Controlling playback of content stored on a portable storage medium

• US 7,499,938 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sonic Solutions (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Collart, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US10/957,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20050044481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707/101, 707/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/022 Control panels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/12 by sensing distinguishing features of or on records, e.g. diameter end mark
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/16 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method of playing multimedia content comprising reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium; and utilizing a control structure stored on the separate storage medium to alter the playback of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium. A method of providing multimedia content comprising the steps of reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium; and downloading a control structure to control the display of the local multimedia content.

Claims

1. A method of playing multimedia content comprising:

reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium;

determining whether a connection to a network is available;

determining whether a control structure is stored at the local machine on a separate storage medium when the connection to the network is not available; and

utilizing the control structure stored on the separate storage medium to alter the playback of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium when the control structure is stored on the local machine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether there is a first updated content stored on the local machine and whether the first updated content is relevant to the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium;

accessing over the network a remote source when the connection to the network is available;

communicating a version of the first updated content;

receiving from the remote source a second updated content relevant to the local multimedia content that is a newer version of content than the first updated content stored at the local machine; and

the utilizing the control structure to alter the playback of the local multimedia content comprises playing back the second updated content instead of the first updated content, in cooperation with the local multimedia content and playing back at least a portion of the second updated content in place of a portion of the local multimedia content.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether there is a first updated content stored on the local machine and whether the first updated content is relevant to the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium; and

the utilizing the control structure to alter the playback of the local multimedia content comprises playing back the first updated content in cooperation with the local multimedia content when the first updated content is stored on the local machine and is relevant to the local multimedia content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the playing back of the first updated content comprises playing back at least a portion of the first updated content in place of a portion of the local multimedia content.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the playing back at the portion of the first updated content in place of a portion of the local multimedia content comprises identifying the portion of the local multimedia content and evaluating the first updated content to determine whether one or more portions of the first updated content is specifically relevant to the identified portion of the local multimedia content.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

accessing over the network a remote source when the connection to the network is available;

accessing a network control structure stored at the remote source where the network control structure is configured to alter the playback of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium; and

utilizing the network control structure accessed at the remote source in place of the control structure stored at the local machine on the separate storage medium to alter the playback of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium when the connection to the network is available.

7. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on the separate storage medium in response to the reading at the local machine of the local multimedia content;

wherein the control structure modifies a flow of the local multimedia content.

8. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein the separate multimedia content is a subtitle.

9. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein the separate multimedia content is captions.

10. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein the separate multimedia content is a menu.

11. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein the separate multimedia content is an alternate camera angle.

12. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein the separate multimedia content further comprises programmatic content.

13. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 12, wherein said programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

14. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein the separate multimedia content is in a different language than said local multimedia content.

15. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein the separate multimedia content further comprises at least one of additional multimedia content, subtitle, captions, a menu, an alternate camera angle, a subpicture, and programmatic content.

16. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 15, wherein said programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

17. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 15, wherein said additional multimedia content is in a different language than said local multimedia content.

18. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user action, which is effected by the user; and

wherein said determining further comprises determining as a function of said receiving of the indication of the user action.

19. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in a cache memory.

20. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in RAM.

21. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 7, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in a hard drive.

22. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user action, which is affected by the user;

wherein said determining further comprises determining as a function of said receiving of the indication of the user action.

23. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein the method farther comprises identifying said portable storage medium using a tracking identifier on said portable storage medium.

24. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 23, wherein said tracking identifier is retrieved from the burst cut area (BCA).

25. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, further comprising reading at said local machine a user identifier.

26. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 25, wherein said determining is based upon said user identifier.

27. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, further comprising reading at said local machine a unique identifier.

28. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein said control structure is based upon a user profile.

29. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1, wherein said control structure is downloaded.

30. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium based upon a version of the local multimedia content and downloading to the local machine a version of the separate multimedia content based upon the version of the local multimedia content.

31. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium based upon a playback location of the local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium.

32. A method of playing multimedia content as recited in claim 31 wherein the playback time of the local multimedia content is the current playback location of the local multimedia content.

33. A method of providing multimedia content comprising the steps of:

reading, at a local machine, local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium;

determining whether a network connection is available;

downloading, to the local machine, a first control structure to control the display of the local multimedia content when it is determined that the network connection is available.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

utilizing the first control structure to display the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium;

accessing a remote source over the network when the network connection is available;

receiving, at the local machine, access rights from the remote source to access additional multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium that is not accessible to be displayed without the access rights; and

utilizing the first control structure to further display the additional multimedia content from the portable storage medium.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the receiving the access rights comprises receiving the access rights only available based on a date relative to the portable storage medium.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

accessing a secondary source over the network when the network connection is available;

receiving a first updated content from the secondary source of a plurality of updated contents accessible through the secondary source where the first updated content is relevant to a user profile associated with a user utilizing the local machine to access the secondary source.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

receiving a second updated content from the secondary source of the plurality of updated contents accessible through the secondary source where the second updated content is relevant to a content owner of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

utilizing the first control structure to alter the display of a first portion of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium comprising displaying the first and second updated content in cooperation with displaying the first portion of local multimedia content;

accessing a remote source over the network when the network connection is available;

receiving, at the local machine, access rights from the remote source to access a second portion of the local multimedia content stored on the portable storage medium that is not accessible to be displayed without the access rights; and

utilizing the first control structure to further display the second portion of the local multimedia content when the access rights are received at the local machine.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining, when it is previously determined that the network connection is not available, whether there is a first updated content stored in a separate storage medium at the local machine and whether the first updated content is relevant to the local multimedia content; and

