Remote content updates for portable media devices

• US 20070169087A1
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Improved techniques for interaction between a host device (e.g., host computer) and a portable media device (e.g., media player) are disclosed. According to one embodiment, interaction between the host device and the portable media device can be performed over a network. The network can include wired and/or wireless components. The network can also be local, regional or global in geographic coverage. The interaction over the network can be initiated by the portable media device, manually or automatically, so as to request a content update from the host device. In response to the requested content update, updated content is received at the portable media device from the host device, provided a network connection between the portable media device and the host device is available through the network.

Claims

1. A method for updating content resident on a portable media device from a media host device over a network, said method comprising:

receiving a user request to update the content resident on the portable media device from content available on the media host device;

determining whether the portable media device presently has network access to the media host device;

sending a content update request to the media host device when said determining determines that the portable media device presently has network access to the media host device;

receiving content from the media host device in response to the content update request; and

storing the content received from the media host device onto the portable media device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving content update instructions from the media host device; and

updating the content resident on the portable media device in accordance with the content update instructions, said updating including at least said storing of the content received from the media host device onto the portable media device.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said updating further includes deleting at least a portion of the existing content in accordance with the content update instructions.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

sending authentication information to the media host device; and

receiving an indication of whether the portable media device is authorized to interact with the media host device.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the authentication information includes a device identifier associated with the portable media device.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the device identifier is unique.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the device identifier is encrypted.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining whether the portable media device presently has network access to the media host device includes at least:

obtaining network access information pertaining to the media host device; and

attempting, based on the network access information, to establish a connection through the network between the portable media device and the media host device.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving of the user request to update the content resident on the portable media device comprises:

presenting a graphical user interface including a manual update user control; and

receiving a user selection of the manual update user control.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving of the content from the media host device comprises:

presenting a graphical user interface including a plurality of user controls pertaining to available content;

receiving at least one of the user controls to specify content; and

subsequently receiving the specified content from the media host device.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining whether the content resident on the portable media device is to be updated is based on update preferences.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the update preferences are user-specified.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the update preferences are associated with media types or device or network capabilities.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable media device is a handheld computing device.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable media device is a portable media player, and wherein the media host device is a personal computer.

16. A method for updating content resident on a portable media device from a media host device over a network, said method comprising:

determining whether the portable media device presently has network access to the media host device;

determining whether the content resident on the portable media device is to be updated from content available on the media host device when said determining determines that the portable media device presently has network access to the media host device;

sending a content update request to the media host device when said determining determines that the content resident on the portable media device is to be updated from content available on the media host device;

receiving content from the media host device in response to the content update request; and

storing the content received from the media host device onto the portable media device.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving content update instructions from the media host device; and

updating the content resident on the portable media device in accordance with the content update instructions, said updating including at least said storing of the content received from the media host device onto the portable media device.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said updating further includes deleting at least a portion of the existing content in accordance with the content update instructions.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said method further comprises:

sending authentication information to the media host device; and

receiving an indication of whether the portable media device is authorized to interact with the media host device.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the authentication information includes a device identifier associated with the portable media device.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the device identifier is encrypted.

22. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein said determining whether the portable media device presently has network access to the media host device includes at least:

obtaining network access information pertaining to the media host device; and

attempting, based on the network access information, to establish a connection through the network between the portable media device and the media host device.

23. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said receiving of the content from the media host device comprises:

presenting a graphical user interface including a plurality of user controls pertaining to available content;

receiving at least one of the user controls to specify content; and

subsequently receiving the specified content from the media host device.

24. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said determining whether the content resident on the portable media device is to be updated is based on update preferences.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the update preferences are user-specified.

26. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the update preferences are associated with media types or device or network capabilities.

27. A computer readable medium including computer program code for updating content resident on a portable device from a host device over a network, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for determining whether content resident on the portable device is to be updated from content available on the host device;

computer program code for determining whether the portable device presently has network access to the host device;

computer program code for sending a content update request to the host device when it is determined that not only does the portable device presently have network access to the host device but also it is determined that the content resident on the portable device is to be updated;

computer program code for receiving content from the host device in response to the content update request; and

computer program code for storing the content received from the host device onto the portable device.

28. A portable media device capable of updating content resident thereon from a media host device over a network, said portable media device comprising:

a data storage device that stores content; and

a processor for storing, accessing and presenting the stored content from said data storage device, said processor being configured to;

(i) determine whether content resident on said portable media device is to be updated from content available on the media host device;

(ii) determine whether said portable media device presently has network access to the media host device;

(iii) send a content update request to the media host device when it is determined that not only does said portable media device presently have network access to the media host device but also it is determined that the content resident on said portable media device is to be updated;

(iv) receive content from the media host device in response to the content update request; and

(v) store the content received from the media host device into said data storage device.