System and method for placeshifting media playback

• US 20100082567A1
• 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: Ellis, Shawn A., Lee, Jeffrey Theodore, Cannistraro, Alan Christopher, Fadell, Anthony Michael, Lin, Gloria, Wood, Policarpo, Rosenblatt, Michael, Hodge, Andrew, Nakajima, Taido Lantz, Mayo, Sean Anthony, Mikhak, Amir Mahmood
• Granted Patent: US 9,626,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/705
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods of placeshifting media playback between two or more devices are provided. For example, a method for placeshifting media may include downloading onto a first device an index of files accessed or modified on a second device via a data storage server, at least one of the files being a media file played on the second device. The first device may display a user selectable list of the files on the first device before issuing a request for the media file to the data storage server. The data storage server may send the media file to the first device from the data storage server, and the first device may play back the media file where the second device left off.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

downloading an index of files accessed or modified on a second electronic device onto a first electronic device from a data storage server on a network when an application is launched on the first electronic device,

wherein at least one file of the index of files comprises a media file played on the second electronic device;

displaying on the first electronic device a user selectable list of files based on the index of files;

issuing a request for the media file from the first electronic device to the data storage server when the media file is selected by a user from the list of files; and

receiving the media file onto the first electronic device from the data storage server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the index of files comprises downloading pointers to files located on the data storage server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein downloading the pointers to files located on the data storage server comprises downloading pointers to files previously uploaded to the data storage server by the second electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the index of files comprises downloading pointers to files accessed or modified on the second electronic device within a predetermined amount of time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined amount of time is five days.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the index of files from the data storage server on the network comprises downloading the index of files from a data storage server on the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloaded index of files comprises an indication of a point at which the media file was paused on the second electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising playing back the media file at a point where the media file was paused on the source electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is a handheld computer or portable phone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device is a computer.

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

12. 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 an index of files accessed or modified on a source electronic device for retrieval via the data transfer application, wherein at least one file of the index of files comprises a media file played on the second electronic device;

an electronic display configured to display a user selectable list based on the index of files;

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

a network interface configured to download the index of files from a data storage server when the simplified data transfer application is launched, to request the media file selected by the user from the data storage server, and to receive the media file selected by the user from the data storage server.

13. The device of claim 12, 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.

14. The device of claim 12, 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.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to download the index of files, wherein the index of files comprises pointers to files uploaded to the data storage server by the source electronic device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the network interface is configured to download the index of files, wherein the index of files comprises pointers to files uploaded to the data storage server by the source electronic device within a predetermined period of time.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the network interface is configured to download the index of files, wherein the index of files comprises pointers to files uploaded to the data storage server by the source electronic device within the last five days.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the network interface comprises a local area network interface, a personal area network interface, a wide area network interface, or any combination thereof.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the network interface is configured to download the index of files, wherein the index of files comprises pointers to one or more music files viewed on the source electronic device.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the electronic device is a portable phone or a handheld computer

21. A method comprising:

caching a media file paused on a source device to a data storage server, wherein the data storage server is configured to provide an index comprising the media file to a destination device and to provide the destination device with the media file upon request.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein caching the media file paused on the source device comprises caching an audio file, a video file, or an audiovisual file.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein caching the media file paused on the source device comprises caching an indication of a point at which the media file is paused.

24. A method comprising:

downloading an index of files accessed or modified on a second electronic device onto a first electronic device from the second electronic device or from a data storage server on a network, wherein at least one file of the index of files comprises a media file played on the second electronic device;

displaying on the first electronic device a user selectable list of files based on the index of files;

issuing a request for the media file from the first electronic device to the second electronic device or to the data storage server when the media file is selected by a user from the list of files; and

receiving the media file onto the first electronic device from the second electronic device of from the data storage server.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the downloaded index of files comprises an indication of a point at which the media file was paused on the second electronic device.

26. The method of claim 24, comprising playing back the media file at a point where the media file was paused on the source electronic device.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the first electronic device is a handheld computer or portable phone.

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

29. A system comprising:

a remote storage location configured to store a media file, to transfer pointers associated with the media file in response to a first message, and to transfer a copy of the media file in response to a second message;

a media-playing electronic device configured to upload the media file to the remote storage location when the media file is played on the media-playing electronic device; and

a media-receiving electronic device configured to send the first message to the remote storage location, to receive the pointers from the remote storage location, to send the second message to the remote storage location, to receive the copy of the media file from the remote storage, and to play the media file at a point at which the media file was played on the media-playing electronic device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the media-playing electronic device is configured to transfer the copy of the media file in a streaming format.