Resuming media objects delivered via streaming services upon data loss events

• US 9,413,664 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2008
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Sun, Yaojun
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yi, Rinna
• Application Number:
  US12/235,792
• Time in Patent Office: 2,877 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 710/15, 710/29, 710/30, 710/33, 707/238, 709/217, 345/240.01, 345/E7.001
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/28 in relation to timing considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/41 by acting on aggregated flows or links

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for resuming a media object presented on a device following a data loss event that interrupts the presentation of the media object, wherein streaming services are used to deliver the media object are provided. A physical disconnection that occurs at a point during the presentation of the media object is recognized. The physical disconnection is recognized based on an identification that media data has not been received by the device within a predetermined time period. Upon recognition of the physical disconnection, the presentation of the media object is automatically paused. After detecting reestablishment of a physical connection, the media object is resumed as though no interruption occurred. A resume request is communicated to a streaming control agent to provide an indication that the streaming control agent should continue delivering media data to the device.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for resuming a media object presented on a media-playing device following a data loss event that interrupts the presentation of the media object, wherein a first portion of media data associated with the media object has been delivered to a device via a streaming service, the method comprising:

presenting the media object on the media-playing device using the first portion of media data received by the media-playing device;

transmitting a periodic connection signal from the media-playing device to a streaming control agent upon each lapse of a connection time period while the media-playing device is physically connected to the streaming control agent, wherein the periodic connection signal indicates the media-playing device is properly functioning and is physically connected to the streaming control agent;

at the media-playing device, recognizing a physical disconnection that occurs at a point during the presentation of the media object, the physical disconnection interrupting the presentation of the media object, wherein the physical disconnection is recognized at the media-playing device based on an identification that a second portion of media data associated with the media object has not been received by the media-playing device within a predetermined time period;

based on the recognition of the physical disconnection,

(1) automatically pausing the presentation of the media object, and

(2) discontinuing the transmitting of the periodic connection signal;

resuming the presentation of the media object on the media-playing device at substantially the same point the media object was interrupted as though no interruption occurred upon recognition of a reestablishment of a physical connection; and

communicating a resume request from the media-playing device to the streaming control agent that is remote from the media-playing device and a media server, wherein the streaming control agent communicates with the media server to initiate resumption of delivering the media object from the media server to the streaming control agent, the resume request including an indication of the second portion of media data at which the streaming control agent should begin delivering the media data to the media-playing device.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the media object comprises an audio media object, a video media object, or a combination thereof.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 further comprising presenting an option to resume the presentation of the media object at the interrupted point.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 further comprising detecting an indication to resume the presentation of the media object.

5. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 further comprising receiving the second portion of media data associated with the media object from the streaming control agent in response to the resume request.

6. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the presentation of the media object is paused using a pause presenting indicator that provides an indication to pause the presentation of the media object.

7. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 further comprising receiving the first portion of media data and temporarily storing the received first portion of media data in memory of the media-playing device until the first portion of media data is presented via the device.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for resuming a media object presented on a portable device following a data loss event that interrupts the presentation of the media object, wherein a portion of the media object has been delivered to the portable device from a streaming control agent via a streaming service, the method comprising:

at a streaming control agent, recognizing that a periodic connection signal is received from the portable device, the periodic connection signal transmitted from the portable device to the streaming control agent upon each lapse of a predetermined time period while communication means exist between the portable device and the streaming control agent, wherein the periodic connection signal is a specific signal generated by the portable device to indicate that the communication means exist between the portable device and the streaming control agent;

based on the recognition that the periodic connection signal is received from the portable device, delivering a first media data associated with the media object to the portable device, a copy of the first media data being stored in a storage queue of a streaming control agent;

at the streaming control agent, recognizing that the periodic connection signal is not received from the portable device within a subsequent occurrence of the predetermined time period;

based on the periodic connection signal not being received at the streaming control agent within the subsequent occurrence of the predetermined time period, pausing delivery of the media object to the portable device that is remote from the streaming control agent and initiating a pause of delivery of the media object from a media server to the streaming control agent, the media server being remote from the streaming control agent and the portable device, wherein the streaming control agent provides support for a plurality of portable devices;

recognizing an indication to resume delivery of the media object to the portable device; and

communicating a second media data associated with the media object to the portable device, a copy of the second media data being stored in the storage queue of the streaming control agent.

9. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the media object comprises a video media object, an audio media object, or a combination thereof.

10. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8 further comprising receiving the first media data from the media server.

11. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 10 further comprising:

generating a copy of the first media data; and

storing the copy of the first media data in the storage queue of the streaming control agent.

12. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the streaming control agent is remote from the portable device and the media server.

13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, receiving the indication to resume delivery of the media object to the portable device.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the indication to resume delivery of the media object comprises a request to resume the media object at the point at which it was interrupted, wherein the request is communicated from the portable device upon recognizing a completion of a data loss event.

15. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14 further comprising dequeuing the first media data and the second media data from the storage queue of the streaming control agent.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8 further comprising communicating a request to pause delivery of the media object from the media server to the streaming control agent.

17. A method for resuming a media object presented on a wireless device following a data loss event that interrupts the presentation of the media object, wherein a portion of the media object has been delivered to a wireless device via a streaming service from a streaming control agent, the method comprising:

at the streaming control agent, receiving from a media server via a first network a first set of one or more media packets containing media data associated with the media object;

communicating the first set of one or more media packets from the streaming control agent to the wireless device via a second network;

recognizing a failed connection between the wireless device and the streaming control agent, wherein the failed connection is recognized at the streaming control agent upon the lapse of a predetermined time period during which a periodic connection signal transmitted from the wireless device while communication means exist between the wireless device and the streaming control agent is not received by the streaming control agent, wherein the periodic connection signal is a signal communicated by a data-loss detecting component of the wireless device to the streaming control agent to indicate to the streaming control agent that the communication means exist between the wireless device and the streaming control agent;

based on the recognized connection failure,

(1) pausing delivery of a second set of one or more media packets containing media data associated with the media object, the second set of one or more media packets received from the media server, wherein the second set of one or more media packets, or a portion thereof, is stored within a storage queue of the streaming control agent, and

(2) communicating a request to pause delivery of the media object from the media server to the streaming control agent, the media server being remote from the streaming control agent;

receiving an indication that a connection between the wireless device and the streaming control agent has been reestablished, wherein the indication of the established connection comprises a resume request communicated by the wireless device in accordance with a user selection to resume the media object; and

based on the indication of the established connection, communicating the second set of the one or more media packets to the device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising establishing the storage queue of the streaming control agent upon receiving a media request from the wireless device indicating a desire to receive the media object.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the streaming control agent provides support for a plurality of user devices.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the streaming control agent utilizes a physically wired network to communicate with the media server.