Content delivery technology
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a media device, the method comprising:
- receiving, at a network server system and from a remote device, a request to make a content file available to a media device that is different than the remote device, the request including identification information sufficient to enable the network server system to identify the media device;
based on the identification information, identifying, by the network server system and from among multiple, different media devices, the media device associated with the received request;
determining, by the network server system and based on the received request, address information for the content file associated with the received request;
establishing, by the network server system, a communication session with the media device based on the identification of the media device associated with the received request; and
sending the determined address information for the content file associated with the received request to the media device over the established communication session, thereby making the content file associated with the request available to the media device;
wherein receiving, at the network server system and from the remote device, the request to make the content file available to the media device that is different than the remote device comprises receiving an electronic communication having a recipient address that corresponds to at least one of the multiple, different media devices and including a link to streaming content;
wherein identifying the media device associated with the received request comprises mapping the recipient address of the received electronic communication to the media device; and
wherein determining address information for the content file associated with the received request comprises;
identifying a sender of the electronic communication;
determining whether the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device using at least one of a black list and a white list;
based on a determination that the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device, making the streaming content available to the media device by;
parsing the link to streaming content from the received electronic communication;
determining that the parsed link corresponds to streaming content,in response to the determination that the parsed link corresponds to streaming content, determining whether a previously-stored file of the streaming content exists in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, andin response to a determination that a previously-stored file of the streaming content does not exist in electronic storage accessible by the network server system;
retrieving the streaming content using the parsed link,formatting the retrieved content into a new playable file,storing the new playable file in electronic storage accessible by the network server system,creating access information that enables access to the new playable file, anddetermining the address information for the content file associated with the received request as the created access informationdetermining, by the network server system and based on the received request, whether the content file is to be maintained as a private file or a public file, andcontrolling access to the content file by enabling at least the media device to access the content file while preventing other media devices from accessing the content file in response to a determination that the content file is to be maintained as a private file or making the content file available to the media device as well as the other media devices in response to a determination that the content file is to be maintained as a public file.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Content delivery technology, in which a request to download a content file to a downloader device is received from a remote device and the downloader device associated with the received request is identified. Address information for the content file associated with the received request is determined and a communication session is established with the downloader device based on the identification of the downloader device associated with the received request. The determined address information for the content file is sent to the downloader device over the established communication session, thereby enabling the downloader device to download the content file associated with the request.
72 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a media device, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a network server system and from a remote device, a request to make a content file available to a media device that is different than the remote device, the request including identification information sufficient to enable the network server system to identify the media device; based on the identification information, identifying, by the network server system and from among multiple, different media devices, the media device associated with the received request; determining, by the network server system and based on the received request, address information for the content file associated with the received request; establishing, by the network server system, a communication session with the media device based on the identification of the media device associated with the received request; and sending the determined address information for the content file associated with the received request to the media device over the established communication session, thereby making the content file associated with the request available to the media device; wherein receiving, at the network server system and from the remote device, the request to make the content file available to the media device that is different than the remote device comprises receiving an electronic communication having a recipient address that corresponds to at least one of the multiple, different media devices and including a link to streaming content; wherein identifying the media device associated with the received request comprises mapping the recipient address of the received electronic communication to the media device; and wherein determining address information for the content file associated with the received request comprises; identifying a sender of the electronic communication; determining whether the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device using at least one of a black list and a white list; based on a determination that the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device, making the streaming content available to the media device by; parsing the link to streaming content from the received electronic communication; determining that the parsed link corresponds to streaming content, in response to the determination that the parsed link corresponds to streaming content, determining whether a previously-stored file of the streaming content exists in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, and in response to a determination that a previously-stored file of the streaming content does not exist in electronic storage accessible by the network server system; retrieving the streaming content using the parsed link, formatting the retrieved content into a new playable file, storing the new playable file in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, creating access information that enables access to the new playable file, and determining the address information for the content file associated with the received request as the created access information determining, by the network server system and based on the received request, whether the content file is to be maintained as a private file or a public file, and controlling access to the content file by enabling at least the media device to access the content file while preventing other media devices from accessing the content file in response to a determination that the content file is to be maintained as a private file or making the content file available to the media device as well as the other media devices in response to a determination that the content file is to be maintained as a public file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of controlling a media device, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a network server system and from a remote device, a request to make a content file available to a media device that is different than the remote device, the request including identification information sufficient to enable the network server system to identify the media device; based on the identification information, identifying, by the network server system and from among multiple, different media devices, the media device associated with the received request; determining, by the network server system and based on the received request, address information for the content file associated with the received request; establishing, by the network server system, a communication session with the media device based on the identification of the media device associated with the received request; and sending the determined address information for the content file associated with the received request to the media device over the established communication session, thereby making the content file associated with the request available to the media device, wherein receiving, at the network server system and from the remote device, the request to make a content file available to a media device that is different than the remote device comprises receiving, from a communications server, an electronic communication having a recipient address that corresponds to at least one of the multiple, different media devices and including an attached content file, wherein identifying the media device associated with the received request comprises mapping the recipient address of the received electronic communication to the media device, wherein determining address information for the content file associated with the received request comprises; identifying a sender of the electronic communication; determining whether the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device using at least one of a black list and a white list; based on a determination that the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device, making the attached content file available to the media device by; extracting the attached content file from the received electronic communication, determining whether a previously-stored version of the extracted content file exists in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, in response to a determination that a previously-stored version of the extracted content file exists in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, identifying access information that enables access to the previously-stored version of the extracted content file and determining the address information for the content file associated with the received request as the identified access information, in response to a determination that a previously-stored version of the extracted content file does not exist in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, storing a new version of the extracted content file in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, creating access information that enables access to the new version of the extracted content file, and determining the address information for the content file associated with the received request as the created access information, determining, by the network server system and based on the received request, whether the attached content file is to be maintained as a private file; in response to a determination that the attached content file is to be maintained as a private file, controlling access to the attached content file to prevent media devices other than the media device from accessing the attached content file; and in response to a determination that the attached content file is to be maintained as a public file, making the attached content file available to media devices other than the media device, and wherein creating access information comprises; segmenting the extracted content file into multiple segments, generating a control file that identifies the multiple segments of the extracted content file and includes a tracker that identifies one or more peers in a network at which one or more of the multiple segments of the extracted content file are available, and creating a link to the control file, and determining the address information comprises determining the address information for the content file associated with the received request as the link to the control file.
