Method and apparatus for tracking user location within video or audio content streamed to a mobile handset

• US 8,799,968 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Information Systems America Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ho, Edwin, Wai, King Sun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ingvoldstad, Bennett
• Application Number:
  US11/788,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20090092378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: 725/102
• US Class Current: 725/88
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing audio or video content to a mobile handset is provided.

Claims

1. A method for resuming playback of streamed digital content at a location where the playing of said content previously was stopped, comprising:

streaming content in a wireless fashion to a mobile handset;

initiating a timer on said mobile handset;

playing said content on said mobile handset;

receiving a command including a request to stop playing said content;

stopping the playing of said content on said mobile handset;

stopping the streaming of said content to said mobile handset;

based on timer data from said mobile handset, recording a log entry in a log associated with said mobile handset, wherein said log entry identifies a location within said content at the time when said mobile handset stopped playing said content;

receiving a first request from said mobile handset to resume streaming of said content;

based on said log entry, informing said mobile handset of said location within said content where the playing of said content previously was stopped; and

resuming streaming of said content at said location to said mobile handset in response to a second request from said mobile handset to resume streaming of said content at said location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

streaming said content and associated metadata to said mobile handset, wherein said associated metadata includes a length of said content; and

receiving a user command to stop playing said content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said content comprises one or more of:

audio content and video content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said location is the beginning of a chapter of said content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said location is a location in a chapter of said content other than the beginning of said chapter.

6. An apparatus for resuming the streaming of digital content at a location where the playing of streaming of said content previously was stopped, comprising:

a server containing digital content and configured to stream said content to a mobile handset over a wireless network; and

said server further including a log associated with said mobile handset, wherein said server records a log entry in said log based on timer data received from said mobile handset, and wherein said log entry identifies a location within said content at the time when said content stops playing on said mobile handset in response to a command received at said mobile handset to stop playing said content;

wherein said server is further configured to;

receive a first request from said mobile handset to resume streaming of said content;

based on said log entry, inform said mobile handset of said location within said content where the playing of said content previously was stopped; and

resume streaming of said content at said location to said mobile handset in response to a second request from said mobile handset to resume streaming of said content at said location.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said log entry identifies a location within said content at the time when said content stops playing on said mobile handset in response to a user command received at said mobile handset to stop playing said content.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said content comprises one or more of:

audio content and video content.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said location is the beginning of a chapter of said content.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said location is a location in a chapter of said content other than the beginning of said chapter.

11. A method for streaming digital content, comprising:

storing a piece of digital content as a first set of a plurality of blocks, each block beginning and ending at a unique location within said digital content;

streaming one or more blocks of the first set to a mobile handset over a wireless network;

in response to a command received at said mobile handset to stop playing said digital content, stopping the streaming of said digital content to said mobile handset;

recording a log entry in a log associated with said mobile handset, wherein said log entry identifies a location within said digital content at the time when the streaming was stopped;

receiving a first request from said mobile handset to resume streaming of said digital content;

based on said log entry, informing said mobile handset of said location within said digital content where the streaming of said digital content previously was stopped;

and

resuming streaming of said digital content at said location to said mobile handset over a wireless network in response to a second request from said mobile handset to resume streaming of said digital content at said location.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

streaming said digital content and associated metadata to said mobile handset, wherein said associated metadata includes a length of said digital content;

creating and streaming a new block to said mobile handset when said location within said digital content is not aligned with the beginning of any block of the first set, wherein said new block begins at said location within said digital content; and

in response to a user command received at said mobile handset to stop playing said digital content, stopping the streaming of said digital content to said mobile handset.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said digital content comprises one or more of:

audio content and video content.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein each block in the first set comprises one or more chapters of said digital content.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each block in the first set has a duration of approximately thirty minutes.

16. An apparatus for streaming digital content at a location other than the very beginning of said digital content, comprising:

a server containing digital content and the capability to stream said content to a handset over a wireless network;

said server comprising a storage device for storing said digital content as a first set of a plurality of blocks, each block beginning at a unique location within said digital content;

said server configured for receiving a command from a mobile handset requesting the streaming of said digital content to said mobile handset;

said server configured for stopping the streaming of said digital content to said mobile handset in response to a command received at said mobile handset to stop playing said digital content;

said server configured for recording a log entry in a log associated with said mobile handset, wherein said log entry identifies a location within said digital content at the time when the streaming was stopped;

said server configured for receiving a first request from said mobile handset to resume streaming of said digital content;

said server configured for, based on said log entry, informing said mobile handset of said location within said content where the streaming of said digital content previously was stopped; and

said server configured for resuming streaming of said digital content at said location to said mobile handset in response to a second request from said mobile handset to resume streaming of said digital content at said location.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said log entry identifies a location within said digital content at the time when said digital content stops playing on said mobile handset in response to a user command received at said mobile handset to stop playing said digital content.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said digital content comprises one or more of:

audio content and video content.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each block in said first set comprises one or more chapters of said digital content.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each block in said first set has a duration of approximately thirty minutes.