utilizing a second control structure stored at the local machine to alter the display of the local multimedia content comprising displaying the first updated content in cooperation with the local multimedia content when the first updated content is stored on the local machine, the first updated content is relevant to the local multimedia content and the network connection is not available.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

determining whether network accessible second updated content is relevant to the local multimedia content and is available from a network source accessible over the network connection when it is determined that the network connection is available;

downloading to the local machine the second updated content when it is determined that the network connection is available and the second updated content is available and relevant to the local multimedia content; and

the utilizing the first control structure comprises utilizing the first control structure to alter the display of the local multimedia content comprising displaying the second updated content, instead of the first updated content, in cooperation with the local multimedia content when the second updated content is downloaded to the local machine and is relevant to the local multimedia content.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining whether network accessible second updated content that is relevant to the local multimedia content is available from a network source accessible over the network connection when it is determined that the network connection is available;

downloading to the local machine the second updated content when it is determined that the network connection is available and the second updated content is available and relevant to the local multimedia content; and

utilizing the first control structure to alter the display of the local multimedia content comprising utilizing the first control structure to display the second updated content in place of at least a portion of the local multimedia content in cooperation with the display of one or more other portions of the local multimedia content when the second updated content is downloaded to the local machine and is relevant to the local multimedia content.

42. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium in response to the reading at the local machine of the local multimedia content.

43. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content comprises one or more of captions, a menu, an alternate camera angle and programmatic content.

44. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 43, wherein said programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

45. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content is in a different language than said local multimedia content.

46. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user action, which is effected by the user;

wherein said determining further comprises determining as a function of said receiving of the indication of the user action.

47. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein the separate multimedia content further comprises additional multimedia content.

48. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 47, wherein said additional multimedia content is a subtitle.

49. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 47, wherein said additional multimedia content is captions.

50. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 47, wherein said additional multimedia content further comprises a menu.

51. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 47, wherein said additional multimedia content is an alternate camera angle.

52. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 47, wherein said additional multimedia content is a subpicture.

53. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 47, wherein said additional multimedia content further comprises programmatic content.

54. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 53, wherein said programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

55. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 47, wherein said additional multimedia content is in a different language than said local multimedia content.

56. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 47, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user action, which is effected by the user; and

wherein said determining further comprises determining as a function of said receiving of the indication of the user action.

57. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in a cache memory.

58. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in RAM.

59. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 42, wherein said separate multimedia content is stored in a hard drive.

60. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, wherein the method further comprises identifying said portable storage medium using a tracking identifier on said portable storage medium.

61. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 60, wherein said tracking identifier is retrieved from the burst cut area (BCA).

62. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, further comprising reading at said local machine a user identifier.

63. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 62, wherein said determining is based upon said user identifier.

64. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, further comprising reading at said local machine a unique identifier.

65. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, wherein the portable storage medium is an electronic storage medium.

66. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, wherein the portable storage medium is an optical storage medium.

67. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, wherein said control structure is stored in a cache memory.

68. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, wherein said control structure is stored in RAM.

69. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, wherein said control structure is stored in a hard drive.

70. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, wherein said control structure is based upon a user profile.

71. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33, wherein said control structure is downloaded.

72. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33 further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium based upon a version of the local multimedia content.

73. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 72 wherein a version of the separate multimedia content is downloaded based upon a version of the local multimedia content.

74. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 33 further comprising determining if separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium based upon a playback location of the local multimedia content stored on a portable storage medium.

75. A method of providing multimedia content as recited in claim 74 wherein the playback time of the local multimedia content is the current playback location of the local multimedia content.

76. A method comprising:

receiving a request for an indication of whether separate multimedia content is stored on a separate storage medium, the request having been generated in response to reading local multimedia content;

determining whether a first separate multimedia content is available that is directly associated with the local multimedia content and is a newer version of a portion of the local multimedia content;

transmitting the first separate multimedia content stored on the separate storage medium when the first separate multimedia content is a newer version of the portion of the local multimedia content; and

transmitting a control structure to control the display of the first separate multimedia content in place of the portion of the local multimedia content.

77. A method of claim 76 wherein the received request includes a playback time of the local multimedia content.

78. A method of claim 77 wherein the playback time is the current playback time of the local multimedia content.

79. A method of claim 76 wherein the separate multimedia content is programmatic content.

80. A method of claim 79 wherein the programmatic content is at least one of markup language content and Java content.

81. A method of claim 79 wherein the programmatic content is web content.

82. A method of claim 76 wherein the received request includes a version of the local multimedia content.

83. A method of claim 82 wherein the separate multimedia content is a version compatible with a version of the local multimedia content.

84. The method of claim 76, further comprising:

determining whether a known error exists with the local multimedia content;

transmitting a second separate multimedia content retrieved from the separate storage medium such that the control structure controls the display of the second separate multimedia content in place of an additional portion of the local multimedia content containing the error.

85. The method of claim 76, further comprising:

accessing a user profile directly associated with a user transmitting the request;

determining whether a first updated multimedia content exists that is associated with the user profile; and

transmitting the first updated multimedia content when the first updated multimedia content is associated with the user provide such that the control structure displays the first updated content in cooperation with the local multimedia content.

86. The method of claim 85, further comprising:

determining that a date has passed relative to the local multimedia content; and

transmitting a second updated content that comprises access rights based on the local multimedia content when it is determined that the date has passed, wherein the access rights provide access to a previously inaccessible portion of the local multimedia content prior to the date and without the access rights.

87. The method of claim 76, further comprising:

determining that a time frame has expired relative to the local multimedia content; and

transmitting a first updated content that comprises access rights based on the local multimedia content when the time frame has expired, wherein the access rights provide access by the control structure to display a previously inaccessible portion of the local multimedia content the was inaccessible prior to the expiration of the time frame and without the access rights.