Playlist Bookmarking

• US 20120054808A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nijim, Yousef Wasef
• Granted Patent: US 9,167,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/88
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists

Abstract

Playlist bookmarking may be provided. First, a content program from a playlist may be displayed on a first user device. The content program may then be paused and a time stamp may be placed in the playlist at a point where the content program was paused. Next, the time stamped playlist may be transmitted to a server. At a second user device, the time stamped playlist may be received from the server and the content program may be displayed from the playlist from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp.

Claims

1. A method for providing play list bookmarking, the method comprising:

displaying, on a first user device, a content program from a playlist;

pausing the content program;

placing a time stamp in the playlist at a point where the content program was paused;

transmitting the time stamped playlist to a server;

receiving, at a second user device, the time stamped playlist from the server; and

displaying, on the second user device, the content program from the playlist from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying, on the first user device, the content program from the playlist comprises displaying, on the first user device comprising one of the following:

a mobile device, a personal computer, and a television in conjunction with a set-top box and digital video recorder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying, on the first user device, the content program comprises displaying, on the first user device, the content program comprising a video on demand program received from a video on demand server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying, on the first user device, the content program comprises displaying, on the first user device, the content program saved on the first user device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying, on the second user device, the content program from the playlist comprises displaying, on the second user device comprising one of the following:

a mobile device, a personal computer, and a television in conjunction with a set-top box and digital video recorder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying, on the second user device, the content program comprises displaying, on the second user device, the content program comprising a video on demand program received from a video on demand server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying, on the second user device, the content program comprises displaying, on the second user device, the content program saved on the second user device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein pausing the content program comprises pausing the content program in response to user input received at the first user device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying, on the second user device, the content program comprises displaying, on the second user device, the content program in response to user input received at the second user device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after displaying, on the second user device, the content program from the playlist from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp, rewinding the content program from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp in response to user input.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after displaying, on the second user device, the content program from the playlist from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp, fast forwarding the content program from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp in response to user input.

12. A system for providing play list bookmarking, the system comprising:

a first memory storage; and

a first processing unit coupled to the first memory storage, wherein the first processing unit is operative to;

display a content program from a playlist,

stopping the content program in response to a first user input,

place a time stamp in the playlist at a point where the content program was stopped, and

transmit the time stamped playlist to a server;

a second memory storage; and

a second processing unit coupled to the second memory storage, wherein the second processing unit is operative to;

receive the time stamped playlist from the server, and

display, in response to a second user input, the content program from the playlist from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first memory storage and the first processing unit are disposed within one of the following:

a mobile device, a personal computer, a television, a set-top box, and digital video recorder.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first processing unit being operative to display the content program comprises the first processing unit being operative to display the content program comprising a video on demand program received from a video on demand server.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first processing unit being operative to display the content program comprises the first processing unit being operative to display the content program saved on the first memory storage.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the second memory storage and the second processing unit are disposed within one of the following:

a mobile device, a personal computer, a television, a set-top box, and digital video recorder.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the second processing unit being operative to display the content program comprises the second processing unit being operative to display the content program comprising a video on demand program received from a video on demand server.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the second processing unit being operative to display the content program comprises the second processing unit being operative to display the content program saved on the second memory storage.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the second processing unit is further operative to, after displaying the content program from the playlist from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp, one of rewind and fast forward the content program from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp.

20. A computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for providing play list bookmarking, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving a time stamped playlist from a first user device, the time stamped playlist comprising a time stamp in the time stamped playlist at a point where a content program in the time stamped playlist was one of the following;

stopped by a user viewing the content program and paused by the user viewing the content program; and

transmitting the time stamped playlist to a second user device configured to display, on the second user device, the content program from the time stamped playlist from the point in the content program corresponding to the time stamp.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein transmitting the time stamped playlist to the second user device comprises transmitting the time stamped playlist to the second user device directly from the first user device.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein transmitting the time stamped playlist to the second user device comprises transmitting the time stamped playlist to the second user device directly over a local network from the first user device wherein the first user device is one of the following:

a set top box and a digital video recorder and the second user device is a mobile device.