System for controlling and enforcing playback restrictions for a media file by splitting the media file into usable and unusable portions for playback

• US 7,315,899 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Doron, Amir, Dunning, Ted E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US11/117,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 709/232, 709/236, 709/204, 345/428, 713/161, 205/59, 375/316, 370/477, 370/395.1
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440227 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers

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.

Claims

1. A method executable using one or more servers to transmit a media file, the method comprising:

communicating in a first communication a second part of the media file, the second part being unusable without a first part;

communicating in a second communication subsequent to the first communication the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file, such that the media file can be experienced via a user device using at least part of the first and second parts after a start of the second communication and neither the first part nor the second part is independently usable to experience the media file.

2. The method of claim 1, such that the first and second parts of the media file are encoded, and the second part is undecodable without the first part.

3. The method of claim 1, such that the media file cannot be experienced via the user device without authorization.

4. The method of claim 3, such that authorization comprises the communication of the first part of the media file.

5. The method of claim 1, such that the second part is larger in size than the first part.

6. The method of claim 1, such that the second part comprises a certain percentage of the media file, and the first part comprises a remaining percentage of the media file.

7. The method of claim 1, such that the media file is divided into sections, the first part comprising a portion of a given section, and the second part comprising another portion of the given section.

8. The method of claim 7, such that the given section has a length, P, the first part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, N, which is less than P, and the second part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, P-N.

9. The method of claim 7, such that the given section has a length X, and each of the remaining sections has a length Y which is less than, equal to, or greater than X.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9, such that each length is measured in bits.

11. The method of claim 8 or 9, such that each length is measured in bytes.

12. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating during the first communication the first part of the media file, such that the media file can be experienced at least in part via the user device using at least part of the first and second parts during the first communication.

13. The method of claim 1 or 12, such that the first part is only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

14. The method of claim 1 or 12, such that the combined first and second parts are only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

15. The method of claim 1, such that:

the media file further comprises a third part;

the first and second parts are combinable to experience the media file at a first quality level; and

the first, second, and third parts are combinable to experience the media file at a second quality level different than the first quality level.

16. The method of claim 15, such that the second quality level is higher than the first quality level.

17. The method of claim 15, such that the second quality level is lower than the first quality level.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

communicating the third part of the media file, such that the third part can be combined with the first and second parts to experience the media file at the second quality level via the user device.

19. The method of claim 18, such that the third part is communicated in a communication other than the first communication.

20. The method of claim 18, such that the third part and not the second part is communicated in a communication other than the first communication.

21. The method of claim 18, such that the first part is only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

22. The method of claim 18, such that the combined first, second and third parts are only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

23. A method of transmitting a media file comprising:

communicating in a first communication a second part of the media file, neither the second part nor a first part of the media file is independently usable to experience the media file;

communicating in a second communication subsequent to the first communication the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file,

such that the media file is divided into a plurality of sections, the first part of the media file comprising a portion of each section, and the second part of the media file comprising another portion of each section, such that the first part communicated in the second communication and the second part communicated in the first communication can be combined so that the media file can be experienced via the user device.

24. The method of claim 23, such that a given one of the sections has a length, P, the first part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, N, which is less than P, and the second part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, P-N.

25. The method of claim 23, such that a given one of the sections has a length X, and each of the remaining sections has a length Y, which is less than or equal to Y.

26. The method of claim 24 or 25, such that each length is measured in bits.

27. The method of claim 24 or 25, such that each length is measured in bytes.

28. A method of transmitting a media file comprising:

communicating to a user device in a first communication a second part of the media file, neither the second part nor a first part of the media file is independently usable to experience the media file;

communicating to the user device in a second communication subsequent to the first communication the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file, the first part comprising headers, compression table selectors and scale factors of the media file,

such that at least part of the first and second parts can be combined to experience at least a portion of the media file via the user device after the start of the second communication.

29. A method of transmitting a media file comprising:

communicating to a user device in a first communication a first part of the media file, the media file capable of being experienced at a first quality level using the first part of the media file;

communicating to the user device a second part of the media file the first and second parts are combinable to experience the media file at a second quality level different than the first quality level, and only the second part, which is unusable without the first part, is to be retained in a store local to the user device for subsequent access by the user device;

communicating to the user device in a second communication subsequent to the first communication the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file, so that the first part can be combined with the retained second part to experience the media file via the user device, and neither the first part nor the second part is independently usable to experience the media file at the second quality level.

30. The method of claim 29, such that the first part is only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

31. The method of claim 29, such that the media file can be experienced via the user device after combining the first and second parts.

32. The method of claim 29, such that the media file can be experienced via the user device using at least the first part.

33. The method of claim 32, such that the media file can be experienced using the second part as well as the first part if both the first part and the second part are available to the user device prior to a time at which the media file is to be experienced via the user device.

34. A method of transmitting a media file comprising:

communicating to a user device in a first communication a second part of the media file, the second part is to be retained in a store local to the user device, neither the second part nor a first part of the media file is independently usable to experience the media file;

communicating to the user device in a second communication subsequent to the first communication the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file, such that the first part communicated in the second communicated can be combined with a retained second part after the start of the second communication to experience the media file via the user device,

such that the media file is divided into a plurality of sections, the first part comprising a portion of each section, and the second part comprising another portion of each section.

35. The method of claim 34, such that a given one of the sections has a length, P, the first part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, N, which is less than P, and the second part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, P-N.

36. The method of claim 34, such that a given one of the sections has a length X, and each of the remaining sections has a length Y, which is less than or equal to Y.

