Method and user interface for downloading audio and video content filters to a media player

• US 20090210897A9
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clearplay Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Clearplay Incorporated
• Inventors: Iverson, Brent, Jarman, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,975,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/32 on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4508 Management of client data or end-user data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45455 applied to a region of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A client server arrangement for downloading media content filters from a server device to a client device. The media content filters define portions of a separate audio visual presentation containing potentially objectionable subject matter. Depending on user selections, identified portions of the audio/visual presentation may be skipped and/or muted during play. In one particular implementation, the client device, e.g., a DVD player, is configured to initiate a connection with a server device. Upon successful connection, the server device transmits one or more media content filters to the client device. The client device may be configured to determine whether a particular media content filter is available, to facilitate deletion of some existing media content filters in order to secure adequate memory space, and to ensure that the media player has an active account, before initiating a connection with the server device. The server device may be configured to determine whether the media player is associated with an active user account, whether a requested filter is available, and whether adequate memory space is available at the media player, before transmitting media content filters to the client device.

Claims

1. A method for downloading at least one media content filter from a remote storage comprising:

establishing communication with the remote storage;

requesting the at least one media content filter;

receiving the at least one media content filter from the remote storage; and

locally storing the at least one media content filter in a local storage.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the media content filter includes at least one identification of a portion of a media presentation to skip.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the media content filter includes at least one identification of a portion of a media presentation to mute.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the local storage is in operable communication with a media player, the local storage selected from at least the group comprising a random access memory, a flash memory, a memory stick, an optical disc, and a magnetic disc.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the media player is a DVD player including the local storage.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether the media content filter is already stored in the local storage.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising, before establishing communication with the remote storage, determining whether the media content filter is already stored in the local storage.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether sufficient space is available in the local storage to receive the at least one media content filter.

9. The method of claim 4 further comprising providing for deletion from local storage of a previously stored media content filter.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether the media player is inactive.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a reactivation code to activate the media player such that the media player may receive the media content filter.

12. The method of claim 4 further comprising transmitting an expected price for at least one filter to a server device.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving an actual price from the server device and displaying the actual price on a display operably coupled with the media player.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing for purchasing the at least one media content filter at the expected price.

15. A client device configured to perform the operations of claim 1.

16. A method for transmitting at least one media content filter from a remote storage to a local storage of a media player, the method comprising:

establishing a connection with the media player;

receiving an identification of the at least one media content filter requested from the media player;

determining whether the at least one media content filter is available; and

transmitting the at least one media content filter to the media player.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining whether the media player is associated with a valid user account.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting a reactivation code to a media player associated with an invalid user account.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising receiving an indication of payment prior to transmitting the at least one media content filter to the media player.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining whether there is sufficient space available in the local storage of the media player prior to transmitting the at least one media content filter.