Pairing a media server and a media client

• US 8,769,054 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robbin, Jeffrey, Jawa, Amandeep, Miller, Jeffrey, Heller, David, Henzie, Justin, Brodersen, Rainer, Pacurariu, Mihnea Calin, Wysock, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheema, Umar
• Application Number:
  US13/609,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20130097286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

A system for use in presenting media content includes a media server configured to provide media content and a media client configured to obtain the media content from the media server and to present the media content on a device. The media client is configured to generate a first code and to transmit information to the media server. The information identifies the media client and the information indicates that the media client is available for pairing. The media server is configured to reply to the information with a second code that corresponds to the first code in order to enable pairing between the media server and the media client.

Claims

1. A method performed by a media server, comprising:

the media server sending media content in both a synchronization mode and a streaming mode to a media client by

receiving a code via an interface from the media client, the code comprising information indicating that the media client is available for receiving the media content in both the synchronization mode and the streaming mode; and

pairing with the media client in response to the indication, wherein pairing comprises pairing with the media client in the synchronization mode and in the streaming mode,

the synchronization mode for downloading at least a portion of content for later presentation via the media client, and

the streaming mode for downloading content for substantially current presentation via the media client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to the media client, a summary of content that is available on the media server for download;

receiving data indicating content that the media client has selected for download; and

providing selected content to the media client.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected content comprises streaming content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a graphical user interface, and the method further comprises generating the graphical user interface.

5. A system for use in presenting media content, comprising:

a first media server configured to provide first media content;

a second media server configured to provide second media content; and

a media client configured to obtain the first and second media content from the first and second media servers, respectively, and to output the first and second media content for presentation on a device;

wherein the media client is configured to generate a first code and to transmit first information to the first media server, the first information identifying the media client and the first information indicating that the media client is available for pairing;

wherein the first media server is configured to reply to the first information with a second code that corresponds to the first code in order to enable pairing between the first media server and the media client, the first media content comprising synchronized content for later presentation via the media client,

wherein the media client is configured to transmit second information to the second media server, the second information identifying the media client and indicating that the media client is available,

wherein the second media server is configured to reply to the second information with a third code that corresponds to the first code to pair with the second media server to enable transmission of streaming media content from the second media server to the media client, and

wherein the media client remains paired to the first media server when streaming of media content to the second media server is enabled.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the media client is configured to reply to the second code with an indication that the second code corresponds to the first code;

and

wherein the first media server is configured to provide, in response to the indication, a summary of media content available to the media client for download.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the media client is configured to selectively download first media content from the first media server.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein selectively downloading comprises:

retrieving first media content from the first media server according to priority, the priority dictating an order in which different types of first media content are to be downloaded.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the types of first media content comprises movies, televisions shows, music, podcasts, and photographs;

and

wherein the order in which different types of first media content are to be downloaded is movies, televisions shows, music, podcasts, and photographs.

10. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, the computer program product comprising instructions that are executable by a media client to:

enter a pairing mode that enables the media client to receive media data in both a synchronization mode and a streaming mode from a media server;

generate a first code and a third code for pairing with the media server in the synchronization mode and the streaming mode, respectively;

receive a second code and a fourth code from the media server;

determine if the first code corresponds to the second code and the third code corresponds to the fourth code; and

pair with the media server if the first code corresponds to the second code and the third code corresponds to the fourth code.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein pairing with the media server comprises:

responding to the media server that the first code corresponds to the second code and the third code corresponds to the fourth code; and

enabling communicating with the media server.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein communicating with the media server comprises:

receiving, from the media server, a summary of content that is available to the media client for download; and

selectively downloading content from the media server.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein selectively downloading comprises:

retrieving content from the media server according to priority, the priority dictating an order in which different types of content are to be downloaded.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the types of content comprise movies, televisions shows, music, podcasts, and photographs;

and

wherein the order in which different types of content are to be downloaded is movies, televisions shows, music, podcasts, and photographs.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein communicating with the media server comprises:

obtaining streaming content from the media server.