Moving picture file transmitting server and method of controlling operation of same

• US 9,219,795 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsubaki, Hisayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US14/311,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20140304375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• 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 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

A moving picture suitable for display on a mobile telephone is displayed comparatively quickly. When a moving picture is requested, a leading segment of the moving picture is converted. The leading segment has an amount of data which, after the conversion, is less than the amount of data that is displayable on the mobile telephone that issued the request. A succeeding segment, which can be converted while the leading segment is being transmitted to the mobile telephone and viewed by the user of the mobile telephone, is converted. If there is a request for the succeeding segment after the leading segment is viewed, the conversion of the succeeding segment will be finished by the time of the request for succeeding segment. As a result, the succeeding segment can be transmitted to the mobile telephone quickly, and it can be viewed rapidly.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a request for a moving picture file from a client terminal;

converting, by the computer system, a leading segment of the moving picture file;

transmitting, by the computer system, the converted leading segment to the client terminal;

converting, by the computer system, a succeeding segment of the moving picture file that follows the leading segment;

receiving, by the computer system, a request for the succeeding segment from the client terminal;

in response to the request for the succeeding segment, transmitting, by the computer system, the converted succeeding segment to the client terminal;

repeating, by the computer system, conversion of next succeeding segments of the moving picture file that follow the succeeding segment; and

controlling, by the computer system, the repeated conversion of the next succeeding segments wherein, after determination that a request for a second succeeding segment following a first succeeding segment is not received before conversion of the first succeeding segment ends, conversion of the second succeeding segment is not performed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the request for the succeeding segment where conversion of the succeeding segment has not ended, transmitting a completed portion of the succeeding segment to the client terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising ceasing conversion for a next succeeding segment following the succeeding segment if the request for the succeeding segment is not received before conversion of the succeeding segment ends.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a carrier of the client terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a model of the client terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the moving picture file is stored in the computer system before conversion of the leading segment and the succeeding segment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the client terminal is a mobile phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system includes a server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the converted leading segment and the converted succeeding segment are recoverable by the client terminal.

10. A non-transitory tangible computer-storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer system to perform a computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request for a moving picture file from a client terminal;

converting a leading segment of the moving picture file;

transmitting the converted leading segment to the client terminal;

converting a succeeding segment of the moving picture file that follows the leading segment;

receiving a request for the succeeding segment from the client terminal;

in response to the request for the succeeding segment, transmitting the converted succeeding segment to the client terminal;

repeating conversion of next succeeding segments of the moving picture file that follow the succeeding segment; and

controlling the repeated conversion of the next succeeding segments wherein, after determination that a request for a second succeeding segment following a first succeeding segment is not received before conversion of the first succeeding segment ends, conversion of the second succeeding segment is not performed.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, in response to the request for the succeeding segment where conversion of the succeeding segment has not ended, transmitting a completed portion of the succeeding segment to the client terminal.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising ceasing conversion for a next succeeding segment following the succeeding segment if the request for the succeeding segment is not received before conversion of the succeeding segment ends.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying a carrier of the client terminal.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying a model of the client terminal.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether the moving picture file is stored in the computer system before conversion of the leading segment and the succeeding segment.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the client terminal is a mobile phone.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer system includes a server.

18. A system comprising:

a leading segment converting device for converting a leading segment of a moving picture file, wherein the converted leading segment can be reproduced by a client terminal;

a first transmitting device for transmitting the converted leading segment to the client terminal;

a succeeding segment converting device for converting a succeeding segment of the moving picture file that follows the leading segment;

a succeeding segment request receiving device for receiving a request for the succeeding segment from the client terminal;

a second transmitting device, responsive to the request for the succeeding segment request, for transmitting the converted succeeding segment to the client terminal; and

a conversion control device for controlling the succeeding segment converting device to selectively repeat conversion of next succeeding segments, wherein said conversion control device controls repeated conversion of the next succeeding segments such that, if a request for a second succeeding segment following a first succeeding segment is not received before conversion of the first succeeding segment ends, conversion of the second succeeding segment is not performed.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein in response to receipt of the request for the succeeding segment by said succeeding segment request receiving device where conversion of the succeeding segment by said succeeding segment converting device has not ended, a completed portion of the succeeding segment is transmitted to the client terminal.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein conversion for a next succeeding segment following the succeeding segment is ceased if the request for the succeeding segment is not received before conversion of the succeeding segment ends.