Method and Apparatus for Handling Content Requests and Playlist Information

• US 20130262620A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Roku, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Roku, Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Anthony, Westerhoff, David A., Ellis, Patrick, Goodwin, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/431,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20130262620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image

Abstract

A method includes detecting a request for content, adding the request to a playlist and supplying different content associated with the playlist to a client device. The content is associated with the request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing an image through a client device wherein the image represents requested content;

transmitting the image to a server;

detecting a request for the requested content from the client device wherein the request is represented by the image;

adding the requested content to a playlist on the server;

supplying a listing of a plurality of suggested content associated with the requested content on the playlist to the client device, wherein the plurality of suggested content includes the requested content and other content which is associated with the requested content; and

displaying, through the client device, the listing of the plurality of suggested content and displaying a corresponding availability status for each of the plurality of suggested content.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the requested content is one of a video stream, an audio stream, and an application.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image is captured from a camera.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image is a movie poster.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image is a bar code.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image is a graphic from a website.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting the content from a website.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising recommending a content provider for the content based on an availability assessment.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the assessment of availability includes evaluating a subscription to the content provider.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the assessment of availability includes a payment to the content provider.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the availability status includes subscribed, available for purchase, coming soon, and expiring soon.

3. (canceled)

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the image is a picture of an actor.

13-18. -18. (canceled)