Content Management that Addresses Levels of Functionality

• US 20100011050A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Allard, James F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• 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 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Data can be provided via devices based on levels of functionalities of the devices. In one example, a broker receives content from a data source and sends the content to devices in a network for presentation to a user. The devices may have different functionalities and the broker may modify the data content in accordance with each devices level of functionality. Modification of the data content may include, for example, re-formatting or changing the amount of content to be displayed or provided at the respective devices in the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an input that identifies a client and a level of functionality of the client; and

forming a communication, to be communicated over a network, which indicates an association of the client to a particular household and the level of functionality of the client.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the input is received via a user interface that is output by another client device that performs the receiving and the forming.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the particular household is identified through use of one or more Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the input is received in response to a poll sent by a client that performs the receiving and the forming.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the communication further includes authentication data that corresponds to a user.

6. A method as described in claim 5, wherein:

the authentication data is configured for processing by an authentication service; and

authentication of the authentication data by the authentication service permits access to a plurality of websites without resubmitting the authentication data.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein:

the particular household is associated with a plurality of said clients; and

at least one said client has a level of functionality that is different than a level of functionality of another said client.

8. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising obtaining content by the client that corresponds to the level of functionality indicated in the communication for the client.

9. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the obtaining is performed without delivery of the content through a device that performs the receiving and the forming.

10. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the obtained content is configured to include one or more portions of the content that are supported by the functionality of the client and does not include at least one portion that is not supported by the functionality of the client.

11. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the level of functionality is included within a hierarchy having a plurality of said levels.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the hierarchy is arranged such that each said successive level supports the functionality of a previous said level and at least one item of functionality that is not supported by the previous said level.

13. A method as described in claim 11, wherein at least one said level corresponds to absence of an input device and another said level corresponds to inclusion of an input device.

14. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the communication is formed for communication over the network configured as an Internet.

15. A method comprising:

determining a level of functionality supported by one or more clients; and

forming a communication including content and parameters for modification of the content that correspond to the level of functionality such that the one or more clients may use the parameters to output the content that otherwise is not suitable for output by the client.

16. A method as described in claim 15, wherein:

the level of functionality is included within a hierarchy having a plurality of said levels; and

the hierarchy is arranged such that each successive said level supports the functionality of a previous said level and at least one item of functionality that is not supported by the previous said level

17. A method as described in claim 15, wherein:

the content is formed into a plurality of portions, with each said portion corresponding to one or more different functionalities; and

the parameters indicate which said portions correspond to which said functionalities.

18. One or more computer-readable media comprising instructions that are executable to:

associate an identifier of a client to a particular household having a plurality of other identifiers of a plurality of other clients, each said client also being associated with an indication of a corresponding level of a hierarchy arranged such that each said level is successively ordered, one after another, to;

support the functionality of a previous said level; and

include functionality that is not supported by the previous said level; and

form content for delivery to a plurality of said clients according to the corresponding level of the hierarchy.

19. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 18, wherein the instructions are further executable to form the content into portions, each said portion having a corresponding said level of the hierarchy.

20. One or more computer-readable media as described in claim 18, wherein the functionality is based at least in part on hardware resources.