System and method for providing update information

• US 6,996,627 B1
• Filed: 05/25/1999
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: RealNetworks, Inc.
• Inventors: Carden, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/318,755
• Time in Patent Office: 2,450 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/228, 709/203, 709/224, 709/237, 710/220, 725/50, 725/39
• US Class Current: 709/237
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2191 for simultaneous, independent access by a plurality of different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and a method for providing update information. The system includes a client computer which is operably connected to a program information server. The program information server maintains one or more program information items. The system also includes a program selection server which allows the user to select which of the program information items are to viewed by the user. Based upon a dynamically adjustable polling period, the client computer requests the program information server to provide the client computer new program information items. The program information items include one or more media items that may be selected for viewing by a user positioned at the client computer. The client computer provides a newness indicator to the user, the newness indicator indicating to the user when one or more items of the media content is new and has not been previously viewed by the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising;

sending a polling interval information from a remote computer to a client computer, said polling interval information indicating to the client computer when to request that program information items be transmitted by the remote computer to the client computer, wherein said program information items comprise information at least in part relating to one or more media items;

periodically determining in the remote computer whether new media items are available, wherein the media items are selected from the group comprising audio or visual information relating to;

current news events, cultural activities, entertainment, sports, recreation, movie information, stock information, interest rates, pricing information, cartoons, and/or advertisements, the determining period based at least in part upon the polling interval information; and

transmitting new media items and/or at least in part related program information items for display or rendering on the client computer upon the determination that new media items are available on the remote computer and upon request from the client computer.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising modifying the polling interval based upon one or more events.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the act of modifying the polling interval includes increasing the polling interval at least in part to reduce the load of the remote computer.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising customizing the polling interval based at least in part upon one or more actions of a user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more actions of a user comprise selecting one or more media items.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising transmitting program information items relating at least in part to the available new media items based at least in part on a request from the client computer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said request from the client computer is based at least in part on the polling interval information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said program information items comprise content selected from the group consisting essentially of:

text;

animation;

audio files;

video files; and

/or other data associated with one or more media items.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said program information items have a size that is at least in part smaller than one or more associated media items.

10. A system for dynamically adjusting the polling frequency of a client computer, the system comprising:

means for sending polling interval information from a server to a client computer, the polling interval information indicating to the client computer at least in part when to request that program information items be transmitted by the remote computer to the client computer, wherein said program information items relate at least in part to one or more media items;

means for periodically requesting from the server whether the server has new media items, the requesting period based at least in part upon the polling interval;

means for transmitting new media items to a media renderer in the client computer based at least in part upon a determination that the server has new media content data items and/or based at least in part upon request from the client computer; and

means for displaying the transmitted media items with the client computer.

11. The system of claim 10, additionally comprising means for modifying the polling interval information based at least in part upon one or more events.

12. The system of claim 10, additionally comprising means for customizing the polling interval based at least in part upon one or more actions of a user.

13. A method of adjusting a client computer polling frequency, the method comprising:

periodically requesting, based at least in part on a first polling frequency, whether a media server has new media items;

at a client computer, receiving response data from the media server relating at least in part to one or more new media items, the response data comprising polling data at least in part representing a second polling frequency, the polling data indicating to the client computer when to request that media items be transmitted by the media server to the client computer via a network;

at the client computer, reading the polling data;

periodically requesting, in accordance with the second polling frequency, whether the media server has new media items, the second polling frequency representing a period of time different than the first polling frequency; and

displaying the new media items.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the response data further comprises one or more indications of that new media content data items are available.

15. The method of claim 13, additionally comprising storing the polling data on the client computer.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the received response data is received via a telephone line.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the received response data is received via a high bandwidth connection.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the client computer, at least in part, in accordance with the first polling frequency, receives the response data, reads the polling data, and periodically determines, in accordance with the second polling frequency whether the media server has new media content data items.

19. A method of transferring content data items between a client electronic device and a remote computer comprising:

receiving a polling interval information from the remote computer that at least in part indicates to the client electronic device when to periodically request that a content data item be transmitted by the remote computer to the client electronic device;

periodically transmitting a request to the remote computer to indicate to the remote computer to transmit one or more additional content data items to the client electronic device, the transmission of the request being based at least in part upon the received polling interval information;

at least in part in response to a request from the client electronic device, receiving the one or more additional content data items and a uniform resource locator (URL) indicating the address or location of one or more other content data items and/or other information related to the content data item; and

displaying the received content data items and/or a URL related thereto.

20. The method of claim 19, additionally comprising storing the polling interval in the client electronic device.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising receiving the polling interval information via a telecommunication line.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising receiving polling interval information via a high bandwidth connection.

23. The method of claim 19, additionally comprising:

receiving a second polling interval information, said second polling interval information based at least in part on an aspect of the remote computer; and

periodically determining whether a remote computer has new content data items available for transmission to the client electronic device, the determining based at least in part upon the received second polling interval information.

24. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed perform the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer for one or more new program information items;

determining a new polling interval for the client computer;

transmitting the determined new polling interval from a server computer to the client computer;

receiving a request from the client computer, based at least in part on said determined new polling interval, for one or more new program information items; and

based at least in part on a request generated by the client computer, transmitting one or more of the new media items relate to the one or more new program information items, said request based at least in part on one or more user actions.

