Content navigation module for managing delivery of content to computing devices and method therefor

• US 8,055,784 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Mezzatesta, Frank Jr., McArdle, William, Kalama, Asa
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US12/217,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/213, 709/227, 725/37, 725/87, 725/88
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43078 for seamlessly watching content streams when changing device, e.g. when watching the same program sequentially on a TV and then on a tablet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand

Abstract

There is provided a method for use by a content navigation module for managing delivery of content. The method comprising communicating an identifier contained in the content navigation module with a first computing device to enable the first computing device to receive a selected content from a presentation server over a network; receiving a delivery progress of the selected content from the first computing device periodically; storing the delivery progress of the selected content; losing communication with the first computing device after storing the delivery progress; and communicating the identifier contained in the content navigation module and the delivery progress of the selected content with a second computing device to enable the second computing device to resume receiving the selected content from the server over the network according to the delivery progress of the selected content stored in the content navigation module.

Claims

1. A method for use by a content navigation module for managing delivery of content, the method comprising:

communicating an identifier contained in the content navigation module with a first computing device to enable the first computing device to receive a selected content from a presentation server over a network;

receiving a delivery progress of the selected content from the first computing device periodically;

storing the delivery progress received periodically in the content navigation module;

registering the delivery progress stored in the content navigation module prior to losing communication with the first computing device as a pause point of the selected content; and

communicating the identifier contained in the content navigation module and the pause point stored in the content navigation module with a second computing device to enable the second computing device to resume receiving the selected content from the server over the network according to the pause point stored in the content navigation module;

wherein the content navigation module is a portable device separable from the first computing device and the second computing device, and wherein the portable device includes an interface for communication with the first computing device and the second computing device, the interface being at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface and a wireless interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface is further configured to deliver a desired notification as an alarm relating to a scheduled media presentation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second computing devices are each one of a television system, a mobile telephone, a digital media player, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wired or wireless computer, a gaming console, and an automobile entertainment system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content navigation module is a USB stick.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are the same computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content navigation module does not receive the selected content.

7. A content navigation module for managing delivery of content, the content navigation module comprising:

a memory configured to store an identifier;

an interface configured to communicate the identifier contained in the content navigation module with a first computing device to enable the first computing device to receive a selected content from a presentation server over a network;

the interface further configured to receive a delivery progress of the selected content from the first computing device periodically;

the memory further configured to store the delivery progress received periodically by the interface, wherein the delivery progress stored in the memory prior to losing communication with the first computing device is registered as a pause point of the selected content;

the interface further configured to communicate the identifier contained in the content navigation module and the pause point stored in the content navigation module with a second computing device to enable the second computing device to resume receiving the selected content from the server over the network according to the pause point stored in the content navigation module;

wherein the content navigation module is a portable device separable from the first computing device and the second computing device, and the interface being at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface and a wireless interface.

8. The content navigation module of claim 7, wherein the interface is further configured to deliver a desired notification as an alarm relating to a scheduled media presentation.

9. The content navigation module of claim 7, wherein the first and the second computing devices are each one of a television system, a mobile telephone, a digital media player, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wired or wireless computer, a gaming console, and an automobile entertainment system.

10. The content navigation module of claim 7, wherein the content navigation module is a USB stick.

11. The content navigation module of claim 7, wherein the content navigation module is not configured to receive the selected content.