Remote media detection and presentation

• US 7,614,013 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Dollar, William, Simonnet, Guillaume
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US11/637,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20080141298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 715851-853, 715763-765, 715780-783, 725/39, 725/45, 725/46
• US Class Current: 715/851
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Media experiences may be presented to a user on a local device organized by category and subcategory, even though the experiences may be served from various sources located on a network. A remote device with available media may establish a secure connection with the local device and transmit a mechanism for obtaining the media. The remote device will further transmit a listing of the available content. The media listing may be displayed to a user as another channel of media or other grouping as if the media source were local.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at least one advertisement for a media source from a media server, said advertisement comprising;

a content categorization, said content categorization being a subcategorization based on content within one of a group of video, audio, and still images; and

descriptive data for said media source comprising content subcategorization for experiences available on said media source;

generating a hierarchical user interface based at least in part on said at least one advertisement, said hierarchical user interface comprising;

said media source arranged by said content categorization on a first level of said hierarchical user interface;

said descriptive data arranged on a second level of said hierarchical user interface; and

an address for said media source;

displaying said user interface;

receiving a user input for a first experience available on said media source;

connecting to said media source;

receiving said first experience; and

displaying said first experience.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a broadcast request over a network for media sources.

3. The method of claim 1, said content categorization being a media type comprising at least one of a group composed of video, audio, and still images.

4. The method of claim 1, said first experience being an interactive experience.

5. The method of claim 1, said hierarchical user interface further comprising at least one local media source.

6. The method of claim 1, said hierarchical user interface further comprising a plurality of remote media sources.

7. The method of claim 1, said second level being accessible through said first level.

8. The method of claim 1, at least a portion of said second level being displayed with said first level.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a secure connection with said media source.

10. A media client comprising:

a display;

a connection to a network; and

a processor adapted to;

receive at least one advertisement for a media source from a media server, said advertisement comprising a content categorization, said content categorization being a subcategorization based on content within one of a group of video, audio, and still images, and descriptive data for said media source comprising content subcategorization for experiences available on said media source;

generate a hierarchical user interface based at least in part on said at least one advertisement, said hierarchical user interface comprising said media source arranged by said content categorization on a first level of said hierarchical user interface, said descriptive data arranged on a second level of said hierarchical user interface;

display said user interface;

receive a user input for a first experience available on said media source;

connect to said media source;

receive said first experience; and

display said first experience.

11. The media client of claim 10, said processor further adapted to:

transmit a broadcast request over a network for media sources.

12. The media client of claim 10, said content categorization being a media type comprising at least one of a group composed of video, audio, and still images.

13. The media client of claim 10, said first experience being an interactive experience.

14. The media client of claim 10, said hierarchical user interface further comprising at least one local media source.

15. The media client of claim 10, said hierarchical user interface further comprising a plurality of remote media sources.

16. The media client of claim 10, said second level being accessible through said first level.

17. The media client of claim 10, at least a portion of said second level being displayed with said first level.

18. A media server comprising:

a plurality of media sources, each of said media sources being arranged by category and by subcategory and comprising at least one media experience;

a connection to a network;

a processor adapted to;

generate a plurality of entry points into said plurality of media sources;

for each of said plurality of entry points, generate an advertisement, said advertisement comprising a content categorization, said content categorization being a subcategorization based on content within one of a group of video, audio, and still images, descriptive data for said media source comprising content subcategorization for said media experiences available on said entry point, a network address, and a protocol for accessing said media source;

transmit said advertisement to a media client for use in generating a hierarchical user interface;

receive a request from said media client for said media experiences using said protocol; and

transmit said media experience over said network to said media client.