Methods and systems to assess an ability to playback media content

• US 9,866,598 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2016
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Armstrong, Brooke Allysoun, Behrens, John Robert, Hadjitarkhani, Abie, Ireland, Alexander Blair, Muller, Stephen John, Narimatsu, Nancy Kiyoko
• Primary Examiner(s): MIRZA, ADNAN M
• Application Number:
  US15/006,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20160142448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709227, 709228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/156 Query results presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

The present disclosure includes methods and systems to assess an ability to playback media content. The system progresses through media content playback applications by communicating a query to a computer system over a computer network. The progressing is used to assess an ability of the computer system to playback media content locally. Next, the system, receives a response to the query. The response indicates an ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor and executable instructions accessible on a computer-readable medium that, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

progressing through a plurality of media content playback applications by communicating a query to a computer system over a computer network, the progressing to assess an ability of the computer system to playback media content locally; and

receiving a response to the query, the response indicating an ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally, the ability of the computer system being assessed by the progressing through the plurality of media content playback applications.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise providing the computer system with a version of the media content that is appropriate for the ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally, the version of the media content comprising a media file.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the providing is transparent to a user who is associated with the computer system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise generating a script for the media content compatible with the ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the appropriate version of the media content from a plurality of available versions of the media content.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the media content includes rich media content and comprises a video clip.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the video clip is formatted in a Windows Media Format.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer network is a wireless network.

9. A method comprising:

progressing through a plurality of media content playback applications by communicating a query to a computer system over a computer network, the progressing being utilized to assess an ability of the computer system to playback media content locally; and

receiving a response to the query, the response indicating an ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally, the ability of the computer system being assessed by the progressing through the plurality of media content playback applications.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing the computer system with a version of the media content that is appropriate for the ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally, the version of the media content comprising a media file.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing is transparent to a user associated with the computer system.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the progressing and the providing is automatic and without initiation from the computer system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing further comprises generating a script for the media content, the media content being compatible with the ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing further comprises selecting the appropriate version of the media content from a plurality of available versions of the media content.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the media content includes rich media content and comprises a video clip.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the video clip is formatted in a Windows Media Format.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the media content comprises an advertisement.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the media content is provided to the computer system as a highly compressed digital file.

19. A machine-readable medium having no transitory signals and for storing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

progressing through a plurality of media content playback applications by communicating a query to a computer system over a computer network, the progressing to assess an ability of the computer system to playback media content locally; and

receiving a response to the query, the response indicating an ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally, the ability of the computer system being assessed by the progressing through the plurality of media content playback applications.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising providing the computer system with a version of the media content that is appropriate for the ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally, the version of the media content comprising a media file.