Method for reestablishing presentation of a paused media program

• US 8,601,517 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cordoba, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tilahun, Alazar
• Application Number:
  US11/679,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20080209497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,471 Days
• Field of Search: 725/62, 725/68, 725 80- 81, 725/100, 725/110, 725/131, 725/133, 725/151, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method for reestablishing presentation of a paused media program is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Set-Top Box (STB) located in a building can have a controller element that presents a media program to a media device operable only in the building, pauses presentation of the media program responsive to a pause request, generates a departure mark that identifies a presentation point in the media program associated with the pause request, receives a request to resume presentation of the media program from the departure mark at a portable communication device capable of maintaining communications with the STB outside the building, and transmits to the portable communication device a presentation of the media program from the departure mark. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A set-top box, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a controller coupled to the memory, wherein when executing the instructions, the controller performs operations comprising;

receiving a media program from a communication network through a gateway device located at a premises of the set-top box;

presenting the media program at a media device;

pausing presentation of the media program responsive to a pause request;

generating a departure mark that identifies a presentation point in the media program associated with the pause request;

continuing to record the media program from the departure mark to generate a recorded media program stored at the set-top box;

transmitting to a portable communication device a media controller emulator for controlling operations of the set-top box from a user interface of the portable communication device;

receiving from the portable communication device a request to resume presentation of the media program from the departure mark responsive to a function of the media controller emulator selected at the portable communication device; and

transmitting the recorded media program from the set-top box through the gateway device and the communication network to the portable communication device, wherein the recorded media program is transmitted from the departure mark for presentation of the recorded media program at the portable communication device.

2. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device comprises one among a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a computer, or a telemetry system of an automobile, each capable of communicating wirelessly with the set-top box by way of a communication network coupled to the set-top box and the portable communication device.

3. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein executing the instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising:

receiving a portion of the recorded media program from the departure mark responsive to the request to resume presentation; and

transmitting the portion of the recorded media program from the set-top box to the portable communication device through the gateway device and the communication network.

4. The set-top box of claim 3, wherein executing the instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising:

identifying a device descriptor associated with the portable communication device;

adapting the portion of the recorded media program according to the device descriptor to generate an adapted portion; and

transmitting the adapted portion of the recorded media program from the set-top box to the portable communication device through the gateway device and the communication network.

5. The set-top box of claim 4, wherein the adapted portion of the recorded media program comprises one of an image adaptation or an audio adaptation, and wherein the adapted portion of the recorded media program transmitted to the portable communication device comprises one of an image presentation or an audio presentation, and wherein the controller further performs operations comprising:

receiving from the portable communication device a device identifier; and

retrieving the device descriptor from a storage medium according to the device identifier.

6. The set-top box of claim 4, wherein executing the instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising transmitting the adapted portion of the recorded media program as a compressed streamed media program.

7. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein executing the instructions cause the controller to further perform operations comprising:

continuing an uninterrupted internet protocol television presentation of the media program at the media device; and

transmitting from the set-top box to the portable communication device a presentation of the recorded media program from the departure mark in the media program.

8. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein executing the instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising receiving the pause request from a media controller located in a building.

9. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein the pause request is received from one of the portable communication device or a media controller located in the premises, and wherein the operations further comprise receiving a transition request identifying the portable communication device.

10. The set-top box of claim 9, wherein executing the instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising:

selecting a device descriptor from a plurality of device descriptors according to the portable communication device identified by the transition request; and

selecting the media controller emulator according to said device descriptor.

11. The set-top box of claim 10, wherein the device descriptor comprises one among a display parameter, an audio parameter, or a communication identifier.

12. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein executing the instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising terminating the media program at the media device after receiving the request to resume presentation of the media program from the portable communication device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a portable communication device, comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving from a set-top box a media controller emulator for controlling operations of the set-top box, wherein the media controller emulator is selected by the set-top box from a plurality of media controller emulators according to a device descriptor of the portable communication device;

presenting the media controller emulator by way of a user interface of the portable communication device;

receiving from the set-top box an adaptation of a recorded media program for presentation under control of the media controller emulator, wherein the set-top box determines the adaptation according to the device descriptor of the portable communication device, and wherein the adaptation of the recorded media program is transmitted from the set-top box through a gateway device at a premises associated with the set-top box and through a communication network; and

presenting the adaptation of the recorded media program.

14. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 13, wherein the portable communication device comprises one among a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a computer, or a telemetry system of an automobile, each capable of communicating wirelessly with the set-top box by way of a communication network coupled to the set-top box and the portable communication device.

15. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving from the set-top box a visual image of a paused media program selected by the set-top box;

presenting by way of the user interface the visual image in the media controller emulator;

detecting a selection of a function of the media controller emulator corresponding to a request to resume presentation of the paused media program; and

transmitting to the set-top box the request to resume presentation.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a portable communication device comprising a processor, a media controller emulator for controlling operations of a fixed media device, wherein the media controller emulator is selected by the fixed media device from a plurality of media controller emulators according to a device descriptor of a portable communication device;

presenting, by the portable communication device, the media controller emulator by way of a user interface of the portable communication device while the fixed media device continues to record a media program from a departure mark to generate a recorded media program;

sending, by the portable communication device, a request to the fixed media device to resume presentation of the media program from the departure mark;

receiving, by the portable communication device, the recorded media program from the departure mark from the fixed media device, wherein the recorded media program is transmitted to the portable communication device from the fixed media device through a gateway device at a premises associated with the fixed media device and through a communication network; and

presenting, by the portable communication device, the recorded media program from the departure mark.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the fixed media device adapts the media program according to the device descriptor of the portable communication device and wherein the portable communication device communicates with the fixed media device via a long range wireless communication system that enables the portable communication device to control the fixed media device from outside a building while the fixed media device remains within the building.