Method and apparatus for creating and using video playlists within a network

• US 8,813,151 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Athias, Franklyn
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHNURR, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US13/916,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20130347036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 725/37, 725/38, 725/58, 725/86, 725/87, 725/91, 725/105, 725/110
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for creating and using video playlists within a network. In accordance with the invention, a user is enabled to create a playlist comprising a plurality of video segments and store the playlist for later access and viewing. In some implementations, the user may upload playlists to the network in order to permit other users to view the playlist and, if desired, watch the playlist'"'"'s contents. In other implementations, the content provider or third parties may create playlists and make the contents available for viewing. In yet other implementations, the content provider or a third party may insert advertisements into a playlist'"'"'s contents.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, in a network, a playlist comprising a plurality of pointers to a plurality of video segments, wherein the plurality of pointers comprises a pointer to an uploaded video segment from a user of the network and a pointer to a first memory location for a future video segment;

receiving a selection of the playlist from a requesting user; and

responsive to receiving the selection of the playlist, transmitting a first of the plurality of video segments to the requesting user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pointers comprises a pointer to a video segment from content on-demand.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the uploaded video segment is stored at a second memory location in the network,

the video segment from content on-demand is stored at a third memory location in the network,

the pointer to the uploaded video segment identifies the second memory location, and

the pointer to the video segment from content on-demand identifies the third memory location.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

parsing the playlist to identify the first, second, and third memory locations; and

based on the parsing, assembling at least the uploaded video segment and the video segment from content on-demand into a single file,

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the single file to the requesting user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of playlists are stored in the network, the method further comprising:

providing a search engine via the network that enables one or more users to search the plurality of playlists for playlists of interest.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

organizing the plurality of playlists according to an ontology for purposes of enabling ontological searching for playlists.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a user interface to be displayed, wherein the user interface comprises a first field configured to receive an identification of a creator of the playlist and a second field configured to receive an input indicating the playlist is to be shared with one or more users.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting a message to the one or more users that indicates that the one or more users are invited to select the playlist.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the future video segment is not currently available and wherein the first memory location is reserved for the future video segment, the method further comprising:

storing, at the first memory location reserved for the future video segment, a substitute video segment comprising information identifying the future video segment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the future video segment comprises at least one of:

(1) a name of the future video segment, (2) a date and time at which the future video segment is scheduled to be transmitted, (3) a length of the future video segment, and (4) a statement that the future video segment is currently unavailable.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to determining that the future video segment has become available, replacing, at the first memory location, the substitute video segment with the future video segment.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a computing device configured to;

receive a playlist from a client node via a network, wherein the playlist comprises a pointer to an uploaded video segment from a user of the network and a pointer to a first memory location for a future video segment;

receive input from an administrator identifying content to add to the playlist;

add a pointer to the identified content to the playlist;

store the playlist including the added pointer to the identified content;

receive a request for the playlist from a requesting user; and

responsive to the request for the playlist, send the identified content and the uploaded video segment from the user of the network to the requesting user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pointer to the uploaded video segment identifies a second memory location of the uploaded video segment and the pointer to the identified content identifies a third memory location of the identified content, and wherein the computing device is configured to:

responsive to the request for the playlist, retrieve the uploaded video segment from the second memory location and the identified content from the third memory location and assemble the uploaded video segment and the identified content in accordance with an organization of the playlist.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computing device is configured to:

examine the uploaded video segment for inappropriate content.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the future video segment is not currently available and wherein the first memory location is reserved for the future video segment, and wherein the computing device is configured to:

store, at the first memory location reserved for the future video segment, a substitute video segment comprising information identifying the future video segment.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computing device is configured to:

responsive to the request for the playlist, assemble the uploaded video segment, the substitute video segment, and the identified content into a single video segment,

wherein the sending comprises sending the single video segment to the requesting user.

17. A method comprising:

receiving playlists from client nodes via a network, wherein a first playlist of the playlists comprises a pointer to an uploaded video segment from a user of the network, a pointer to a video segment from content on-demand, and a pointer to a memory location for a future video segment;

receiving input from an administrator identifying content to add to the received playlists;

adding one or more pointers for the identified content to the received playlists;

storing the playlists including the added one or more pointers for the identified content;

permitting users at the client nodes to peruse the playlists;

receiving a request for the first playlist; and

sending segments of video identified by pointers listed in the first playlist to at least one of the client nodes responsive to the request, the segments of video comprising the added content, the uploaded video segment from the user of the network, and the video segment from the content on-demand.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first playlist comprises an organized list of pointers to the segments of video listed in the first playlist, the method further comprising:

retrieving the segments of video listed in the first playlist from locations identified in the pointers and assembling the segments of video listed in the first playlist in accordance with the organization of the first playlist.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

organizing the playlists according to an ontology; and

providing a search engine for permitting the users to search the playlists by keywords.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving video segments uploaded from the client nodes that comprise content of the playlists; and

storing the video segments uploaded from the client nodes on the network.