Methods, systems, and computer program products for coordinating playing of media streams

• US 8,422,858 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cypress Lake Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sitting Man LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/691,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20110176790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/80 Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for coordinating playing of media streams. In one aspect, an access by a media player to a presentation device to play a media stream is detected. Additionally, presentation focus information is accessed for determining whether the media player has presentation focus for playing the media stream. Further, it is determine, based on the presentation focus information, that the media player has presentation focus for playing the media stream. Still further, in response to determining the media player has presentation focus, it is indicated that the media player is allowed to play the media stream via the presentation device.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating playing of media streams, the method comprising:

detecting a first media player access to a first presentation device to play a first media stream;

accessing first presentation focus information for determining whether the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream;

determining based on the first presentation focus information that the first media player does not have first presentation focus;

in response to determining the first media player does not have first presentation focus, indicating that the first media player is not allowed to play the first media stream;

detecting a change in the first presentation focus information;

determining, based on the detected change, that the first media player has first presentation focus; and

indicating, in response to determining the first media player has first presentation focus, that the first media player is allowed to play the first media stream via the first presentation device,

wherein the change in the first presentation focus information is based on at least one of a releasing of presentation focus by a second media player, a detected user input indication for giving the media application first presentation focus, a change in input focus, a change in an attribute of a user interface element, a count of media streams being played, a ranking of media streams being played, a transparency level of at least one of the user interface element, and another user interface element sharing a region of a display of the first presentation device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting includes detecting an access to a resource for playing the first media stream via the first presentation device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the change in an attribute of the user interface element includes a change in at least one of an input focus, z-order, z-order relative to another user interface element, and size of a user visible portion attribute of the user interface element.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein releasing presentation focus by a second media player is based on a change in a mode of operation of the second media player from a play mode to another mode.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the other mode includes at least one of pause mode, stop mode, forward mode, and rewind mode.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining that the first media player has first presentation focus includes:

detecting a first media player access to a second presentation device to play a second media stream; and

accessing second presentation focus information for the first media player defined for determining whether the first media player has second presentation focus to play the second media stream via the second presentation device.

7. The method of claim 6 further includes:

determining based on the second presentation focus information that the first media player has second presentation focus for playing the second media stream; and

indicating, in response to determining the first media player has first presentation focus and second presentation focus, that the first media player is allowed to play the first media stream and the second media stream.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the determining based on the second presentation focus information includes:

determining based on the second presentation focus information that the first media player does not have second presentation focus;

in response to determining the first media player does not have second presentation focus, indicating that the first media player is not allowed to play the first media stream;

detecting a change in the second presentation focus information; and

determining, based on the detected change, that the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a second media player access to the first presentation device to play a second media stream while the first media player has first presentation focus.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising indicating the second media player is not allowed to play the second media stream on the first presentation device while the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

accessing second presentation focus information;

determining based on the second presentation focus information that the second media player has second presentation focus for playing the second media stream; and

indicating, in response to determining that the second media player has second presentation focus, that the second media player is allowed to play the second media stream via the first presentation device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein indicating includes at least one of instructing the first media player to change its mode of operation to play mode, streaming data from the first media stream to the first presentation device, unblocking a thread configured to play the first media stream, and sending message via network to a remote node operatively coupled the first presentation device.

13. A system for coordinating playing of media streams, the system comprising:

an execution environment including an instruction processing unit, wherein an instruction included in at least one of a presentation access component, a focus state component, and a focus director component is executed by the instruction processing unit;

the presentation access component configured for detecting a first media player access to a first presentation device to play a first media stream;

the focus state component configured for accessing first presentation focus information for determining whether the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream;

the focus director component configured for determining based on the first presentation focus information that the first media player does not have first presentation focus;

the presentation access component configured for in response to determining the first media player does not have first presentation focus, indicating that the first media player is not allowed to play the first media stream;

the focus state component configured for detecting a change in the first presentation focus information;

the focus director component configured for determining, based on the detected change, that the first media player has first presentation focus; and

the presentation access component configured for indicating, in response to determining the first media player has first presentation focus, that the first media player is allowed to play the first media stream via the first presentation device.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, executable by a machine, for coordinating playing of media streams, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

detecting a first media player access to a first presentation device to play a first media stream;

accessing first presentation focus information for determining whether the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream;

determining based on the first presentation focus information that the first media player does not have first presentation focus;

in response to determining the first media player does not have first presentation focus, indicating that the first media player is not allowed to play the first media stream;

detecting a change in the first presentation focus information;

determining, based on the detected change, that the first media player has first presentation focus; and

indicating, in response to determining the first media player has first presentation focus, that the first media player is allowed to play the first media stream via the first presentation device.

15. A method for coordinating playing of media streams, the method comprising:

detecting a first media player access to a first presentation device to play a first media stream;

accessing first presentation focus information for determining whether the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream;

detecting a first media player access to a second presentation device to play a second media stream;

accessing second presentation focus information for the first media player defined for determining whether the first media player has second presentation focus to play the second media stream via the second presentation device;

determining, based on the first presentation focus information and the second presentation focus information, that the first media player has first presentation focus; and

indicating, in response to determining the first media player has first presentation focus, that the first media player is allowed to play the first media stream via the first presentation device.

16. The method of claim 15 further includes:

determining based on the second presentation focus information that the first media player has second presentation focus for playing the second media stream; and

indicating, in response to determining the first media player has first presentation focus and second presentation focus, that the first media player is allowed to play the first media stream and the second media stream.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the determining based on the second presentation focus information includes:

determining based on the second presentation focus information that the first media player does not have second presentation focus;

in response to determining the first media player does not have second presentation focus, indicating that the first media player is not allowed to play the first media stream;

detecting a change in the second presentation focus information; and

determining, based on the detected change, that the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream.

18. A method for coordinating playing of media streams, the method comprising:

detecting a first media player access to a first presentation device to playa first media stream;

accessing first presentation focus information for determining whether the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream;

determining, based on the first presentation focus information, that the first media player has first presentation focus;

indicating, in response to determining the first media player has first presentation focus, that the first media player is allowed to play the first media stream via the first presentation device;

detecting a second media player access to the first presentation device to play a second media stream while the first media player has first presentation focus;

indicating the second media player is not allowed to play the second media stream on the first presentation device while the first media player has first presentation focus for playing the first media stream;

accessing second presentation focus information;

determining based on the second presentation focus information that the second media player has second presentation focus for playing the second media stream; and

indicating, in response to determining that the second media player has second presentation focus, that the second media player is allowed to play the second media stream via the first presentation device.