Dynamically Altering Playlists

• US 20100057928A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Kapoor, Abhinav, Whillock, Asa, Streeter, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists

Abstract

In general, in one aspect, streams associated with a playlist are received from a server. The playlist includes an ordering of streams that are queued for client-side playback from the server according to the ordering. Information associated with the receipt and playback of at least one of the streams is accessed. The client-side application requests to alter the streams of the playlist in response to the accessed information. The request identifies a desired playlist alteration and includes information that controls the playlist alteration. The streams of the playlist are displayed according to a playlist alteration made in response to the request.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, from a server, streams associated with a playlist, the playlist including an ordering of streams that are queued for client-side playback from the server according to the ordering;

accessing client-side playback conditions associated with the receipt and playback of at least one of the streams;

requesting, by a client-side application, to alter the streams of the playlist in response to the client-side playback conditions, the request identifying a desired playlist alteration and including information that controls the playlist alteration; and

displaying the streams of the playlist according to a playlist alteration made in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the streams of the playlist include at least one of:

audio streams, video streams, mixed streams having audio and video, text-based data, still image data and user-defined data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the streams include live streams.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing client-side playback conditions comprises accessing at least one of network bandwidth availability, client processing capability and user viewing statistics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired playlist alteration includes at least one of (i) a reordering of the streams in the playlist;

(ii) a removal of a stream from the playlist; and

(iii) an insertion of a new stream into the playlist at a specified insertion point in the playlist.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired playlist alteration includes a replacement of a stream in the playlist with a different version of the stream, the different version requiring different network and processing resources than the stream being replaced.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired playlist alteration includes a replacement of a stream in the playlist with a different stream having different content than content of the stream being replaced.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired playlist alteration includes a replacement of a currently-playing stream with a new stream, and wherein the request identifies the currently-playing stream and the new stream and includes control information that specifies whether or not to replace the currently-playing stream at an intermediate position.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the playlist is created by the client-side application.

10. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a server, streams associated with a playlist, the playlist including an ordering of streams that are queued for client-side playback from the server according to the ordering;

accessing client-side playback conditions associated with the receipt and playback of at least one of the streams;

requesting, by a client-side application, to alter the streams of the playlist in response to the client-side playback conditions, the request identifying a desired playlist alteration and including information that controls the playlist alteration; and

displaying the streams of the playlist according to a playlist alteration made in response to the request.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the streams of the playlist include at least one of:

audio streams, video streams, mixed streams having audio and video, text-based data, still image data and user-defined data.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the streams include live streams.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein accessing client-side playback conditions comprises accessing at least one of network bandwidth availability, client processing capability and user viewing statistics.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the desired playlist alteration includes at least one of (i) a reordering of the streams in the playlist;

(ii) a removal of a stream from the playlist; and

(iii) an insertion of a new stream into the playlist at a specified insertion point in the playlist.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the desired playlist alteration includes a replacement of a stream in the playlist with a different version of the stream, the different version requiring different network and processing resources than the stream being replaced.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the desired playlist alteration includes a replacement of a stream in the playlist with a different stream having different content than content of the stream being replaced.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the desired playlist alteration includes a replacement of a currently-streaming stream with a new stream, and wherein the request identifies the currently-streaming stream and the new stream and includes control information that specifies whether or not to replace the currently-streaming stream at an intermediate position.

18. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the playlist is created by the client-side application.

19. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

streaming media streams associated with a playlist to a client, the playlist including an ordering of streams that are queued for client-side playback according to the ordering;

receiving, from the client-side application, a request for an alteration of the playlist responsive to detected client-side conditions, the request identifying a desired playlist alteration and including information that controls the playlist alteration;

altering the playlist based on the received request; and

streaming the media streams associated with the playlist according to the alteration.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the streams associated with the playlist include at least one of recorded or live:

audio streams, video streams, mixed streams having audio and video, text-based data, still image data and user-defined data.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein altering the playlist includes at least one of (i) reordering the streams in the playlist;

(ii) removing a stream from the playlist; and

(iii) inserting a new stream into the playlist at a specified insertion point in the playlist.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a stream in the playlist with a different version of the stream, the different version requiring different network and processing resources than the stream being replaced.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a stream in the playlist with a different stream having different content than content of the stream being replaced.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a currently-streaming stream with a new stream, the currently-streaming stream being replaced at an earliest key frame in the new stream such that playback of the currently-streaming stream appears uninterrupted.

25. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

streaming media streams associated with a playlist to a client, the playlist including an ordering of streams that are queued for client-side playback according to the ordering;

receiving, from the client-side application, a request for an alteration of the playlist responsive to detected client-side conditions, the request identifying a desired playlist alteration and including information that controls the playlist alteration;

altering the playlist based on the received request; and

streaming the media streams associated with the playlist according to the alteration.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the streams associated with the playlist include at least one of recorded or live:

audio streams, video streams, mixed streams having audio and video, text-based data, still image data and user-defined data.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein altering the playlist includes at least one of (i) reordering the streams in the playlist;

(ii) removing a stream from the playlist; and

(iii) inserting a new stream into the playlist at a specified insertion point in the playlist.

28. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a stream in the playlist with a different version of the stream, the different version requiring different network and processing resources than the stream being replaced.

29. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a stream in the playlist with a different stream having different content than content of the stream being replaced.

30. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a currently-streaming stream with a new stream, the currently-streaming stream being replaced at an earliest key frame in the new stream such that playback of the currently-streaming stream appears uninterrupted.

31. A system, comprising:

one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

streaming media streams associated with a playlist to a client, the playlist including an ordering of streams that are queued for client-side playback according to the ordering;

receiving, from the client-side application, a request for an alteration of the playlist responsive to detected client-side conditions, the request identifying a desired playlist alteration and including information that controls the playlist alteration;

altering the playlist based on the received request; and

streaming the media streams associated with the playlist according to the alteration.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the streams associated with the playlist include at least one of recorded or live:

audio streams, video streams, mixed streams having audio and video, text-based data, still image data and user-defined data.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein altering the playlist includes at least one of (i) reordering the streams in the playlist;

(ii) removing a stream from the playlist; and

(iii) inserting a new stream into the playlist at a specified insertion point in the playlist.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a stream in the playlist with a different version of the stream, the different version requiring different network and processing resources than the stream being replaced.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a stream in the playlist with a different stream having different content than content of the stream being replaced.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein altering the playlist includes replacing a currently-streaming stream with a new stream, the currently-streaming stream being replaced at an earliest key frame in the new stream such that playback of the currently-streaming stream appears uninterrupted.

37. The system of claim 31, further comprising one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving the streamed media streams associated with the playlist;

detecting client-side playback conditions associated with the receipt and playback of at least one of the received streams;

sending the request for an alteration of the playlist; and

displaying the streams of the playlist according to the alteration.