System and method for placeshifting media playback

• US 20100082136A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Gloria, Rosenblatt, Michael, Hodge, Andrew, Nakajima, Taido Lantz, Mayo, Sean Anthony, Fadell, Anthony Michael, Mikhak, Amir Mahmood
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/2062 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20707 Titanium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20723 Vanadium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20738 Iron
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20761 Copper
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/20776 Tungsten
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/9418 for removing nitrogen oxides by selective catalytic reduction [SCR] using a reducing agent in a lean exhaust gas
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/944 Simultaneously removing carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons or carbon making use of oxidation catalysts three-way-catalysts [TWC] B01D53/9445
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/9477 with catalysts positioned on separate bricks, e.g. exhaust systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/9495 Controlling the catalytic process
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/035 with catalytic reactors , e.g. catalysed diesel particulate filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0807 by using absorbents or adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0842 Nitrogen oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/101 Three-way catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/103 Oxidation catalysts for HC and CO only
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2073 with means for generating a reducing substance from the exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1468 the characteristics being an ammonia content or concentration of the exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0802 Temperature of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/027 to purge or regenerate the exhaust gas treating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/146 : the characteristics being an NOx content or concentration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1463 : of the exhaust gases downstream of exhaust gas treatment apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 : Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 : of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 : Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

Systems and methods of placeshifting media playback between two or more devices are provided. For example, a method for placeshifting media may include sending a first message from a media-receiving electronic device to a media-playing electronic device playing a media file and receiving a response identifying the media file and a point at which the media file was being played when the first message was received. The media-receiving electronic device may play a copy of the media file at the point where the media-playing electronic device left off.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a first message from a media-receiving electronic device to a media-playing electronic device playing a media file;

receiving a response to the first message on the media-receiving electronic device from the media-playing device, wherein the response to the first message is configured to indicate the media file being played and a point at which the media file was being played when the first message was received by the media-playing electronic device; and

playing on the media-receiving electronic device a copy of the media file being played at the point at which the media file was being played when the first message was received by the media-playing electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is sent when an application is launched on the media-receiving electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is sent via near field communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is sent via a personal area network, a local area network, a wide area network, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is received via near field communication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is received via a personal area network, a local area network, a wide area network, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising determining whether the media file is stored locally on the media-receiving device.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising a request to the media-playing electronic device for the media file from the media-receiving electronic device if the media file is determined not to be stored locally on the media-receiving electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising receiving a response to the request on the media-receiving electronic device from the media-playing electronic device, wherein the response to the request comprises a streamed copy of the media file.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein playing the copy of the media file comprises playing the streamed copy of the media file.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising receiving a response to the request on the media-receiving electronic device from the media-playing electronic device, wherein the response to the request comprises the copy of the media file.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein playing the copy of the media file comprises playing a local copy if the media file is determined to be stored locally on the media-receiving electronic device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the copy of the media file comprises playing audio, video, or a combination thereof.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a processor configured to run a data transfer application;

a memory device operably coupled to the processor and configured to store pointers associated with a media file played on a source electronic device, wherein pointers identify the media file and a location at which the media file was paused;

an electronic display configured to display a user selectable prompt based on the pointers;

an input/output interface configured to register a selection of the media file by a user from the user selectable prompt; and

a network interface configured to download the pointers from the source electronic device when the simplified data transfer application is launched, to request the media file selected by the user from the source electronic device, and to receive the media file selected by the user from the source electronic device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to run a media management application and the media management application is configured to play back the media file at a point where the media file was paused on the source electronic device.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the network interface is configured to receive the media file selected by the user, wherein the media file comprises audio, video, or a combination thereof.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the network interface comprises a near field communication interface, a personal area network interface, a local area network interface, a wide area network interface, or a combination thereof.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the pointers are downloaded via the near field communication interface.

20. A system comprising:

a media-playing electronic device configured to transfer pointers associated with a media file playing on the media-playing electronic device in response to a first message and configured to transfer a copy of the media file in response to a second message; and

a media-receiving electronic device configured to send the first message, to receive the pointers, to send the second message, to receive the copy of the media file, and to play the media file at a point at which the media file was being played when the first message was received by the media-playing electronic device.

19. The device of claim 21, wherein the electronic device is a portable phone or a handheld computer

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the media-playing electronic device is configured to receive the first message via near field communication.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the media-playing electronic device is configured to transfer the copy of the media file in a streaming format.

23. A method comprising:

playing a media file on a media-playing electronic device;

receiving a first message on the media-playing electronic device from a media-requesting electronic device;

pausing the media file on the media-playing electronic device when the first message is received;

sending from the media-playing electronic device to the media-requesting electronic device an identification of the media file and a point at which the media file is paused;

receiving a second message on the media-playing electronic device from the media-requesting electronic device; and

sending the media file from the media-playing electronic device to the media-requesting electronic device after receiving the second message.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein playing the media file comprises playing audio, video, or a combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first message is received via near field communication.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the second message is received via communication other than near field communication.

27. A method comprising:

tapping a near field communication interface of a first electronic device to a near field communication interface of a second electronic device, wherein the second electronic device is playing back a media file;

receiving pointers onto the first electronic device from the second electronic device, wherein the pointers are configured to identify the media file and a point at which the media file was being played back on the second electronic device when the near field communication interface of the first electronic device was tapped to the near field communication interface of the second electronic device; and

playing back the media file on the first electronic device at the point at which the media file was being played back on the second electronic device when the near field communication interface of the first electronic device was tapped to the near field communication interface of the second electronic device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the pointers are received via near field communication.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the pointers are received via communication other than near field communication.

30. The method of claim 27, comprising determining whether a copy of the media file resides on the first electronic device before playing back the media file.