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Streaming media search system

  • US 6,721,741 B1
  • Filed: 05/02/2000
  • Issued: 04/13/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method to locate media resources on the network, the method comprising:

  • making a verification determination, at one or more moments, for each link in a plurality of links in order to identify a set of two or more verified links, wherein making the verification determination includes using each link in the plurality of links to determine an indication of whether a corresponding media resource for that link is available at a particular moment; and

    from the plurality of links, making available for playback on a network enabled device the set of verified links;

    responsive to a search request from one or more components that are configured to use links to initiate continuous and automatic playback of media resources identified by those links, using a media player residing on the network enabled device that is included in the one or more components;

    identifying, from the set of verified links, at least a first link and a second link corresponding to a criteria of the search request, wherein the first link can be used to access a first media resource on the network, and the second link can be used to access a second media resource on the network;

    cooperating with at least one of the one or more components in order to communicate the first link and the second link to the media player, so that at least one of the one or more components can subsequently initiate playback of the first media resource using the media player, and in response to termination of playback of the first media resource, automatically initiate playback of the second media resource using the media player;

    wherein performing the step of making the verification determination increases a likelihood that the first media resource and the second media resource are each available when playback of the first media resource and playback of the second media resource are each initiated by the one or more components, so that playback of the second media resource is more likely to be successful when initiated automatically and continuously after playback of the first media resource as a result of the second link being from the set of verified links, when compared to another link that is not in the set of verified links.

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