Media delivery system and method for transporting media to desired target devices

• US 8,787,164 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm Atheros Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Julia, Luc, Cortina, Rafael, Grundback, John, Serghine, Maklouf, Le Nerriec, Yohan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baron, Henry
• Application Number:
  US11/531,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,870 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/265, 370/351, 370/363, 709/217, 709/241
• US Class Current: 370/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]

Abstract

A media delivery system and technique are described to enable a media stream to be received at one end on a user'"'"'s computer, and then re-streamed to a target device in a form that is suitable for that target. As an example of an implementation of such an embodiment, a streaming video and/or audio feed may be received on a user'"'"'s media center, then re-streamed to a user'"'"'s designated target device. The target device may correspond to, for example, another computer, a cell phone, or some other media output device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for delivering media content across one or more networks to one or more target devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of devices that interface with a plurality of media sources that are of a different type;

wherein the plurality of devices are individually interconnected to one another to form a personal network;

one or more processors, included with at least one of the plurality of devices, configured to;

enable a user to (i) select one of the plurality of devices to operate, and (ii) to operate the selected device to select a target device;

make each of the plurality of media sources available for selection by the user operating the selected device in the personal network, in order to provide media content to the target device;

in response to receiving a selection input from the user operating the selected device, access an Internet streaming media source selected by the user and generate target data that corresponds to the media content of the Internet streaming media source, wherein the target data is generated to include one or more characteristics that accommodate the target device and which convert or alter data of the media content provided from the Internet streaming media source as compared to a native state for how data is otherwise provided for output of the media content from the Internet streaming media source; and

stream the target data to the target device over the one or more networks;

wherein the target device is a roaming device; and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine one or more native characteristics of the media content provided by the Internet streaming media source, and

wherein the one or more processors generate target data to include one or more characteristics by;

determining whether the one or more native characteristics are in conflict with one or more desired characteristics for the target data;

if any of the one or more native characteristics are in conflict with any of the desired characteristics, configuring the target data to include the desired characteristic over the conflicting native characteristic; and

if each of the one or more native characteristics are in accord with the one or more desired characteristics, maintaining the one or more native characteristics in the target data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to stream the target data with the one or more characteristics concurrently while receiving streaming data from the Internet streaming media source in the native state.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors stream the target data to the roaming device over at least a cellular communication network.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors stream the target data to the roaming device while concurrently receiving streaming data from the Internet streaming media source in the native state.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics that are included with the target data by determining one or more physical characteristics or capabilities of the roaming device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more physical characteristics or capabilities of the roaming device by accessing a stored profile associated with one or more devices of the user, in order to determine at least one of (i) a display size of the roaming device, or (ii) a data format used by a media player that resides on the roaming device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more physical characteristics or capabilities of the roaming device by responsively determining a transmission size for the target data based on a bandwidth characteristic of a network used by the roaming device to communicate with the system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics by programmatically determining a format for the target data based at least in part on a media player type on the device that is operated on the roaming device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics by programmatically determining a transmission size for the target data based at least in part on a data reception capability of the roaming device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the target data to be a reduction of data otherwise available from the Internet streaming media source.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics by determining a transmission size for the target data based on a data reception capability of the roaming device, including determining the data reception capability based on one or more of (i) a network bandwidth to transmit data to the roaming device, (ii) processing resources of the roaming device to handle the target data, and (iii) memory resources of the roaming device to handle the target data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the roaming device is a mobile computing device, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics by determining the data reception capability of the mobile computing device based on one or more of the (i) network bandwidth of a cellular network used by the mobile computing device, (ii) processing resources of the mobile computing device to handle data from the selected media source, or (iii) memory resources of the mobile computing device to handle data from the selected media source.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate target data to include the one or more characteristics by also identifying profile information corresponding to a screen size of the roaming device, so that the one or more processors stream the target data to include image data that is sized for the screen size of the roaming device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to stream the target data by (i) buffering a media stream that is received in response to selecting a media file of the Internet streaming media source, and (ii) transmitting the target data corresponding to the media stream to the roaming device concurrently with buffering the media stream.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics for the target data by making a determination from a stored profile as to whether the one or more characteristics of the media stream correspond to one or more desired characteristics for the target data while the media stream is being received by the system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine the one or more characteristics of the media stream by determining a native data format of the media stream; and

