Method and apparatus for mediating among media applications
First Claim
1. A method of operating a device having a media server therein, for controlling which of a plurality of media applications can be played in the device, said method comprising:
- establishing a respective connection for each respective one of said applications to said media server, each said respective connection having an assigned priority, said establishing including, for each respective connection, sending of a message automatically by one of (a) said respective one of said applications, or (b) said respective connection, communicating said assigned priority to said media server;
sending a request to play from one of said applications to said media server;
when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is lower than an assigned priority of said respective connection for another application that is playing, denying said request at said media server; and
when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is at least equal to said assigned priority of said respective connection for said another application, granting said request at said media server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a device that can execute multiple media applications, but only one at a time, a media server coordinates among applications, but neither the media server nor the individual applications maintain rules regarding all of the different applications. Each connection used by an application is assigned a priority and communicates that priority to the media server when the connection is established. When an application requests to begin playback, the request is granted if no other application is playing, or if another application is playing on a connection having a priority at most equal to that of the connection used by the requesting application, but is denied if the connection already in use has a higher priority. Resumption of an application that was interrupted by another application on a connection with higher priority is determined by the interrupted application after the interruption ends, based on information communicated by the media server.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method of operating a device having a media server therein, for controlling which of a plurality of media applications can be played in the device, said method comprising:
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establishing a respective connection for each respective one of said applications to said media server, each said respective connection having an assigned priority, said establishing including, for each respective connection, sending of a message automatically by one of (a) said respective one of said applications, or (b) said respective connection, communicating said assigned priority to said media server; sending a request to play from one of said applications to said media server; when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is lower than an assigned priority of said respective connection for another application that is playing, denying said request at said media server; and when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is at least equal to said assigned priority of said respective connection for said another application, granting said request at said media server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for playing a plurality of media applications, said apparatus comprising:
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a media server for mediating among said applications;
wherein;a respective connection is established for each respective one of said applications to said media server, each said respective connection having an assigned priority, said establishing including, for each respective connection, automatic sending of a message by one of (a) said respective one of said applications, or (b) said respective connection, communicating said assigned priority to said media server; one of said applications sends a request to play to said media server; when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is lower than an assigned priority of said respective connection for another application that is playing, said media server denies said request; and when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is at least equal to said assigned priority of said respective connection for said another application, said media server grants said request. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of operating a media server in a device, for controlling which of a plurality of media applications can be played, said method comprising:
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establishing a respective connection for each respective one of said applications to said media server, each said respective connection having an assigned priority, said establishing including, for each respective connection, sending of a message automatically by one of (a) said respective one of said applications, or (b) said respective connection, communicating said assigned priority to said media server; sending a request to play from one of said applications to said media server; when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is lower than an assigned priority of said respective connection for another application that is playing, denying said request at said media server; and when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is at least equal to said assigned priority of said respective connection for said another application, granting said request at said media server. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A media server for mediating among a plurality of media applications, said media server comprising:
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a respective connection for each respective one of said applications to said media server, each said respective connection having an assigned priority;
wherein;one of (a) said respective one of said applications, or (b) said respective connection, automatically sends a message communicating said assigned priority to said media server, one of said applications sends a request to play to said media server, when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is lower than an assigned priority of said respective connection for another application that is playing, said media server denies said request, and when said assigned priority of said respective connection for said requesting application is at least equal to said assigned priority of said respective connection for said another application, said media server grants said request. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification