System and method for providing content, management, and interactivity for client devices

• US 20060149813A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 186 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Simpledevices Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M.
• Application Number:
  US11/368,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20060149813A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• 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 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4437 Implementing a Virtual Machine [VM] virtual machines in general G06F9/45533
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• 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 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 : comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image

Abstract

A system and a method for providing content, management and interactivity for client devices are provided. Digital data based on user specified preferences is automatically obtained and transferred from a wide area network to a computer. The digital data is then automatically sent from the computer to a client device using a wireless data transceiver. In one embodiment, the client device is a television.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using previously provided user specified preferences to automatically obtain and transfer digitally encoded, playable media content from a wide area network to a computer; and

at a specified time based on the user specified preferences, turning on a media playback device in communication with the computer via a wireless data transceiver and causing the media playback device to play a representation of the digitally encoded, playable media content.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digitally encoded, playable media content comprises digitally encoded, audiovisual content, the media playback device comprises a television, and the method comprises turning on the television in communication with the computer via the wireless transceiver and causing the television to play a representation of the digitally encoded, audiovisual content.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising manipulating the play of the representation of the digitally encoded, audiovisual content on the television from a portable electronic device.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising shutting the television off for a predetermined period of time in response to a remote controller sending a signal to the computer.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the representation of the digitally encoded, audiovisual content comprises the digitally encoded audiovisual content converted to a format capable of being displayed on the television.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising manipulating the play of representation of the digitally encoded audiovisual content on the television using the computer.

7. The method as recited in claim 2, comprising storing the user specified preferences in a database on the computer.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digitally encoded, playable media content comprises digitally encoded, audio content, the media playback device comprises an audio playback device, and the method comprises turning on the audio playback device in communication with the computer via the wireless transceiver and causing the audio playback device to play a representation of the digitally encoded, audio content.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, comprising shutting off the audio playback device for a predetermined period of time in response to a remote controller sending a signal to the computer.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the representation of the digitally encoded, audio content comprises the digitally encoded audio content converted to a format capable of being played on the audio playback device.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, comprising manipulating the play of the representation of the digitally encoded, audio content on the audio playback device using a portable electronic device.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, comprising storing the user specified preferences in a database on the computer.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, comprising displaying on the portable electronic device ancillary content related to the play of the representation of the digitally encoded, audio content on the audio playback device.

14. A computer readable media having computer executable instructions, the instructions performing steps comprising:

using previously provided user specified preferences to automatically obtain and transfer digitally encoded, playable media content from a wide area network to a computer; and

at a specified time based on the user specified preferences, turning on a media playback device in communication with the computer via a wireless data transceiver and causing the media playback device to play a representation of the digitally encoded, playable media content.

15. The computer readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the digitally encoded, playable media content comprises digitally encoded, audiovisual content, the media playback device comprises a television, and the instructions perform steps of turning on the television in communication with the computer via the wireless transceiver and causing the television to play a representation of the digitally encoded, audiovisual content.

16. The readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions provide for manipulation of the play of the representation of the digitally encoded, audiovisual content on the television from a portable electronic device.

17. The readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions shut the television off for a predetermined period of time in response to a remote controller sending a signal to the computer.

18. The readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the representation of the digitally encoded, audiovisual content comprises the digitally encoded, audiovisual content converted by the instructions to a format capable of being displayed on the television.

19. The readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions provide for manipulation of the play of representation of the digitally encoded audiovisual content on the television using the computer.

20. The readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions store the user specified preferences in a database on the computer.

21. The readable media as recited in claim 14, wherein the digitally encoded, playable media content comprises digitally encoded, audio content, the media playback device comprises an audio playback device, and the instructions perform steps of turning on the audio playback device in communication with the computer via the wireless transceiver and causing the audio playback device to play a representation of the digitally encoded, audio content.

22. The readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the instructions shut off the audio playback device for a predetermined period of time in response to a remote controller sending a signal to the computer.

23. The readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the representation of the digitally encoded, audio content comprises the digitally encoded audio content converted by the instructions to a format capable of being played on the audio playback device.

24. The readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the instructions provide for manipulation of the play of the representation of the digitally encoded, audio content on the audio playback device using a portable electronic device.

25. The readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the instructions store the user specified preferences in a database on the computer.

26. The readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the instructions cause displaying on the portable electronic device ancillary content related to the play of the representation of the digitally encoded audio content on the audio playback device.