stream the target data by converting the media stream from the native data format to a desired data format specified by the stored profile.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine the one or more characteristics of the media stream by determining a transmission size for streaming the target data to the roaming device; and

stream the target data by reducing the target data when the transmission size is determined for the roaming device to be less than a transmission size of the media stream as received by system.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine the one or more characteristics of the media stream by determining a suitable display size of image data in the media data based on a corresponding capability of the roaming device; and

stream the target data to the roaming device to accommodate the display size of the device that is the roaming device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions for delivering media across one or more networks to a target device, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

enabling a user to operate a first device in order to select a media source and the target device on which to receive a media stream from the media source, the target device being interconnected to the first device over a wireless or network connection;

wherein the first device and the target device comprise at least a portion of a personal network that is under control of the user;

analyzing the media stream to determine one or more native characteristics of the media stream;

accessing profile information associated with the target device to determine one or more desired characteristics for target data that is to be transmitted to the target device;

generating the target data to correspond to the media stream and to include the one or more desired characteristics, wherein if any of the one or more native characteristics are in conflict with a given characteristic of the one or more desired characteristics, generating the target data includes performing one or more processes on the media stream to generate the target data with the given desired characteristic and not the conflicting native characteristic; and

transmitting the target data to the target device using the wireless or network connection;

wherein the target device is a mobile computing device, and wherein the step of transmitting the target data to the target device includes causing the target data to be transmitted to the mobile computing device over one or more networks that includes a cellular data network;

wherein the step of analyzing the media stream includes determining a data format of the media stream, and wherein the step of generating the target data includes generating the streamed target data to have a data format specified by the profile information, and wherein the instructions provide that if the data format specified by the profile information is incompatible with the data format of the media stream, then the one or more processors perform the step of performing one or more conversion processes to convert the media stream to the data format specified by the profile information.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for performing the steps of receiving and buffering the media stream, and wherein the step of transmitting the target data to the target device includes streaming the target data with the one or more desired characteristics concurrently while buffering the media stream.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the step of transmitting the target data to the target device includes streaming the target data to the target device.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for performing the step of receiving the media stream from a website.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for performing the step of receiving the media stream includes streaming media source data from one or more sources selected from a group consisting of:

(i) a website that provides streaming media files or channels, (ii) a cable television feed, and (iii) a satellite media feed.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for performing the step of receiving and buffering the media stream, and wherein the step of analyzing the media stream is performed concurrently while the media stream is being buffered.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the step of analyzing the media stream includes determining a transmission size of the media stream, and wherein the step of generating the target data includes streaming the target data with a transmission size that is specified by the profile information.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the step of generating the target data includes performing one or more operations to replace or alter the one or more native characteristics with the one or more desired characteristics selected from a group consisting of (i) a data format, (ii) a transmission size, and (iii) an image data display size.

27. A system for providing media to one or more target devices, the system comprising:

an interface that is operable on a given device to enable a user to select and receive, for playback, a plurality of media sources of different types from a plurality of different locations that are accessible over one or more networks;

a stream handling module configured to receive or acquire a media stream or file from a media source selected by the user through the interface;

a media delivery system that is configured to transmit target data corresponding to the media stream or file received or acquired from the selected media source to a designated target device, wherein the media delivery system is configured to format at least some of the target data for the target device in transmitting the target data to the target device; and

wherein the interface, the stream handling module, the media delivery system and the target device comprise a personal network of the user;

wherein the media delivery system includes a determination module that (i) identifies one or more native characteristics of the media stream or file, and (ii) if any of the one or more native characteristics are in conflict with a desired characteristic of the target data, identifies or performs one or more processes in order to include the desired characteristic and not the conflicting native characteristic;

wherein the media delivery system includes a formatting component that performs a process of configuring the target data to have a data type specified for the target device in response to the determination module determining that a native data format of the media stream is incompatible with the data type specified or desired for the target device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the stream handling module includes a buffer that buffers the media stream, and wherein the media delivery system transmits the target data to the target device concurrently with the buffer receiving the media stream from the one or more media sources.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the media delivery system streams the target data to the target device.