25. The device of claim 24, further comprising determining the new polling interval based at least in part on the content of the request for the one or more new program information items.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein determining the new polling interval comprises generating a new poling interval based at least in part on an action of a system administrator.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the request is received via a telecommunications line.

28. The device of claim 24, wherein the request is received via a high bandwidth connection.

29. A client electronic device, comprising;

a module to receive a polling interval information from a server computer via a network, said polling interval information operative to indicate to the client electronic device when to transmit a request indicating that one or more content indicators relating at least in part to one or more new content information items be transmitted by the server computer to the electronic device, the module further to periodically requesting the server computer to transmit said one or more content indicators to the electronic device, using the received polling interval information to determine a time to request said one or more content indicators, and the module to receive said one or more content indicators and/or one or more new content information items and to cause, at least in part in response to a user request, the display of the new content information items sent from the server computer.

30. The client electronic device of claim 29, further comprising an element configured to receive the polling interval information via a telephone line.

31. The client electronic device of claim 29, further comprising an element to receive the polling interval information via high bandwidth connection.

32. The client electronic device of claim 29, additionally comprising a processor for executing the module.

33. The client electronic device of claim 29, wherein said one or more content indicators comprise content selected from the group consisting essentially of:

text;

animation;

audio files;

video files; and

/or other data associated with one or more media items.

34. The client electronic device of claim 33, wherein said one or more content indicators have a size that is at least in part smaller than one or more associated new content information items.

35. A server computer, the server computer comprising:

a module to receive a request from a client computer for one or more new content indicators and/or one or more new content information items for display or rendering, the module to determine a new polling interval information for the client computer, said polling interval information operative to indicate to the client computer when to request that one or more content indicators be transmitted by the server computer to the client computer, and the module to transmit the determined new polling interval information from the server computer to the client computer via a network, the polling interval information to be used by the client computer for requesting and displaying new content indicators and/or new program information items.

36. The server of claim 35, additionally comprising an element to transmit the requested one or more new content indicators and/or the requested one or more new content information items to the client computer.

37. The server of claim 35, additionally comprising an element to determine the new polling interval information at least in part from the content of the request for the one or more new content indicators and/or the one or more new content information items.

38. The server of claim 35, wherein the new polling interval information is capable of being provided by a system administrator.

39. The server of claim 35, additionally comprising an element configured to receive the polling interval information via a telephone line.

40. The server of claim 35, comprising an element to receive the polling interval information via a high bandwidth connection.

41. The server of claim 35, wherein said one or more new content indicators comprise content selected from the group consisting essentially of:

text;

animation;

audio files;

video files; and

/or other data associated with one or more new content information items.

42. The server of claim 41, wherein said one or more new content indicators have a size that is at least in part smaller then one or more associated new content information items.

43. A method of dynamically adjusted the polling frequency between a remote computer and an electronic device, the method comprising:

assessing network conditions;

determining polling interval information based at least in part upon the assessed network conditions, said polling interval information operative to indicate to the electronic device when to transmit a request indicating that one or more content indicators be transmitted by the remote computer to the electronic device, said one or more content indicators comprising information at least in part relating to one or more media items;

sending the determined polling interval information from the remote computer to the electronic device;

periodically receiving requests for one or more content indicators and/or one or more media items at the remote computer from the electronic device via a network, wherein a length of time between requests being based at least in part upon the determined polling interval information; and

transmitting media items to the electronic device for display in response to one or more requests.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the one or more media items comprise news information.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the one or more media items comprise sports information.

46. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed performs the method comprising:

assessing network conditions;

determining polling interval information based at least in part upon the assessed network conditions, the polling interval information indicating to a client computer when to request that one or more content indicators be transmitted by a remote computer to the client computer, said one or more content indicators comprising information at least in part relating to one or more media items;

sending the polling interval information relating to the determined periodic polling interval from the remote computer to the client computer;

periodically receiving requests for one or more content indicators and/or media items from the client computer, the length of time between request being based at least in part upon the polling interval information; and

transmitting one or more media items to the client computer in response to one or more requests.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein the one or more media items comprise sports information.

48. The device of claim 46, wherein the one or more media items comprise sports information.

49. A computer readable storage media storing instructions that when executed perform the method comprising:

receiving a polling interval information from a remote computer that indicates to a client electronic device when to periodically request one or more content indictors and/or one or more content data item be transmitted by the remote computer to the client electronic device;

periodically requesting from the remote computer, based at least in part upon the received polling interval information, that the remote computer transmit at least an additional content indicator and/or content data item to the client electronic device;

receiving the additional content indicator and/or content data item and a uniform resource locator (URL) indicating the address or location of other information related to the content data item; and

displaying the received content indicator and/or content data items and the URL related thereto.

50. The computer readable media of claim 49, wherein the content data items comprise sports information.

51. The computer readable media of claim 49 further comprising:

receiving a signal indicating a selection of URL; and

requesting additional content data from a remote computer in response to receiving the signal.