SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADAPTIVE CONTENT RENDITION

• US 20100315549A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Zhu, Renger, Bernard S., Basso, Andrea, Gibbon, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,779,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for adaptive content rendition, the method comprising receiving media content for playback to a user, adapting the media content for playback on a first device in the user'"'"'s first location, receiving a notification when the user changes to a second location, adapting the media content for playback on a second device in the second location, and transitioning media content playback from the first device to second device. One aspect conserves energy by optionally turning off the first device after transitioning to the second device. Another aspect includes playback devices that are “dumb devices” which receive media content already prepared for playback, “smart devices” which receive media content in a less than ready form and prepare the media content for playback, or hybrid smart and dumb devices. A single device may be substituted by a plurality of devices. Adapting the media content for playback is based on a user profile storing user preferences and/or usage history in one aspect.

Claims

1. A method of adaptive content rendition, the method comprising:

receiving, at a media server, a notification that a user, consuming media content via a first device at a first location, has moved to a second location;

adapting a format of the media content for playback via a second device at the second location based at least in part on display characteristics of the second device to yield adapted media content; and

transitioning the media content from the first device to the second device such that the adapted media content is displayed on the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first playback device and the second playback device are at least one of a dumb device that receives media content prepared for playback, a smart device that receives media content in a less than ready form and prepares the media content for playback, and a hybrid smart/dumb device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a plurality of devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing user movement based on a combination of media content analysis and individual user analysis in order to transition on a user-specific basis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the format of the media content comprises at least one of adding and removing a media element of the media content based on the output capabilities of the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device and the second device blend media content from more than one user in a same location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning off the first device after transitioning to the second device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transitioning the media content comprises simultaneous playback of one or more media elements on the first device and the second device for a limited time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the format of the media content is based on a user profile comprising at least one of user preferences, user demographic information, media keys, subscription information, credentials, and usage history.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

updating patterns of location changes based on usage history and current location data received from a sensor network;

anticipating when the user is likely to change to an expected location; and

adapting and transitioning the media content for playback on a third device at the expected location in advance of the user moving to the expected location.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the user profile is stored in at least one of a central location and a playback device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a manually generated signal from the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a user tracking device senses when the user changes location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user tracking device senses when the user changes location based on at least one of usage logs, physical proximity to the desired specific user, biometric identification, and other sensors.

15. A media server for adaptively providing media content, the media server comprising:

a processor;

a first module configured to control the processor to receive a notification that a user, consuming media content via a first playback device at a first location, has moved to a second location;

a second module configured to control the processor to adapt a format of the media content according to display characteristics of a second playback device at the second location to yield adapted media content; and

a third module configured to control the processor to transition the media content from the first device to the second device such that the adapted media content is displayed on the second device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the notification is received from a sensor configured to sense user movement based on media content analysis and individual user analysis.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the third module is further configured to control the processor to simultaneously play back one or more media elements on the first playback device and second playback device for a limited time.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program having instructions for notifying a media server, the instructions comprising:

tracking a position of a user consuming media content; and

when the user has changed from a first location to a second location, sending to the media server a notification indicating the first location, the second location, and the media content, wherein the notification causes the media server to adapt a format of the media content for playback via a second device at the second location based at least in part on display characteristics of the second device, and transition playback of the media content from a first device at the first location to the second device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein tracking the position of the user is based on at least one of usage logs, physical proximity to the desired specific user, and biometric identification information received from a tracking device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the notification further causes the media server to turn off the first device after transitioning to the second device.