CONNECTION PRIORITY SERVICES FOR DATA COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TWO DEVICES

• US 20110196521A1
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Network Technologies India Private Limited
• Original Assignee: Sling Media Incorporated (Dish Network Corporation), Sling Media Pvt Ltd. (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Bajpai, Parimal, Asnis, Ilya, Iyer, Satish, Dham, Vikram, Jain, Vikal Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A digital media player device includes, without limitation, a processor and a communication module coupled to the processor and configured to support data communication with a digital media place-shifting device. The processor and the communication module cooperate to attempt to establish data communication with the digital media place-shifting device in accordance with a connection mode sequence that identifies a plurality of different data communication modes supported by the digital media player device, until one of the plurality of different data communication modes can be used to initiate a data communication session between the digital media player device and the digital media place-shifting device. The processor and the communication module also cooperate to perform data communication with the digital media place-shifting device, using the one of the plurality of different data communication modes.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating data communication between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

determining, with the first device, a connection mode sequence for a plurality of different data communication modes supported by the first device;

attempting, in accordance with the connection mode sequence, to establish a data communication session between the first device and the second device until a successful data communication mode is identified; and

thereafter, performing data communication between the first device and the second device, using the successful data communication mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a digital media player device, and the second device comprises a digital media place-shifting device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving connection mode priority data at the first device, the connection mode priority data indicating an order of preference for the plurality of different data communication modes, wherein determining the connection mode sequence is influenced by the connection mode priority data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first device receives the connection mode priority data from a server device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first device receives the connection mode priority data from the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving connection mode capabilities data at the first device, the connection mode capabilities data indicating data communication capabilities of the second device, wherein determining the connection mode sequence is influenced by the connection mode capabilities data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first device receives the connection mode capabilities data from a server device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first device receives the connection mode capabilities data from the second device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the connection mode capabilities data comprises information selected from the group consisting of:

an indication that a data communication mode is not supported;

an indication that a data communication mode is supported but failed at setup of the second device;

an indication that a data communication mode has not been tested; and

an indication that a data communication mode has been tested and has passed.

10. A digital media player device comprising:

a processor; and

a communication module coupled to the processor and configured to support data communication with a digital media place-shifting device;

wherein, the processor and the communication module cooperate to attempt to establish data communication with the digital media place-shifting device in accordance with a connection mode sequence that identifies a plurality of different data communication modes supported by the digital media player device, until one of the plurality of different data communication modes can be used to initiate a data communication session between the digital media player device and the digital media place-shifting device; and

wherein the processor and the communication module cooperate to perform data communication with the digital media place-shifting device, using the one of the plurality of different data communication modes.

11. The digital media player device of claim 10, wherein the communication module is configured to receive connection mode priority data that indicates an order of preference for the plurality of different data communication modes, and the connection mode sequence is influenced by the connection mode priority data.

12. The digital media player device of claim 10, wherein the communication module is configured to receive connection mode capabilities data that indicates data communication capabilities of the digital media place-shifting device, and the connection mode sequence is influenced by the connection mode capabilities data.

13. The digital media player device of claim 12, wherein the connection mode capabilities data comprises information selected from the group consisting of:

an indication that a data communication mode is not supported;

an indication that a data communication mode is supported but failed at setup of the second device;

an indication that a data communication mode has not been tested; and

an indication that a data communication mode has been tested and has passed.

14. A method for coordinating data communication between a digital media player device and a digital media place-shifting device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server device, connection mode capabilities data for a plurality of different data communication modes, the connection mode capabilities data being related to data communication capabilities of the digital media place-shifting device; and

sending, from the server device to the digital media place-shifting device, connection mode priority data for the plurality of different data communication modes, the connection mode priority data indicating a ranking of the plurality of different data communication modes;

wherein

the connection mode capabilities data and the connection mode priority data influence the manner in which the digital media player device and the digital media place-shifting device attempt to establish a data communication session using the plurality of different data communication modes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the connection mode capabilities data and the connection mode priority data influence a connection mode sequence for the plurality of different data communication modes.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending the connection mode priority data from the server device to the digital media player device, wherein the digital media player device uses the connection mode priority data to determine a connection mode sequence for attempting to establish the data communication session with the digital media place-shifting device.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending the connection mode capabilities data from the server device to the digital media player device, wherein the digital media player device uses the connection mode capabilities data to determine a connection mode sequence for attempting to establish the data communication session with the digital media place-shifting device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the connection mode capabilities data comprises information selected from the group consisting of:

an indication that a data communication mode is not supported;

an indication that a data communication mode is supported but failed at setup of the digital media place-shifting device;

an indication that a data communication mode has not been tested; and

an indication that a data communication mode has been tested and has passed.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

obtaining updated connection mode priority data at the server device; and

maintaining the updated connection mode priority data at the server device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the updated connection mode priority data is influenced by statistical data related to attempted or successful data communication sessions between the digital media player device and the digital media place-shifting device.