CHAPTERIZED STREAMING OF VIDEO CONTENT

• US 20140282681A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Carney, Mark D., McKee, Martin W., Jackson, Jeffrey A., Pacella, Dante J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,538,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

A method includes sending, by a user device, a request for video content based on a selected video content chapter of the video content. The method also includes receiving video content information that includes a list of video content chapters of the video content. The method includes determining, for each listed video content chapter, whether the video content chapter has been previously stored on the user device. The method further includes downloading particular chapters of the video content in a priority order based on the selected chapter in response to a determination that the particular chapters have not been previously stored on the user device, and playing the video content based on the selected chapter.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

sending, by a user device, a request for video content based on a selected video content chapter of the video content, wherein each video content chapter includes a viewing unit determined based on a viewer observable logical scheme;

receiving video content information that includes a list of video content chapters of the video content;

determining, for each listed video content chapter, whether the video content chapter has been previously stored on the user device;

downloading particular chapters of the video content in a priority order based on the selected chapter in response to a determination that the particular chapters have not been previously stored on the user device; and

playing the video content based on the selected chapter.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the downloaded chapters of the video content.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein downloading particular chapters of the video content in the priority order further comprises:

downloading the selected chapter at a first priority download rate; and

downloading remaining chapters of the video content at a second priority download rate.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

reserving a portion of a cache associated with the user device to store video content chapters and associated information.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the video content chapter are presented in a disc storage presentation format.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the video content chapters includes subchapters that include portions of the video content chapters.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein downloading the particular chapters of the video content further comprises:

downloading the particular chapters via a web server or a streaming media server.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein downloading the particular chapters of the video content further comprises:

excluding one or more of the particular chapters from download based on one or more of parental control settings and user preferences associated with the user device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the parental control settings include block settings for video content chapters that include one or more of a racial slur, nudity, blasphemy, offensive language, a thing or a person in the video content.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the video content chapter is filterable; and

downloading the particular chapters regardless of the parental control settings and user preferences associated with the user device if the chapter is not filterable.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a chapter variant associated with the particular video content chapter; and

determining an offset for the chapter variant.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein downloading the particular video content chapters further comprises:

downloading the video content chapters based on a mobile network, wherein the mobile network is associated with a motor vehicle.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a download status associated with the video content chapters in a graphical user interface associated with the user device.

14. A device, comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions in the memory to;

send a request for video content based on a selected video content chapter of the video content;

receive video content information that includes a list of video content chapters of the video content;

determine, for each listed video content chapter, whether the video content chapter has been previously stored on the user device;

download portions of particular chapters of the video content in a priority order based on the selected chapter in response to a determination that the particular chapters have not been previously stored on the user device;

play the video content based on the selected chapter; and

store the downloaded portions of chapters of the video content.

15. The device of claim 14, where the processor is further to:

store the downloaded portions of chapters of the video content in one of a last in last out basis or a most frequently accessed basis.

16. The device of claim 14, where the processor is further to:

exclude one or more of the particular chapters from download based on one or more of parental control settings and user preferences associated with the user device.

17. The device of claim 14, where the processor is further to:

present a download status associated with the video content chapters in a graphical user interface associated with the device.

18. A computer-readable medium including instructions to be executed by a processor, the instructions including one or more instructions, when executed by the processor, for causing the processor to:

send a request for video content based on a selected video content chapter of the video content;

receive video content information that includes a list of video content chapters of the video content;

determine, for each listed video content chapter, whether the video content chapter has been previously stored in an associated device storage;

download particular chapters of the video content in a priority order based on the selected chapter in response to a determination that the particular chapters have not been previously stored in the associated device storage;

exclude one or more of the particular chapters from download based on one or more of parental control settings and user preferences associated with a user account;

play the video content based on the selected chapter; and

store newly downloaded chapters of the video content.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more instructions further includes instructions for causing the processor to:

present a download status associated with the video content chapters in a graphic user interface associated with the device.

20. A system, comprising:

a profile server configured to provide parental guide settings or preferences associated with a user account;

a streaming media server configured to provide downloads of video content in a chapterized format, wherein the video content is downloadable as video content chapters; and

a device including a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions in the memory to;

send a request for video content based on a selected video content chapter of the video content;

receive video content information that includes a list of video content chapters of the video content;

determine, for each listed video content chapter, whether the video content chapter is stored on the user device;

download particular chapters of the video content in a priority order based on the selected chapter in response to a determination that the particular chapters are not stored on the user device;

exclude one or more of the particular chapters from download based on one or more of the parental guide settings and/or preferences associated with the user account;

play the video content based on the selected chapter; and

store newly downloaded chapters of the video content.