Media asset streaming over network to devices

• US 9,749,380 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2015
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTF Casting LLC
• Original Assignee: Kojicast, LLC
• Inventors: Yoden, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilles, Jude Jean
• Application Number:
  US14/689,020
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 709219, 709231, 709233, 709234, 709235, 709232, 709217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast

Abstract

Streaming of a media asset from a cloud server computer to a media playback device is disclosed. In an embodiment, a list of media assets stored in the cloud server computer is sent over network from the cloud server computer to a portable device. In another embodiment, the list is transferred via close-range communication to the portable device from the media playback device which received the list from the cloud server computer over network. In the embodiments, a media asset is started streaming over network from the cloud server computer to the media playback device responsive to selection of one of the listed media assets at the portable device. In some embodiments, streaming is redirected from the portable device to the media playback device responsive to a user'"'"'s operation or in case of disconnection.

Claims

1. A mobile user device, comprising:

communication circuitry through which to establish a first communication over the Internet with a server storing a media content and through which to establish a second communication over a close-range communication network with a media playback device, wherein the server and the media playback device are identified by respective discrete IP addresses distinct from the mobile user device;

a processor; and

a memory storing a computer program including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile user device to perform operations comprising;

invoking one of a first streaming that delivers the media content destined to the mobile user device and a second streaming that delivers the media content destined to the media playback device;

when the first streaming is invoked, receiving the first streaming from the server over the first communication, and playing back the streamed media content on a first graphical user interface;

when the second streaming is invoked and the streamed media content is played back by the media playback device based on the second streaming, receiving progress information indicative of progress of the ongoing second streaming from the media playback device over the second communication, and displaying how far the media content is played within a duration of the media content on a second graphical user interface based on the progress information.

2. A mobile user device according to claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise terminating the ongoing first streaming and invoking the second streaming in response to a first user input through the graphical user interface.

3. A mobile user device according to claim 2, wherein the first graphical user interface presents video of the played-back media content as well as presents an icon associated with the media playback device;

and

wherein the first user input includes selection of the icon through the first graphical user interface.

4. A mobile user device according to claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise terminating the ongoing second streaming and invoking the first streaming in response to a second user input through the second graphical user interface.

5. A mobile user device, comprising:

communication circuitry;

a processor;

a computer-readable medium storing a computer program including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile user device to perform operations comprising;

holding, on the computer-readable medium, a database associating the mobile user device with one or more media playback devices wherein the media playback devices are identified by respective discrete IP addresses distinct from the mobile user device;

directing a streaming of a media content from a server to one of the mobile user device and the media playback devices with reference to the database, wherein the server is identified by a discrete IP address distinct from the mobile user device and the media playback devices;

when the streaming is directed to the mobile user device, establishing a first communication with the server over the Internet using the communication circuitry, via which to receive the streaming to play back the streamed media content on a first graphical user interface;

when the streaming is directed to one of the media playback devices and the streamed media content is played back by the one media playback device, establishing a second communication with the one media playback device over a close-range communication network using the communication circuitry, via which to receive progress information indicative of progress of the ongoing streaming from the one media playback device to display how far the media content is played back within a duration of the media content on a second graphical user interface based on the progress information.

6. A mobile user device according to claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a first user input through the first graphical user interface, in response to which to re-direct the streaming to one of the media playback devices in place of the mobile user device with reference to the database.

7. A mobile user device according to claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying one or more icons each of which is associated with each media playback device with reference to the database on the first graphical user interface;

receiving a first user input including selection of one of the displayed one or more icons through the first graphical user interface; and

in response to the first user input, re-directing the streaming to one of the media playback devices corresponding to the selected icon.

8. A mobile user device according to claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a second user input through the second graphical user interface, in response to which to re-direct the streaming to another media playback device in place of the one media playback device with reference to the database.

9. A mobile user device according to claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying one or more icons each of which is associated with another or the other media playback devices with reference to the database on the second graphical user interface;

receiving a second user input including selection of one of the displayed one or more icons through the second graphical user interface; and

in response to the second user input, re-directing the streaming to another media playback device corresponding to the selected icon.

10. A mobile user device, comprising:

communication circuitry through which to establish a first network communication with a server and through which to establish a second network communication with one or more media playback devices, wherein the server and the media playback devices are identified by respective discrete IP addresses distinct from the mobile user device;

a first graphical user interface active during a first streaming that delivers a media content directed from the server to the mobile user device over the first network communication being in progress, on which the media content is played back based on the first streaming being received from the server over the first network communication; and

a second graphical user interface active during a second streaming that delivers the media content directed from the server to one of the one or more media playback devices being in progress so that the streamed media content is played back by the one media playback device, on which how far the media content is played is displayed based on progress information being received from the one media playback device over the second network communication, wherein the progress information is indicative of progress of the second streaming.

11. A mobile user device according to claim 10, wherein the first graphical user interface is active through which to receive a first user input responsive to which to terminate the ongoing first streaming and invoke the second streaming.

12. A mobile user device according to claim 11, wherein the first graphical user interface displays one or more icons each of which is associated with each media playback device;

wherein the first user input includes selection of one of the displayed icons; and

wherein the invoking the second streaming is invoking the second streaming that delivers the media content directed to one of the one or more media playback devices corresponding to the selected icon.

13. A mobile user device according to claim 10, wherein the second graphical user interface is active through which to receive a second user input responsive to which to terminate the ongoing second streaming and invoke another second streaming that delivers the media content directed to another media playback device.

14. A mobile user device according to claim 13, wherein the second graphical user interface displays one or more icons each of which is associated with another or the other media playback devices;

wherein the second user input includes selection of one of the displayed icons; and

wherein the invoking another second streaming is invoking the another second streaming that delivers the media content directed to another media playback device corresponding to the selected icon.