SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROGRESSIVE DOWNLOAD USING SURPLUS NETWORK CAPACITY
First Claim
1. A method for transferring content from a sending system to a receiving system, comprising:
- receiving a first portion of a requested content file in a buffer of the receiving system, wherein the first portion is sent by the sending system over a network as a streaming media file;
playing the received portion of the streaming media file on the receiving system;
providing a first alert to a user of the receiving system that provides a choice to continue receiving segments of the requested content file using a background delivery mode;
receiving an instruction from the user in response to the first alert requesting the background delivery mode for delivery of the requested content file;
suspending playing of the received portion of the streaming media file on the receiving system; and
receiving a remaining portion of the requested content file in the background delivery mode from the sending system preferentially using surplus network capacity.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing the progressive download of media content using techniques that preferentially identify and use periods of surplus network capacity to maintain the content delivery. A buffer of a receiving system is maintained and pre-filled with enough content to bridge playback intervals where a network is unable to deliver content as fast as it is played out. Content delivery does not impact other users'"'"' applications and use of the network and its resources since content is preferentially sent when surplus network capacity exists in the network. When no surplus network capacity is available, a user requesting content may be given the option to continue the delivery in the background so that the content may be played at a later time. The user may then resume their playback experience once the content has been completely delivered using surplus network capacity as it becomes available.
76 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for transferring content from a sending system to a receiving system, comprising:
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receiving a first portion of a requested content file in a buffer of the receiving system, wherein the first portion is sent by the sending system over a network as a streaming media file; playing the received portion of the streaming media file on the receiving system; providing a first alert to a user of the receiving system that provides a choice to continue receiving segments of the requested content file using a background delivery mode; receiving an instruction from the user in response to the first alert requesting the background delivery mode for delivery of the requested content file; suspending playing of the received portion of the streaming media file on the receiving system; and receiving a remaining portion of the requested content file in the background delivery mode from the sending system preferentially using surplus network capacity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A receiving system, comprising:
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means for receiving a requested content file from a sending system; means for storing the received content file; means for providing a first alert to a user of the receiving system that provides a choice to continue receiving the requested content file using a background delivery mode; means for receiving an instruction from the user in response to the first alert to thereby request the background delivery mode for delivery of the requested content file; means for transmitting the request for the background delivery mode for delivery of the requested content file to the sending system; and means for receiving a remainder of the requested content file in the background delivery mode from the sending system preferentially using surplus network capacity. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A receiving system coupled to sending system via a network, comprising:
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a communications interface configured to receive a requested streaming media content file from the sending system via the network; a buffer configured to store the received content file; a processor configured to play the content file and to provide a first alert to a user of the receiving system that provides a choice to receive the requested content file using a background delivery mode; and a user-operable input device configured to receive an instruction from the user in response to the first alert to thereby request the background delivery mode for delivery of the requested content file; wherein the communications interface is further configured to transmit the request for the background delivery mode for delivery of the requested content file to the sending system and to receive the requested content file in the background delivery mode that preferentially uses surplus capacity of the network. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification