Method and system for progressive encoding in an active desktop environment

• US 6,745,226 B1
• Filed: 05/02/1997
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ROXIO Incorporated (MelodyVR Group Plc)
• Inventors: Guedalia, Jacob Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US08/850,787
• Time in Patent Office: 2,587 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/206, 709/208, 709/212, 709/213, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/247, 345/121, 345/334, 345/526, 345/525, 345/511, 348/12, 348/13, 348/14, 348/17
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information

Abstract

A system for transmitting digital data to an active desktop of a user with push pull functionality, the system comprising a digital data transmitter operative to transmit the digital data to the active desktop in blocks which are sequentially transmitted to the active desktop, each block being an incomplete collection of data and being viewable even when less than all of the blocks have been received, receipt of subsequent blocks by the receiver serving to cumulatively improve the quality of the digital data received by the receiver, at least one but not all of the blocks being transmitted to the active desktop in a push manner, and at least one of the remaining blocks being transmitted to the active desktop in a pull manner, when specifically actuated by the user. A method is also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting digital data including a plurality of frames to an active desktop of a user, the system comprising:

an active desktop of a user with push pull functionality;

a digital data downloader operative to transmit a first portion of said digital data to said active desktop in a push mode, based on subscriber preferences and without concurrent user actuation, said first portion of said digital data being such as to enable all of the plurality of frames of said digital data to be accessible at at least a minimum quality prior to transmittal of the remainder of said digital data to said active desktop, said digital downloader also being operative in a pull mode in response to user actuation for transmitting at least a second portion of said digital data; and

a digital data combiner operative to combine said at least a second portion of said digital data with said first portion, so as to provide the user with all of the plurality of frames of said digital data at an enhanced quality as compared with said minimum quality.

2. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said digital data is data for a plurality of images and wherein said first portion of said digital data enables all of the plurality of images to be seen by a user at at least a minimum quality.

3. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said digital data is audio data and wherein said first portion of said digital data enables the entire audio data to be heard by a user at at least a minimum quality.

4. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative to transmit said first portion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to receipt of a signal from said active desktop wherein said signal is generated without concurrent user actuation.

5. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative to transmit said first portion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to an actuation input generated at the digital data downloader.

6. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said digital data downloader is located at a server and is operative to transmit said first portion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to an actuation input generated at said server.

7. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said digital downloader is operative when said active desktop is on-line.

8. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative when said active desktop is off-line.

9. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative when said active desktop is on-line or off-line.

10. A method for receiving digital data including a plurality of frames at an active desktop of a client computer having push pull functionality comprising the operations of:

receiving a first portion of said digital data transmitted in a push mode to said active desktop without concurrent user actuation, said first portion of said digital data being such as to enable all of the plurality of frames of said digital data to be accessible at at least a minimum quality prior to transmittal of the remainder of said digital data to said active desktop;

pulling, in response to user actuation, at least a second portion of said digital data; and

combining at said client computer said first portion and said second portion, thereby providing the user with all of the plurality of frames of said digital data at an enhanced quality as compared with said minimum quality.

11. A system for receiving digital data including a plurality of frames at an active desktop of a client computer having push pull functionality comprising:

a pushed partial data receiver, receiving a first portion of said digital data transmitted in a push mode to said active desktop without concurrent user actuation, said first portion of said digital data being such as to enable all of the plurality of frames of said digital data to be accessible at at least a minimum quality prior to transmittal of the remainder of said digital data to said active desktop;

a user actuated partial puller operative to pull, in response to user actuation, at least a second portion of said digital data; and

a combiner, combining at said client computer said first portion and said second portion, thereby providing the user with all of the plurality of frames of said digital data at an enhanced quality as compared with said active desktop.

12. A system for transmitting digital data including a plurality of frames to an active desktop of a user with push functionality, the system comprising:

a digital data downloader operative to transmit a portion of said digital data to said active desktop in a push mode, based on subscriber preferences and without concurrent user actuation, said portion of said digital data being such as to enable all of the plurality of frames of said digital data to be accessible to the user at at least a minimum quality prior to transmittal of the remainder of said digital data to said active desktop.

13. A system according to claim 12 and wherein said digital data is image data and wherein said portion of said digital data enables the entire image data to be seen by a user at at least a minimum quality.

14. A system according to claim 12 and wherein said digital data is audio data and wherein said portion of said digital data enables the entire audio data to be heard by a user at at least a minimum quality.

15. A system according to claim 12 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative to transmit said portion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to receipt of a signal from said active desktop wherein said signal is generated without concurrent user actuation.

16. A system according to claim 12 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative to transmit said portion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to an actuation input generated at the digital data downloader.

17. A system according to claim 12 and wherein said digital data downloader is located at a server and is operative to transmit said portion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to an actuation input generated at said server.

18. A system according to claim 12 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative when said active desktop is on-line.

19. A system according to claim 12 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative when said active desktop is off-line.

20. A system according to claim 12 and wherein said digital data downloader is operative when said active desktop is on-line or off-line.

21. A method for transmitting digital data to an active desktop of a client computer with push functionality, comprising the operations of:

providing digital data for transmission to an active desktop of a user; and

pushing without concurrent user actuation a portion of said digital data to said active desktop, said portion of said digital data being such as to enable all of said digital data to be accessible at at least a minimum quality prior to transmittal of all said digital data to said active desktop.

22. A method according to claim 21 and wherein said digital data is image data and wherein said portion of said digital data enables the entire image data to be seen by a user at at least a minimum quality.

23. A method according to claim 21 and wherein said digital data is audio data and wherein said potion of said digital data enables the entire audio data to be heard by a user at at least a minimum quality.

24. A method according to claim 21 and wherein said pushing transmits said potion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to receipt of a signal from said active desktop, wherein said signal is generated without concurrent user actuation.

25. A method according to claim 21 and wherein said pushing transmits said portion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to an actuation input generated at the location where said pushing occurs.

26. A method according to claim 21 wherein said pushing occurs at a server and wherein said pushing transmits said portion of said digital data to said active desktop in response to an actuation input generated at said server.

27. A method according to claim 21 and wherein said pushing operation takes place when said active desktop is on-line.

28. A method according to claim 21 and wherein said pushing operation takes place when said active desktop is off-line.

29. A method according to claim 21 and wherein said pushing operation takes place when said active desktop is on-line or off-line.

30. A system for receiving digital data including a plurality of frames at an active desktop of a user with push functionality, the system comprising:

a pushed partial data receiver, receiving a portion of said digital data transmitted in a push mode to said active desktop without concurrent user actuation, said portion of said digital data being such as to enable all of the plurality of frames of said digital data to be accessible at at least a minimum quality prior to transmittal of the remainder of said digital data to said active desktop.

31. A method for receiving digital data including a plurality of frames at an active desktop of a client computer having push functionality comprising the operation of:

receiving a portion of said digital data transmitted in a push mode to said active desktop without concurrent user actuation, said portion of said digital data being such as to enable all of the plurality of frames of said digital data to be accessible at at least a minimum quality prior to transmittal of the remainder of said digital data to said active desktop.