Method and device for providing/receiving media content over digital network

• US 7,424,708 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Handmark Incorporated (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Handmark Incorporated (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Andersson, Per Johan, Carlsson, Magnus, Pompili, Carlo, Zervas, Konstantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US10/363,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,555 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-177, 709/203, 709231-234
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to a method for providing media content to a user over a digital network, which media content may be provided by a media content server, organized and selected by an intermediate node in accordance to previously stored user preferences, and delivered to a client operated by the user. The method may define a personalized media package structure, communicate a first package having the personalized media package structure to the client, receive status information from the client, the status information describing a user action, adapt the personalized media package structure in response to the user action, and communicate a second package having the adapted personalized media package structure to the client. With such arrangement, the user may experience a highly personalized media playback, with a minimum of cost related to network transmission. Moreover, by the implementation of the status information communication to the personalization server, the media package structure may be continually updated in accordance with the user'"'"'s consumer pattern.

Claims

1. A method for providing media content to a user over a digital network, which media content is provided by a media content server, organized and selected by an intermediate node in accordance to previously stored user preferences, and delivered to a client operated by the user, in the form of media package including playable media subjects, comprising:

defining a personalized media package structure, said personalized media package structure defining a relationship between the media subjects and a structure for navigating in the media package,

communicating a first package including the media subjects organized according to said personalized media package structure to the client,

receiving status information from the client, said status information describing a user action,

adapting said personalized media package structure in response to said user action, and

communicating a second package including the media subjects organized according to said adapted personalized media package structure to the client, in response to the user action.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said status information further includes an indication of the currently available network transmission speed, and wherein media subjects unsuitable for the available transmission speed are replaced or excluded from said package.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said status information further includes an indication of the media formats supported by the client media player, and wherein media subjects having a format not supported by said media player are replaced or excluded from said package.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said status information further includes an indication of the type of situation the user is currently in.

5. A computer program product, comprising software code portions stored on computer storage medium for performing the steps of claim 1, when said product is run on a computer.

6. A storage medium having stored thereon a computer program product according to claim 5.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second package includes a different media package structure with respect to said first package.

8. A method for receiving media contents to a client from an intermediate node in a digital network, which media content is provided by a media content server, organized and selected by said intermediate node in accordance to previously stored user preferences, in the form of media packages including playable media subjects, comprising:

receiving a first package including the media subjects organized according to a personalized media package structure, said personalized media package structure defining a relationship between the media subjects and a structure for navigating in the media package,

communicating status information to the intermediate node, said status information describing a user action, and

receiving a second package including the media subjects organized according to the personalized package structure adapted in response to said user action.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said status information further includes an indication of the currently available network transmission speed, and wherein media subjects unsuitable for the available transmission speed are replaced or excluded from said package.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said status information further includes an indication of the media formats supported by the client media player, and wherein media subjects having a format not supported by said media player are replaced or excluded from said package.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said status information further includes an indication of the type of situation the user is currently in.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said second package includes a different media package structure with respect to said first package.

13. A device for providing media content to a user over a digital network, which media content is provided by a media content server, organized and selected by an intermediate node in accordance to previously stored user preferences, and delivered to a client operated by the user in the form of media packages having playable media subjects,

comprising means for:

defining a personalized media package structure, said personalized media package structure defining a relationship between the media subjects and a structure for navigating in the media package,

communicating a first package including the media subjects organized according to said personalized media package structure to the client,

receiving status information from the client, said status information describing a user action,

adapting said personalized media package structure in response to said consumption behavior, and

communicating a second package including the media subjects organized according to said adapted personalized media package structure to the client, in response to the user action.

14. A device for receiving media contents to a client from an intermediate node in a digital network, which media content is provided by a media content server, organized and selected by said intermediate node in accordance to previously stored user preferences in the form of media packages having playable media subjects, comprising means for:

receiving a first package including the media subjects organized according to a personalized media package structure, said personalized media package structure defining a relationship between the media subjects and a structure for navigating in the media package,

communicating status information to the intermediate node, said status information describing a user action, and

receiving a second package including the media subjects organized according to a personalized package structure adapted in response to said user action.