System and method for synching portable media player content with storage space optimization

• US 9,877,065 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2016
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Panje, Krishna Prasad
• Primary Examiner(s): BATAILLE, PIERRE MICHE
• Application Number:
  US15/389,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 711170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/121 using replacement algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/21 Intermediate information storage H04N1/387, H04N1/41 take precedence ; for control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32358; indexing, editing G11B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4302 Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles

Abstract

A device is provided for use with a content provider that is operable to provide content, which includes a plurality of content components. The device includes a communication portion, a memory portion, a parsing portion, a counting portion and a processing portion. The communication portion can receive the content from the content provider. The parsing portion can parse the content into the plurality of content components and can store the parsed plurality of content components within the memory portion. The counting portion can provide a counter for each of the parsed plurality of content components within the memory portion, respectively. The processing portion can retrieve and process one of the parsed plurality of content components within the memory portion. The counting portion can further increment the counter associated with the retrieved one of the parsed plurality of content components within the memory portion.

Claims

1. A method for managing media content items, the method comprising:

receiving, using a media device, a media content item as an input signal, wherein the input signal includes a plurality of content components associated with the media content item;

determining that the media device cannot receive the input signal including the plurality of content components based on a storage parameter associated with the media device;

in response to determining that the media device cannot receive the input signal including the plurality of content components, determining a subset of content components of the plurality of content components based on media data associated with the media device;

transmitting a request for a modified input signal that includes the subset of content components; and

causing the media content item to be played back on the media device in response to receiving the modified input signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of content components include a plurality of video components, a plurality of audio components, or a plurality of subtitle components.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input signal is received in response to a request, at a second media device, to synchronize the media device with the second media device, and wherein the second media device that is connected to the media device over a communications network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

causing a notification to be presented that includes a timing parameter indicating an amount of time needed to synchronize the media device and the second media device with the plurality of content components; and

receiving a response to the notification indicating that the timing parameter is not acceptable, wherein the response causes the request for the modified input signal that includes the subset of content components to be transmitted.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the request for the modified input signal that includes the subset of content components is transmitted to the second media device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media data includes a counter that is associated with each of the plurality of content components, and wherein the counter is updated based on a content component of the plurality of content components that are played back.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the counter is incremented from an initial value in response to a playback action associated with the content component of the plurality of content components.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the counter is decremented from an initial value in response to a playback action associated with the content component of the plurality of content components.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the subset of content components is determined from the plurality of content components by comparing the counter associated with each of the plurality of content components to a synchronization parameter.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing at least one content component from a storage device associated with the media device based on the received input signal.

11. A system for managing media content items, the system comprising:

a hardware processor that is configured to;

receive a media content item as an input signal, wherein the input signal includes a plurality of content components associated with the media content item;

determine that a media device associated with the hardware processor cannot receive the input signal including the plurality of content components based on a storage parameter associated with the media device;

in response to determining that the media device cannot receive the input signal including the plurality of content components, determine a subset of content components of the plurality of content components based on media data associated with the media device;

transmit a request for a modified input signal that includes the subset of content components; and

cause the media content item to be played back on the media device in response to receiving the modified input signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of content components include a plurality of video components, a plurality of audio components, or a plurality of subtitle components.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the input signal is received in response to a request, at a second media device, to synchronize the media device with the second media device, and wherein the second media device that is connected to the media device over a communications network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

cause a notification to be presented that includes a timing parameter indicating an amount of time needed to synchronize the media device and the second media device with the plurality of content components; and

receive a response to the notification indicating that the timing parameter is not acceptable, wherein the response causes the request for the modified input signal that includes the subset of content components to be transmitted.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the request for the modified input signal that includes the subset of content components is transmitted to the second media device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the media data includes a counter that is associated with each of the plurality of content components, and wherein the counter is updated based on a content component of the plurality of content components that are played back.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the counter is incremented from an initial value in response to a playback action associated with the content component of the plurality of content components.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the counter is decremented from an initial value in response to a playback action associated with the content component of the plurality of content components.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the subset of content components is determined from the plurality of content components by comparing the counter associated with each of the plurality of content components to a synchronization parameter.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to remove at least one content component from a storage device associated with the media device based on the received input signal.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a hardware processor, perform a method for managing media content items, the method comprising:

receiving, using a media device, a media content item as an input signal, wherein the input signal includes a plurality of content components associated with the media content item;

determining that the media device cannot receive the input signal including the plurality of content components based on a storage parameter associated with the media device;

in response to determining that the media device cannot receive the input signal including the plurality of content components, determining a subset of content components of the plurality of content components based on media data associated with the media device;

transmitting a request for a modified input signal that includes the subset of content components; and

causing the media content item to be played back on the media device in response to receiving the modified input signal.