16. An apparatus for streaming digital content at a location other than the very beginning of said digital content, comprising:

a server containing digital content and the capability to stream said content to a mobile handset over a wireless network;

said server comprising a storage device for storing said digital content as a plurality of blocks, each block beginning at a unique location within said digital content;

said server capable of receiving a command from a mobile handset requesting the streaming of said digital content starting at a particular location;

said server capable of identifying which of said plurality of blocks most closely aligns with said particular location; and

said server capable of streaming any of said plurality of blocks in response to said command.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the content is audio content.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the content is video content.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each block comprises one or more chapters of said video content.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least two of the blocks contain at least one chapter in common.