System and method of transferring control of media playback between electronic devices

• US 9,843,607 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2012
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven Henry, Walker, David Ryan, Pasquero, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Biagini, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gebre, Messeret F
• Application Number:
  US13/666,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20140122589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• 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 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists

Abstract

A system and method for transferring control of media playback between electronic devices. Playback of media content is initiating at a source device and peer-to-peer device pairing is established with a destination device. Media content from the source device is streamed to the destination device and a determination of whether to transfer media playback control to the destination device is made based on characteristics of the media content. The control of media playback may be transferred to the destination device based on the destination device having a local copy of the streaming media content, a playlist with similar characteristics to the streaming media content, a local media content having similar characteristics to the streaming media content, or a local playlist similar to the playlist from the source device. The peer-to-peer device pairing is terminated when media playback control is transferred, thereby preserving battery and processing power to the source device.

Claims

1. A method of transferring control of media playback between a source device and a destination device, the method comprising:

initiating playback of media content at the source device;

establishing, at the source device, a peer-to-peer device pairing with the destination device, wherein the peer-to-peer device pairing includes a wireless connection between the source device and the destination device;

streaming, from the source device, the media content for media playback to the destination device, where the media content is streamed through a wireless connection between the source device and the destination device;

comparing, at the source device, characteristics of the media content with characteristics of media content locally accessible at the destination device, wherein the media content locally accessible at the destination device is stored locally at the destination device or accessible to the destination device, and wherein the media content locally accessible at the destination device or accessible to the destination device is from a different source than the media content streaming from the source device;

while streaming the media content from the source device to the destination device, determining, at the source device, whether to transfer control of the media playback to the destination device based on the comparison of the characteristics of the media content locally accessible at the destination device;

transferring control of the media playback to the destination device when a predetermined number of characteristics of the media content locally accessible at the destination device match the characteristics of the media content streaming from the source device to the destination device, wherein transferring control of the media playback enables the destination device to control playback of the media content and play a local copy of the media content; and

terminating the peer-to-peer device pairing when control of the media playback to the destination device is transferred, wherein terminating the peer-to-peer device pairing includes terminating the wireless connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of media content streaming from the source device to the destination device comprise at least one of a file format, a title, playlist data, a beats per minute, a bit rate, an album, a release date, a genre, an artist, and a director.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to transfer control of the media playback comprises:

determining whether a local copy of the media content streaming to the destination device is stored at the destination device based on a comparison of the characteristics of the media content stored at the destination device and the characteristics of the media content streaming to the destination device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

streaming the media content until the conclusion of the media content upon determining that the local copy is not stored at the destination device; and

transferring control of media playback to the destination device at the conclusion of the media content streaming to the destination device.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting buffer data for buffering playback of the media content at the destination device upon determining that the local copy is stored at the destination device;

retrieving the local copy of the media content;

receiving an indication that the local copy is retrieved;

transferring control of media playback from the source device to the destination device in response to receiving the indication; and

terminating the peer-to-peer device pairing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to transfer control of media playback comprises:

determining whether the media content locally accessible at the destination device comprises a playlist having media content with characteristics substantially similar to the media content streaming to the destination device; and

transferring control of the media playback to the destination device in response to determining the media content locally accessible at the destination device comprises the playlist.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a decrease in strength of connectivity of the peer-to-peer device pairing; and

determining whether to transfer control of the media playback to the destination device in response to detecting the decrease in strength of connectivity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting the decrease in the strength of connectivity is based at least in part on an available bandwidth, a signal strength, and a network change.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

re-establishing the peer-to-peer device pairing;

transmitting a request to the destination device to return control of the media playback to the source device;

receiving data indicating a second media item is playing at the destination device in response to the request; and

resuming control of the media playback at the source device based at least in part on characteristics of the second media item playing at the destination device and characteristics of media content at the source device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein resuming control of media playback comprises:

determining whether a copy of the second media item is locally stored at the source device;

receiving control of the media playback at the source device in response to determining that the copy of the second media item is locally stored at the source device; and

terminating the re-established peer-to-peer device pairing.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein resuming control of media playback comprises:

determining whether a copy of the second media item is locally stored at the source device;

determining a third media item based at least in part on characteristics of the second media item, the third media item being locally stored at the source device in response to a determination that no copy of the second media item is locally stored at the source device;

receiving control of the media playback at the source device at a conclusion of the second media item;

terminating the re-established peer-to-peer device pairing; and

initiating playback of the third media item.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a processor that communicates with a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

initiate playback of media content;

establish a peer-to-peer device pairing with a destination device;

stream the media content from the electronic device to the destination device, where the media content is streamed through a wireless connection between the electronic device and the destination device;

receive characteristics of media content locally accessible at the destination device;

compare characteristics of the media content streaming to the destination device with characteristics of the media content locally accessible at the destination device, wherein the media content locally accessible at the destination device is stored locally at the destination device or accessible to the destination device, and wherein the media content locally accessible at the destination device or accessible to the destination device is from a different source than the media content streaming from the source device;

while streaming the media content from the electronic device to the destination device, determine whether to transfer control of media playback to the destination device based on the characteristics of media content locally accessible at the destination device;

transfer control of the media playback to the destination device when a predetermined number of characteristics of the media content locally accessible at the destination device match the characteristics of the media content streaming to the destination device, wherein transferring control of the media playback enables the destination device to control playback of the media content and play a local copy of the media content; and

terminate the peer-to-peer device pairing when control of media playback to the destination device is transferred.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the characteristics of media content streaming to the destination device comprises at least one of a file format, a title, playlist data, a beats per minute, a bit rate, an album, a release date, a genre, an artist, and a director.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the instructions for determining whether to transfer control of the media playback comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine whether a local copy of the media content streaming to the destination device is stored at the destination device based on a comparison of the characteristics of the media content stored at the destination device and the characteristics of the media content streaming to the destination device.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

detect a decrease in strength of connectivity of the peer-to-peer device pairing; and

determine whether to transfer control of the media playback to the destination device in response to detecting the decrease in strength of connectivity.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for transferring control of media playback between electronic devices, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

initiate playback of media content at the electronic device;

establish a peer-to-peer device pairing with a destination device;

stream the media content from the electronic device to the destination device, where the media content is streamed through a wireless connection between the electronic device and the destination device;

receive characteristics of media content locally accessible at the destination device;

compare characteristics of the media content streaming to the destination device with characteristics of the media content locally accessible at the destination device, wherein the media content locally accessible at the destination device is stored locally at the destination device or accessible to the destination device, and wherein the media content locally accessible at the destination device or accessible to the destination device is from a different source than the media content streaming from the source device;

while streaming from the electronic device the media content to the destination device, determine whether to transfer control of the media playback to the destination device based on characteristics of the media content locally accessible at the destination device;

transfer control of the media playback to the destination device when a predetermined number of characteristics of the media content locally accessible at the destination device match the characteristics of the media content streaming to the destination device, wherein transferring control of the media playback enables the destination device to control playback of the media content and play a local copy of the media content; and

terminate the peer-to-peer device pairing when control of the media playback to the destination device is transferred.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores further instructions that, when executed by the electronic device, cause the computing device to:

detect a decrease in strength of connectivity of the peer-to-peer device pairing; and

determine whether to transfer control of the media playback to the destination device in response to detecting the decrease in strength of connectivity.