Flexible download destination

• US 9,386,075 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adriazola, Aldo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tammy
• Application Number:
  US12/633,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,401 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/224, 709/203, 709/204, 715/132
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for providing a flexible download destination are provided. A download request for content transmitted from a first device to a content server is detected. In response to detecting the download request, a determination is made as to whether a user of the first device has subscribed to a flexible download destination service. Upon determining that the user of the first device has subscribed to the flexible download destination service, an interface for selecting alternate download destinations is provided. A selection of a second device is received through the interface. A transfer of the content to the second device is coordinated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

registering, by a first device comprising a processor that executes a detection module and a proxy module, a second device for a flexible download destination service that allows transfer of content to multiple devices, wherein registering the second device comprises associating the second device with a user associated with the second device and obtaining a media access control address associated with the second device;

detecting, at the first device, a download request for the content, wherein the download request is transmitted from the second device to a content server that stores the content, and wherein the second device executes an access module;

in response to detecting the download request, determining, by the first device and based upon the media access control address, whether the user associated with the second device has subscribed to the flexible download destination service;

upon determining that the user associated with the second device has subscribed to the flexible download destination service by determining that account information associated with the user comprises the media access control address and a device identifier that corresponds to a third device, directing the access module executed by the second device to access and present a proxy interface that is hosted by the first device, wherein the proxy interface includes a list containing alternate download destinations, wherein the list includes the second device and the third device;

receiving, by the first device and from the second device, a selection of the third device, wherein the selection is made via the proxy interface; and

instructing, by the first device, the content server to transfer the content to the third device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the third device comprises:

requesting the content from the content server;

receiving the content from the content server; and

transferring the content to the third device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the third device comprises:

determining if the third device is available to transfer the content;

if a first determination is made that the third device is available to transfer the content, instructing the content server to transfer the content to the third device; and

if a second determination is made that the third device is not available to transfer the content, storing an indication to retry a download in a download queue, and instructing the content server to transfer the content to the third device at a later time in accordance with the indication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the third device comprises receiving a selection of the third device and a fourth device, and wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the third device comprises instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device, the third device, and the fourth device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second download request, the second download request comprising a request to download video game content; and

instructing the content server to transmit the video game content to a video game console without presenting the proxy interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises another media access control address.

7. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising

registering a first device for a flexible download destination service that allows transfer of content to multiple devices, wherein registering the first device comprises associating the first device with a user associated with the first device and obtaining a media access control address associated with the first device, and wherein the first device executes an access module,

detecting a download request for the content, wherein the download request is transmitted from the first device to a content server that stores the content,

in response to detecting the download request, determining, based upon the media access control address, whether the user associated with the first device has subscribed to the flexible download destination service,

upon determining that the user associated with the first device has subscribed to the flexible download destination service by determining that account information associated with the user comprises the media access control address and a device identifier that corresponds to a second device, directing the access module executed by the first device to access and present a proxy interface that includes a list containing alternate download destinations, wherein the list includes the first device and the second device,

receiving, from the first device, a selection of the second device, wherein the selection is made via the proxy interface, and

instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device comprises instructing the content server to transmit the content to the first device and the second device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device comprises

requesting the content from the content server,

upon requesting the content from the content server, receiving the content from the content server, and

transferring the content to the second device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device comprises

determining whether the second device is available to transfer the content,

in response to determining that the second device is available to transfer the content, instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device, and

in response to determining that the second device is not available to transfer the content, storing an indication to retry a download in a download queue, and instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device at a later time in accordance with the indication.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device comprises a video game console, and wherein the content comprises video game content.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device comprises a network storage device.

13. The system of claim 7, further comprising a video game console, wherein the content comprises video game content, wherein the content is transferred to the video game console without receiving a request through the proxy interface, and wherein the content is also transferred to the second device based on the selection made via the proxy interface.

14. A non-transitory computer storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

registering a first device for a flexible download destination service that allows transfer of content to multiple devices, wherein registering the first device comprises associating the first device with a user associated with the first device and obtaining a media access control address associated with the first device;

detecting a download request for the content, wherein the download request is transmitted from the first device to a content server that stores the content, and wherein the first device executes an access module;

in response to detecting the download request, determining, based upon the media access control address, whether the user associated with the first device has subscribed to the flexible download destination service;

upon determining that the user associated with the first device has subscribed to the flexible download destination service by determining that account information associated with the user comprises the media access control address and a device identifier that corresponds to a second device, directing the access module executed by the first device to access and present a proxy interface that includes a list containing alternate download destinations, wherein the list includes the first device and the second device;

receiving, from the first device, a selection of the second device, wherein the selection is made via the proxy interface; and

instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device.

15. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 14, wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device comprises instructing the content server to transfer the content to the first device and the second device.

16. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 14, wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device comprises:

requesting the content from the content server;

upon requesting the content from the content server, receiving the content from the content server; and

transferring the content to the second device.

17. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 14, wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device comprises:

determining whether the second device is available to transfer the content;

in response to determining that the second device is available to transfer the content, instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device; and

in response to determining that the second device is not available to transfer the content, storing an indication to retry a download in a download queue, and instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device at a later time in accordance with the indication.

18. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 14, wherein receiving the selection of the second device comprises receiving a selection of the second device and a third device;

and wherein instructing the content server to transfer the content to the second device comprises instructing the content server to transfer the content to the first device, the second device, and the third device.

19. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 14, wherein the device identifier comprises another media access control address.