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15. A method of controlling a media device, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a network server system and from a remote device, a request to make a content file available to a media device that is different than the remote device, the request including identification information sufficient to enable the network server system to identify the media device; based on the identification information, identifying, by the network server system and from among multiple, different media devices, the media device associated with the received request; determining, by the network server system and based on the received request, address information for the content file associated with the received request; establishing, by the network server system, a communication session with the media device based on the identification of the media device associated with the received request; and sending the determined address information for the content file associated with the received request to the media device over the established communication session, thereby making the content file associated with the request available to the media device; wherein receiving, at the network server system and from the remote device, the request to make the content file available to the media device that is different than the remote device comprises receiving an electronic communication having a recipient address that corresponds to at least one of the multiple, different media devices and including a link to streaming content; wherein identifying the media device associated with the received request comprises mapping the recipient address of the received electronic communication to the media device; and wherein determining address information for the content file associated with the received request comprises; identifying a sender of the electronic communication; determining whether the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device using at least one of a black list and a white list; based on a determination that the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device, making the streaming content available to the media device by; parsing the link to streaming content from the received electronic communication; determining that the parsed link corresponds to streaming content, in response to the determination that the parsed link corresponds to streaming content, determining whether a previously-stored file of the streaming content exists in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, and in response to a determination that a previously-stored file of the streaming content exists in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, identifying access information that enables access to the previously-stored file of the streaming content and determining the address information for the content file associated with the received request as the identified access information, determining, by the network server system and based on the received request, whether the content file is to be maintained as a private file or a public file, and controlling access to the content file by enabling at least the media device to access the content file while preventing other media devices from accessing the content file in response to a determination that the content file is to be maintained as a private file or making the content file available to the media device as well as the other media devices in response to a determination that the content file is to be maintained as a public file. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A network server system comprising:
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at least one computer; and at least one computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one computer having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one computer, causes the at least one computer to perform operations comprising; receiving, at the network server system and from a remote device, a request to make a content file available to a media device that is different than the remote device, the request including identification information sufficient to enable the network server system to identify the media device; based on the identification information, identifying, by the network server system and from among multiple, different media devices, the media device associated with the received request; determining, by the network server system and based on the received request, address information for the content file associated with the received request; establishing, by the network server system, a communication session with the media device based on the identification of the media device associated with the received request; and sending the determined address information for the content file associated with the received request to the media device over the established communication session, thereby making the content file associated with the request available to the media device; wherein receiving, at the network server system and from the remote device, the request to make the content file available to the media device that is different than the remote device comprises receiving, from a communications server, an electronic communication having a recipient address that corresponds to at least one of the multiple, different media devices and including a link to streaming content; wherein identifying the media device associated with the received request comprises mapping the recipient address of the received electronic communication to the media device; and wherein determining address information for the content file associated with the received request comprises; identifying a sender of the electronic communication; determining whether the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device using at least one of a black list and a white list; based on a determination that the sender of the electronic communication is authorized to make content available to the media device, making the streaming content available to the media device by; parsing the link to streaming content from the received electronic communication; determining that the parsed link corresponds to streaming content, in response to the determination that the parsed link corresponds to streaming content, determining whether a previously-stored file of the streaming content exists in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, in response to a determination that a previously-stored file of the streaming content exists in electronic storage accessible by the network server system, identifying access information that enables access to the previously-stored file of the streaming content and determining the address information for the content file associated with the received request as the identified access information, and in response to a determination that a previously-stored file of the streaming content does not exist in electronic storage accessible by the network server system;
retrieving the streaming content using the parsed link,
formatting the retrieved content into a new playable file,
storing the new playable file in electronic storage accessible by the network server system,
creating access information that enables access to the new playable file, and
determining the address information for the content file associated with the received request as the created access information,determining, based on the received request, whether the content file is to be maintained as a private file or a public file; in response to a determination that the content file is to be maintained as a private file, controlling access to the content file by enabling at least the media device to access the content file while preventing other media devices from accessing the content file; and in response to a determination that the attached content file is to be maintained as a public file, making the content file available to the media device as well as the other media devices.
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Specification