Transfer of control in digital content access sessions

• US 20060259631A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gargi, Ullas
• Granted Patent: US 8,806,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

An exemplary method for transferring control during multiple digital content access sessions comprises initiating a first session for a first client, initiating a second session for a second client, receiving a request from the second client to obtain control over the first session, and enabling the second client to obtain control by synchronizing the first and second sessions and removing control capabilities from the first session.

Claims

1. A method for transferring control during digital content access sessions, comprising:

initiating a first session for a first client;

initiating a second session for a second client;

receiving a request from said second client to obtain control over said first session; and

enabling said second client to obtain control by synchronizing said first and second sessions and removing control capabilities from said first session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving includes automatically determining whether said second client is eligible to obtain control over said first session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining is based on a control policy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving includes performing an authentication process to verify that said second client is eligible to obtain control of said first session.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said authentication process includes verifying a user identification and a password.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said authentication process includes verifying a unique device identification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said enabling includes pushing a state of said second session to said first session.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said enabling includes pulling a state of said first session to said second session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said removing control includes removing a control window of said first session.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said removing control includes disabling control functions of said first session.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second sessions can independently access digital content at a server.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pushing certain content from said second session to said first session based on a content policy.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

hiding certain content of said second session from said first session based on a content policy.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuously pushing a state of said second session onto said first session unless instructed by said second session otherwise.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selectively pushing a state of said second session onto said first session based on an instruction from said second session.

16. An apparatus for transferring control during digital content access sessions, comprising:

a microprocessor; and

a memory, said memory including logic instructions executable by said microprocessor to;

initiate a first session for a first client;

initiate a second session for a second client;

receive a request from said second client to obtain control over said first session; and

enable said second client to obtain control by synchronizing said first and second sessions and removing control capabilities from said first session.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising instructions to determine whether said second client is eligible to obtain control over said first session.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising instructions to perform an authentication process to verify that said second client is eligible to obtain control of said first session.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said synchronizing includes pushing a state of said second session to said first session.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said synchronizing includes pulling a state of said first session to said second session.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said removing control includes removing a control window of said first session.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said removing control includes disabling control functions of said first session.

23. A computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by a mircroprocessor for transferring control during digital content access sessions, said instructions, when executed:

initiate a first session for a first client;

initiate a second session of for second client;

receive a request from said second client to obtain control over said first session; and

enable said second client to obtain control by synchronizing said first and second sessions and removing control capabilities from said first session.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions that, when executed, determine whether said second client is eligible to obtain control over said first session.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform an authentication process to verify that said second client is eligible to obtain control of said first session.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said instructions to enable include instructions that, when executed, push a state of said second session to said first session.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said instructions to enable include instructions that, when executed, pull a state of said first session to said second session.

28. An apparatus for transferring control during digital content access sessions, comprising:

means for initiating a first session for a first client;

means for initiating a second session for a second client;

means for receiving a request from said second client to obtain control over said first session; and

means for enabling said second client to obtain control by synchronizing said first and second sessions and removing control capabilities from said first session.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

means for pushing certain content from said second session to said first session based on a content policy.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

means for hiding certain content of said second session from said first session based on a content policy.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

means for continuously pushing a state of said second session onto said first session unless instructed by said second session otherwise.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

means for selectively pushing a state of said second session onto said first session based on an instruction from said second session.

33. A method for transferring control during digital content access sessions, comprising:

initiating a first session for a first client;

initiating a second session for a second client;

receiving a request from said second client to obtain control over said first session; and

enabling said second client to obtain control by synchronizing said first and second sessions and removing control capabilities from said first session by removing a control window of said first session.