MEDIA CONVERGENCE PLATFORM

• US 20110231521A1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MobiTV Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MobiTV Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Higgins, Tricia, Larsen, Linus, Barnes, Fritz, Berglund, Petter, Odlund, Anders, Johansson, Kay, Karlsson, Kent
• Application Number:
  US13/053,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231521A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream

Abstract

A media convergence platform allows time-shifting and place-shifting of live, video on demand, and recorded content across multiple devices, displays, etc. Users are able to pause content on one device and resume where they left off on another device. The media convergence platform allows users to record, select, consume, add, delete, manage, and manipulate media content including live programming across user authorized devices such as set top boxes, computer systems, mobile devices, etc.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

maintaining information associating a user with a plurality of devices and subscription information;

receiving a first request for the media stream from the user on a first device;

verifying that the user is authorized to receive the media stream on the first device based on subscription information;

transmitting the media stream to the first device;

receiving a playback end signal from the user on the first device;

storing information associating a user with a media stream and time information, the content server operable to provide a plurality of live media streams corresponding to the subscription information to the user;

receiving a second request for the media stream from the user on a second device;

transmitting the media stream to the user on the second device beginning with packets selected using the time information maintained at the content server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second request is a command to resume playback.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request is a command to establish a session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein information at the content server is stored after an indication that the media stream is no longer being played is received.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the media stream is no longer being played when a session is stopped.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user requests the media stream from a mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein characteristics of the first device and characteristics of the second device are different.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device uses the timing information and sequence number information to decode the media stream for playback.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the device receives the plurality of packets in order based on sequence number information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of live media streams are buffered in a plurality of channel buffers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the live media stream is a Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) stream.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the content server is connected over a network to a controller operable to establish a session with the device using a Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP).

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the live media stream comprises a plurality of packets holding I-frames, P-frames, and B-frames.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the content server resumes transmission by identifying a selecting an I-frame.