System for controlling and enforcing playback restrictions for a media file by splitting the media file into usable and unusable portions for playback
First Claim
1. In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second part, comprising:
- receiving over the network and from a remote server m a first session the second part of the media file;
storing the second part at the local storage device;
receiving over the network and from a remote server m a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
combining the first part received in the second session with the stored second part after the start of the second session; and
playing a representation of the media file at the local client after combining at least part of the first and second parts after the start of the second session;
wherein the second part is not usable for playback without being combined with the first part.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Files are divided into parts and at least some of the parts are transmitted to a client using a communication channel. At least some of the transmitted parts are cached locally. This allows subsequent streaming playback of the file while using less bandwidth by transmitting the part of the file that hasn'"'"'t been cached, and combining the cached parts with the transmitted parts. In some embodiments, files may be represented at a low quality level by a first data set, and at higher quality levels with additional data sets. Data sets are cached locally, so that during subsequent streaming playback of the file, the quality level of the playback may be improved by sending additional data sets using bandwidth that would otherwise be dedicated to transmitting the cached data sets.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second part, comprising:
-
receiving over the network and from a remote server m a first session the second part of the media file;
storing the second part at the local storage device;
receiving over the network and from a remote server m a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
combining the first part received in the second session with the stored second part after the start of the second session; and
playing a representation of the media file at the local client after combining at least part of the first and second parts after the start of the second session;
wherein the second part is not usable for playback without being combined with the first part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second part, comprising:
-
receiving over the network and from a remote server in a first session the second part of the media file;
storing the second part at the local storage device;
receiving over the network and from a remote server in a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
combining the first part received in the second session with the stored second part after the start of the second session; and
playing a representation of the media file at the local client after combining at least part of the first and second parts after the start of the second session;
wherein the media file is divided into a plurality of sections, wherein one of the sections contains exactly X bits, and wherein each of the remaining sections contains exactly Y bits, wherein X is less than or equal to Y, and wherein the first part comprises a first subset of bits from each section, and the second part comprises the remaining bits from each section. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
20. In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second parts, comprising:
-
receiving over the network and from a remote server in a first session the second part of the media file;
storing the second part at the local storage device;
receiving over the network and from a remote server in a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
combining the first part received in the second session with the stored second part after the start of the second session; and
playing a representation of the media file at the local client after combining at least part of the first and second parts after the start of the second session;
wherein the first part comprises headers, compression table selectors and scale factors of the media file.
-
-
21. In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second part, comprising:
-
receiving over the network and from a remote server in a first session the first part of the media file, the first part of the media file comprising a representation of the media file at a first quality level;
receiving over the network and from a remote server the second part of the media file, wherein the first and second parts are combinable to form a representation of the media file at a second quality level higher than the first quality level;
storing the second part at the local storage device;
receiving over the network and from a remote server in a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
combining the received first part with the stored second part; and
playing a representation of the media file at the local client;
wherein the second part is not usable for playback without being combined with the first part. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. In a client connected to a network and including a local storage device, a computer-implemented method of receiving and playing a media file comprising at least a first part and a second part, comprising:
-
receiving over the network and from a remote server in a first session the second part of the media file;
storing the second part at the local storage device;
receiving over the network and from a remote server in a second session subsequent to the first session the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;
combining the first part received in the second session with the stored second part after the start of the second session; and
playing a representation of the media file at the local client after combining at least part of the first and second parts after the start of the second session;
wherein the media file is divided into a plurality of sections, wherein one of the sections contains exactly X bits, and wherein each of the remaining sections contains exactly Y bits, wherein X is less than or equal to Y, and wherein the first part comprises a first bit from each section, and the second part comprises the remaining bits from each section. - View Dependent Claims (27)
-
Specification