30. A system for providing media to one or more target devices, the system comprising:

an interface that is operable on a given device to enable a user to select and receive, for playback, a plurality of media sources of different types from a plurality of different locations that are accessible over one or more networks;

a stream handling module configured to receive or acquire a media stream or file from a media source selected by the user through the interface;

a media delivery system that is configured to transmit target data corresponding to the media stream or file received or acquired from the selected media source to a designated target device, wherein the media delivery system is configured to format at least some of the target data for the target device in transmitting the target data to the target device; and

wherein the interface, the stream handling module, the media delivery system and the target device comprise a personal network of the user;

wherein the media delivery system includes a determination module that (i) identifies one or more native characteristics of the media stream or file, and (ii) if any of the one or more native characteristics are in conflict with a desired characteristic of the target data, identifies or performs one or more processes in order to include the desired characteristic and not the conflicting native characteristic;

wherein the media delivery system includes a reducer component that performs a process of configuring a transmission size of the target data to be less than a transmission size of the media stream, in response to the determination module determining that a reduction in the transmission size is desired to accommodate the target device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the stream handling module includes a buffer that buffers the media stream, and wherein the media delivery system transmits the target data to the target device concurrently with the buffer receiving the media stream from the one or more media sources.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the media delivery system streams the target data to the target device.

33. A system for providing media to one or more target devices, the system comprising:

an interface that is operable on a given device to enable a user to select and receive, for playback, a plurality of media sources of different types from a plurality of different locations that are accessible over one or more networks;

a stream handling module configured to receive or acquire a media stream or file from a media source selected by the user through the interface;

a media delivery system that is configured to transmit target data corresponding to the media stream or file received or acquired from the selected media source to a designated target device, wherein the media delivery system is configured to format at least some of the target data for the target device in transmitting the target data to the target device; and

wherein the interface, the stream handling module, the media delivery system and the target device comprise a personal network of the user;

wherein the media delivery system includes a determination module that (i) identifies one or more native characteristics of the media stream or file, and (ii) if any of the one or more native characteristics are in conflict with a desired characteristic of the target data, identifies or performs one or more processes in order to include the desired characteristic and not the conflicting native characteristic;

wherein the media delivery system includes a sizer component that performs a process of configuring image data identified from the media stream to be of a particular dimension or resolution, in response to the determination module determining that image data in the media stream needs to be re-sized.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the stream handling module includes a buffer that buffers the media stream, and wherein the media delivery system transmits the target data to the target device concurrently with the buffer receiving the media stream from the one or more media sources.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the media delivery system streams the target data to the target device.

36. A system for providing media to one or more target devices, the system comprising:

an interface that is operable on a given device to enable a user to select and receive, for playback, a plurality of media sources of different types from a plurality of different locations that are accessible over one or more networks;

a stream handling module configured to receive or acquire a media stream or file from a media source selected by the user through the interface;

a media delivery system that is configured to transmit target data corresponding to the media stream or file received or acquired from the selected media source to a designated target device, wherein the media delivery system is configured to format at least some of the target data for the target device in transmitting the target data to the target device; and

wherein the interface, the stream handling module, the media delivery system and the target device comprise a personal network of the user;

wherein the media delivery system includes a determination module that (i) identifies one or more native characteristics of the media stream or file, and (ii) if any of the one or more native characteristics are in conflict with a desired characteristic of the target data, identifies or performs one or more processes in order to include the desired characteristic and not the conflicting native characteristic;

wherein the media delivery system is configured to stream the target data to the target device, so that the target data generated from a portion of a given media stream is streamed to the target device while another portion of the given media stream is received by the stream handling module.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the stream handling module includes a buffer that buffers the media stream, and wherein the media delivery system transmits the target data to the target device concurrently with the buffer receiving the media stream from the one or more media sources.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the media delivery system streams the target data to the target device.

