Method and apparatus for caching multimedia content from the Internet on occasionally-connected devices

• US 20040260786A1
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Barile, Steven E.
• Application Number:
  US10/600,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20040260786A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4756 for rating content, e.g. scoring a recommended movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An arrangement is provided for caching multimedia content on occasionally connected devices. A play list is created and submitted to a multimedia content provider that provides and processes the desired multimedia content in the play list before the desired content is downloaded to a device. The device need only connect to the multimedia content provider for a period required to download the desired multimedia content. Once the desired multimedia content is in the device, the device can be carried with a user so that the user can access the multimedia content anywhere.

Claims

1. A method for caching multimedia content to an occasionally-connected device, comprising:

creating a play list based at least in part on a user'"'"'s preferences;

submitting the play list to a multimedia content provider through a network;

downloading multimedia content in the play list to a device when the device is connected to the multimedia content provider and caching the multimedia content on the device; and

playing the cached multimedia content while the device is not connected to the multimedia content provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a play list comprises:

creating an initial play list based on at least one of the following;

the user'"'"'s specifications, a play list pre-defined by the user, and a play list pre-determined by the multimedia content provider;

expanding the initial play list by recommending to the user additional content based on the user'"'"'s preferences; and

refining the expanded initial play list based on the user'"'"'s feedback.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein expanding the initial play list comprises cross-pollinating the initial play list using play lists of other users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a portable device.

5. The method for claim 1, wherein playing the multimedia content comprises accessing the multimedia content and rendering the multimedia content to the user.

6. The method for claim 5, wherein accessing the multimedia content comprises at least one of the following:

unpacking, decrypting, decompressing, and decoding the multimedia content.

7. The method for claim 1, wherein the network comprises at least one of the following:

a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a terrestrial broadcast network, and a wireless network.

8. A method for distributing multimedia files, comprising:

accepting a play list of multimedia files;

searching a database for multimedia content according to the play list;

processing the multimedia content before the multimedia content is downloaded; and

transferring the multimedia content to an occasionally-connected device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the occasionally-connected device comprises a portable device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein processing the multimedia files comprises at least one of the following:

packaging, encrypting, compressing, and encoding the multimedia files.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the database comprises at least one of static and dynamic multimedia content.

12. A system for caching multimedia contents to an occasionally connected device, comprising:

a play list creator capable of creating a play list of multimedia files;

a multimedia content provider capable of providing multimedia files specified by the play list for a user to download;

a multimedia content cache capable of receiving the multimedia files through a network and storing the multimedia files; and

a multimedia content player capable of accessing and rendering the multimedia contents to the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the play list creator comprises:

a play list generating mechanism capable of generating a play list;

a pre-determining mechanism capable of at least one of the following;

receiving parameters specifying the user'"'"'s preferences, loading a user pre-defined play list, and providing a number of play lists pre-determined by the multimedia content provider;

a recommendation mechanism capable of expanding the play list by recommending additional multimedia files; and

a user feedback uploading mechanism capable of uploading the user feedback to refine the play list.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the multimedia content provider comprises:

a communication port;

a multimedia content database;

a searching mechanism capable of searching the multimedia content database for multimedia files in the play list; and

a content processing mechanism capable of at least one of the following;

packaging, encrypting, compressing, and encoding the multimedia files.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the multimedia content cache comprises:

a communication port;

a receiving component capable of downloading and receiving the multimedia files from the multimedia content provider through a network; and

a storage component capable of storing the multimedia files.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the multimedia content player comprises:

a multimedia content access module capable of at least one of the following;

unpacking, decrypting, decompressing, and decoding the multimedia files stored in the multimedia content cache; and

a multimedia content rendering mechanism capable of rendering the multimedia files to a user.

17. An article comprising:

a machine accessible medium having content stored thereon, wherein when the content is accessed by a processor, the content provides for caching multimedia content to an occasionally-connected device by;

creating a play list based at least in part on a user'"'"'s preferences;

submitting the play list to a multimedia content provider through a network;

downloading multimedia content in the play list to a device when the device is connected to the multimedia content provider and caching the multimedia content on the device; and

playing the cached multimedia content while the device is not connected to the multimedia content provider.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the content for creating a play list comprises content for:

creating an initial play list based on at least one of the following;

the user'"'"'s specifications, a play list pre-defined by the user, and a play list pre-determined by the multimedia content provider;

expanding the initial play list by recommending to the user additional content based on the user'"'"'s preferences; and

refining the expanded initial play list based on the user'"'"'s feedback.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein the content for expanding the initial play list comprises cross-pollinating the initial play list using play lists of other users.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein the device comprises a portable device.

21. The article for claim 17, wherein the content for playing the multimedia content comprises content for accessing the multimedia content and content for rendering the multimedia content to the user.

22. The article for claim 21, wherein the content for accessing the multimedia content comprises content for at least one of the following:

unpacking, decrypting, decompressing, and decoding the multimedia content.

23. The article for claim 17, wherein the network comprises at least one of the following:

a local area network, a wide area network, the Internet, a terrestrial broadcast network, and a wireless network.

24. An article comprising:

a machine accessible medium having content stored thereon, wherein when the content is accessed by a processor, the content provides for distributing multimedia files by;

accepting a play list of multimedia files;

searching a database for multimedia content according to the play list;

processing the multimedia content before the multimedia content is downloaded; and

transferring the multimedia content to an occasionally-connected device.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the occasionally-connected device comprises a portable device.

26. The article of claim 24, wherein the content for processing the multimedia files comprises content for at least one of the following:

packaging, encrypting, compressing, and encoding the multimedia files.

27. The article of claim 24, wherein the database comprises at least one of static and dynamic multimedia content.