System, method, and apparatus for facilitating media content channels

• US 7,194,235 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nykanen, Petri, Mononen, Jari, Konkarikoski, Ulla, Pohja, Seppo, Kolehmainen, Mikko
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HUY Q
• Application Number:
  US10/452,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20040248561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/418, 455/419, 455/422.1, 455/466, 455/45, 455/3.01, 455/509, 709/217, 709/219, 709/203
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus that enables end user (402) of mobile terminal (430) to establish primary content channel (426) having primary content feedback provided via path (434). In response, User Interface (UI) logic block (404) detects the primary content channel selection and queries media channel controller (406) for secondary content channel selections that may be instantiated in response to the primary content channel selection. Secondary media channel (428) is automatically established upon an affirmative match made between parameters contained within database (408) and characteristics associated with the primary media channel selection.

Claims

1. A media content channel system comprising:

a first network element coupled to broadcast primary content;

a second network element coupled to provide supplementary content via a digital communications channel, wherein the supplementary content includes a description of a predetermined interval for updating the secondary content based on the primary content;

a user interface to receive user commands; and

a mobile terminal coupled to receive the primary content via a broadcast media channel that is selected in response to the user commands, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a media channel controller coupled to detect the selection of the broadcast media channel and coupled to interactively download the supplementary content via the digital communications channel in response to the selection of a the broadcast media channel, wherein the mobile terminal further comprises a secondary player capable of receiving markup language content from the digital communications channel and make at least part of the supplementary content perceivable to a user of the mobile terminal, wherein the secondary player is configured to update the supplementary content at the predetermined interval.

2. The media content channel system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal further comprises:

a primary player coupled to the primary media content channel to play the primary content;

a user interface to receive user selection commands; and

a database coupled to the media channel controller, wherein the media channel controller retrieves channel selection parameters from the database in response to the selection commands.

3. The media content channel system according to claim 2, wherein the secondary player is configured to manually contact a source of the supplementary content in response to selection of the primary content.

4. The media content channel system according to claim 2, wherein the secondary player is configured to automatically contact a source of the supplementary content in response to selection of the primary content.

5. The media content channel system according to claim 4, wherein the secondary player includes a browser coupled to receive markup language content from the second network element.

6. The media content channel system according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined intervals are configured by the media channel controller.

7. The media content channel system according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined intervals are programmed into the database using the user interface.

8. The media content channel system according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined intervals are configured by the second network element.

9. The media content channel system according to claim 5, wherein the second network element is coupled to automatically provide the markup language content to the browser via Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) standards.

10. The media content channel system according to claim 5, wherein the browser comprises:

a first buffer to contain old markup language content received from the second network element; and

a second buffer to contain new markup language content received from the second network element.

11. The media content channel system according to claim 10, wherein the browser is configured to determine differences between the old markup language content and the new markup language content.

12. The media content channel system according to claim 11, wherein the browser updates a display of the mobile terminal from the first buffer when no differences are found between the new markup language content and the old markup language content.

13. The media content channel system according to claim 11, wherein the browser updates a display of the mobile terminal from the second buffer when differences are found between the new markup language content and the old markup language content.

14. The media content channel system according to claim 13, wherein the display is updated only after all of the new markup language content is received from the second network element.

15. The media content channel system according to claim 5, wherein the user interface detects user interaction with the digital communications channel.

16. The media content channel system according to claim 15, wherein the digital communications channel is removed if no user interaction has been detected within a predetermined amount of time.

17. A mobile terminal capable of being wirelessly coupled to a network which includes a plurality of network elements capable of providing content, the mobile terminal comprising:

a memory capable of storing at least one of a media channel controller, a primary player, a secondary player capable of receiving markup language content via a digital communications channel, and a database;

a processor coupled to the memory and configured by the media channel controller to enable the secondary player to interactively download supplementary content via the digital communications channel in response to detecting that the primary player is selected to receive broadcast content, wherein the supplementary content is related to the broadcast content and contains a description of a predetermined interval for updating the secondary content based on the broadcast content, wherein the secondary player makes the supplementary content perceivable to a user of the mobile terminal, the secondary player is configured to update the supplementary content at the predetermined interval; and

a transceiver configured to facilitate content exchange with the plurality of network elements via the digital communications channel.

18. The mobile terminal according to claim 17, wherein the user interface allows user interaction through one of audible, visual, or tactile inputs.

19. The mobile terminal according to claim 17, wherein the primary player provides audio and visual playback capability.

20. The mobile terminal according to claim 17, wherein the secondary player provides audio and visual playback capability.

21. The mobile terminal according to claim 20, wherein the secondary player further comprises a browser with markup language capability.

22. The mobile terminal according to claim 21, wherein the browser is configured by the media channel controller to automatically contact a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in response to the primary player'"'"'s media content channel activity.

23. The mobile terminal according to claim 22, wherein the URL is located in the database as being associated with the primary player'"'"'s media content channel activity.

24. The mobile terminal according to claim 23, wherein the predetermined intervals are configured by the media channel controller.

25. The mobile terminal according to claim 23, wherein the predetermined intervals are configured by data contained at the location defined by the URL.

26. The mobile terminal according to claim 23, wherein the memory further comprises:

a first buffer coupled to store old data from the URL; and

a second buffer coupled to store new data from the URL.

27. The mobile terminal according to claim 26, wherein the processor compares contents of the first buffer to contents of the second buffer.

28. The mobile terminal according to claim 27, wherein the processor updates a display of the mobile terminal from the first buffer if no differences exist between the contents of the first buffer and the contents of the second buffer.

29. The mobile terminal according to claim 27, wherein the processor updates a display of the mobile terminal from the second buffer if differences exist between the contents of the first buffer and the contents of the second buffer.

30. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a mobile terminal for facilitating content channel creation by performing steps comprising:

establishing reception of content via a broadcast channel in response to a primary content channel request;

creating a digital communications channel in response to the primary content channel request, wherein the digital communications channel is capable of providing markup language content to the mobile terminal; and

receiving content via the digital communications channel, wherein the supplementary content is related to the broadcast channel and includes a description of a predetermined interval for updating the secondary content based on the broadcast content;

making the supplementary content perceivable to a user of the mobile terminal; and

updating the supplementary content at the predetermined interval.

31. A method comprising:

establishing a broadcast content channel with a mobile terminal in response to a broadcast content channel request received from a user of the mobile terminal;

creating a digital communications channel with the mobile terminal in response to the broadcast content channel request, wherein the digital communications channel is capable of providing markup language content to the mobile terminal;

interactively downloading supplementary content via the digital communications channel, wherein the supplementary content is related to content received via the broadcast content channel and includes a description of a predetermined interval for updating the secondary content based on the broadcast content;

making the supplementary content perceivable via the mobile terminal to a user of the mobile terminal; and

updating the supplementary content at the predetermined interval.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein creating the digital communications channel comprises:

retrieving parameters associated with the broadcast content channel;

analyzing the parameters associated with the broadcast content channel to determine the necessity of the digital communications channel; and

establishing the digital communications channel when the parameters define a supplementary content channel to be created.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the parameters associated with the broadcast content channel include:

a broadcast frequency of a radio station; and

a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the radio station.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the broadcast content channel is configured to receive broadcast content from the radio station and the digital communications channel is configured to receive markup language content from the location defined by the URL.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein interaction with the digital communication channel is synchronized with broadcast content channel activity.