37. The method of claim 35 or 36, such that each length is measured in bits.

38. The method of claim 35 or 36, such that each length is measured in bytes.

39. A method of receiving a media file to be experienced via a user device comprising:

receiving in a first communication a second part of the media file, the second part is unusable to experience the media file without being combined with a first part;

storing the second part;

receiving in a second communication subsequent to the first communication the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file; and

combining the first part with the stored second part after the start of the second communication, so that the media file can be experienced via the user device, and neither the first part nor the second part is independently usable to experience the media file.

40. The method of claim 39, such that the first and second parts of the media file are encoded, and the second part is undecodable without the first part.

41. The method of claim 39, such that the media file cannot be experienced via the user device without authorization.

42. The method of claim 41, such that authorization comprises receipt of the first part of the media file.

43. The method of claim 39, such that the second part is larger in size than the first part.

44. The method of claim 39, such that the second part comprises a certain percentage of the media file, and the first part comprises a remaining percentage of the media file.

45. The method of claim 39, such that the media file is divided into sections, the first part comprising a portion of a given section, and the second part comprising another portion of the given section.

46. The method of claim 45, such that the given section has a length, P, the first part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, N, which is less than P, and the second part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, P-N.

47. The method of claim 45, such that the given section has a length X, and each of the remaining sections has a length Y which is less than, equal to, or greater than X.

48. The method of claim 46 or 47, such that each length is measured in bits.

49. The method of claim 46 or 47, such that each length is measured in bits.

50. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving during the first communication the first part of the media file, such that the media file can be experienced at least in part via the user device using at least part of the first and second parts during the first communication.

51. The method of claim 39 or 50, such that the first part is only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

52. The method of claim 39 or 50, such that the combined first and second parts are only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

53. The method of claim 39, such that:

the media file further comprises a third part;

the first and second parts are combinable to experience the media file at a first quality level; and

the first, second, and third parts are combinable to experience the media file at a second quality level different than the first quality level.

54. The method of claim 53, such that the second quality level is higher than the first quality level.

55. The method of claim 53, such that the second quality level is lower than the first quality level.

56. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

receiving the third part of the media file;

storing the third part;

combining the received third part with the stored first part and the stored second part so that the media file can be experienced at the second quality level via the user device.

57. The method of claim 53, such that the third part is received in a communication other than the first communication.

58. The method of claim 53, such that the third part and not the second part is received in a communication other than the first communication.

59. The method of claim 53, such that the first part is only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

60. The method of claim 53, such that the combined first, second, and third parts are only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

61. A method of receiving a media file to be experienced via a user device comprising:

receiving in a first communication a second part of the media file, neither the second part nor a first part of the media file is independently usable to experience the media file;

storing the second part;

receiving in a second communication subsequent to the first communication the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;

combining the first part received in the second communication with the stored second part after the start of the second communication, so that the media file can be experienced via the user device,

such that the media file is divided into a plurality of sections, the first part of the media file comprising a portion of each section, and the second part of the media file comprising another portion of each section.

62. The method of claim 61, such that a given one of the sections has a length, P, the first part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, N, which is less than P, and the second part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, P-N.

63. The method of claim 61, such that a given one of the sections has a length X, and each of the remaining sections has a length Y, which is less than or equal to Y.

64. The method of claim 62 or 63, such that each length is measured in bits.

65. The method of claim 62 or 63, such that each length is measured in bytes.

66. A method of receiving a media file to be experienced via a user device comprising:

receiving in a first communication a second part of the media file, neither the second part nor a first part of the media file is independently usable to experience the media file;

storing the second part;

receiving in a second communication subsequent to the first communication the first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file, the first part comprising headers, compression table selectors and scale factors of the media file; and

combining the first part received in the second communication with the stored second part after the start of the second communication, so that the media file can be experienced via the user device.

67. A method of receiving a media file to be experienced via a user device comprising:

receiving in a first communication a first part of the media file, the media file capable of being experienced at a first quality level using the first part of the media file;

receiving a second part of the media file, the second part being unusable without the first part, and the first and second parts being combinable to experience the media file at a second quality level different than the first quality level;

storing the second part;

receiving in a second communication subsequent to the first communication 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, so that the media file can be experienced via the user device, and neither the first part nor the second part is independently usable to experience the media file at the second quality level.

68. The method of claim 67, such that the first part is only to be available to temporarily experience the media file via the user device.

69. The method of claim 67, such that the media file can be experienced via the user device after combining the first and second parts.

70. The method of claim 67, such that the media file can be experienced via the user device using at least the first part.

71. The method of claim 70, such that the media file can be experienced using the second part as well as the first part if both the first part and the second part are available to the user device prior to a time at which the media file is to be experienced via the user device.

72. A method of receiving a media file to be experienced via a user device comprising:

receiving in a first communication a second part of the media file, neither the second part nor a second part of the media file is independently usable to experience the media file;

storing the second part;

receiving in a second communication subsequent to the first communication a first part of the media file and not the second part of the media file;

combining the first part received in the second communication with the stored second part after the start of the second communication, so that the media file can be experienced via the user device,

such that the media file is divided into a plurality of sections, the first part comprising a portion of each section, and the second part comprising another portion of each section.

73. The method of claim 72, such that a given one of the sections has a length, P, the first part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, N, which is less than P, and the second part'"'"'s portion of the given section has a length, P-N.

74. The method of claim 72, such that a given one of the sections has a length X, and each of the remaining sections has a length Y, which is less than or equal to Y.

75. The method of claim 73 or 74, such that each length is measured in bits.

76. The method of claim 73 or 74, such that each length is measured in bytes.