39. A computer-implemented system for delivering media content across one or more networks to one or more target devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of devices that interface with a plurality of media sources that are of a different type;

wherein the plurality of devices are individually interconnected to one another to form a personal network;

one or more processors, included with at least one of the plurality of devices, configured to;

enable a user to select one of the plurality of devices to operate, and to operate the selected device to select a target device;

make each of the plurality of media sources available for selection by the user operating the selected device in the personal network, in order to provide media content to the target device;

in response to receiving a selection input from the user operating the selected device, access a selected media source and generate target data that corresponds to the media content of the selected media source, wherein the target data is generated to include one or more characteristics that accommodate the target device and which convert or alter data from the selected media source as compared to one or more native characteristics of data that is otherwise provided for output of media content from the selected media source; and

stream the target data to the target device over the one or more networks

wherein in response to receiving selection input corresponding to selection of an Internet streaming media source, the one or more processors determine the one or more native characteristics of the media content of the Internet streaming media source by using one or more links to access a corresponding media file or stream of the Internet streaming media source, and by receiving streaming media using the one or more links.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics by programmatically determining a format for the target data based at least in part on a media player type on the device that is operated on the target device.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics by programmatically determining a transmission size for the target data based at least in part on a data reception capability of the target device.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate the target data to be a reduction of data otherwise available from the media Internet streaming source.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics by determining a transmission size for the target data based on a data reception capability of the target device, including determining the data reception capability based on one or more of (i) a network bandwidth to transmit data to the target device, (ii) processing resources of the target device to handle the target data, and (iii) memory resources of the target device to handle the target data.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the target device is a mobile computing device, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more characteristics by determining the data reception capability of the mobile computing device based on one or more of the (i) network bandwidth of a cellular network used by the mobile computing device, (ii) processing resources of the mobile computing device to handle data from the selected media source, or (iii) memory resources of the mobile computing device to handle data from the selected media source.

45. A method for delivering media across one or more networks to a target device, the method comprising:

enabling a user to operate a first device in order to select a media source and the target device on which to receive a media stream from the media source, the target device being interconnected to the first device over a wireless or network connection;

wherein the first device and the target device comprise at least a portion of a personal network that is under control of the user;

analyzing the media stream to determine one or more native characteristics of the media stream;

accessing profile information associated with the target device to determine one or more desired characteristics for target data that is to be transmitted to the target device;

generating the target data to correspond to the media stream and to include the one or more desired characteristics, wherein if any of the one or more native characteristics are in conflict with a given characteristic of the one or more desired characteristics, generating the target data includes performing one or more processes on the media stream to generate the target data with the given desired characteristic and not the conflicting native characteristic; and

transmitting the target data to the target device using the wireless or network connection;

wherein the target device is a mobile computing device, and wherein the step of transmitting the target data to the target device includes causing the target data to be transmitted to the mobile computing device over one or more networks that includes a cellular data network;

wherein the step of analyzing the media stream includes determining a data format of the media stream, and

wherein the step of generating the target data includes generating the streamed target data to have a data format specified by the profile information, including performing one or more conversion processes to convert the media stream to the data format specified by the profile information in response to the data format specified by the profile information being incompatible with the data format of the media stream.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising receiving the media stream and buffering the media stream, and wherein the step of transmitting the target data to the target device includes streaming the target data with the one or more desired characteristics concurrently while buffering the media stream.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of transmitting the target data to the target device includes streaming the target data to the target device.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of receiving a media stream includes receiving the media stream from a website.

49. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of receiving the media stream from one or more sources selected from a group consisting of:

(i) a website that provides streaming media files or channels, (ii) a cable television feed, and (iii) a satellite media feed.

50. The method of claim 45, further comprising the steps of receiving the media stream and buffering the media stream, and wherein the step of analyzing the media stream is performed concurrently while the media stream is being buffered.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of analyzing the media stream includes determining a transmission size of the media stream, and wherein the step of generating the target data includes streaming the target data with a transmission size that is specified by the profile information.

52. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of generating the target data includes performing one or more operations to replace or alter the one or more native characteristics with the one or more desired characteristics selected from a group consisting of (i) a data format, (ii) a transmission size, and (iii) an image data display size.