Method and device for switching media renderers during streaming playback of content

• US 9,055,194 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Joon-ho, Yoon, Hyun-sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao, Ranodhi
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, THOMAS W
• Application Number:
  US11/606,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,113 Days
• Field of Search: 709/232, 709/231, 725/131
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and a device for switching a media renderer to another media renderer while a client performs streaming playback of content of a server are provided. Accordingly, a first client that performs streaming playback of the content transmits playback environment information and a URL of the content to the second client, and the second client transmits the received information and information about features of the second client to the server and requests the corresponding content which has the optimized format for the second client from the server. Therefore, a user can continue to watch the media content through a new media renderer in existing playback environment setting without additional manipulation.

Claims

1. A method of performing handover of streaming playback of digital media content of a server in a first client, the method comprising:

(a) receiving playback position information which specifies a current playback position of the digital media content in a second client, information for access to the digital media content from the second client that is performing streaming playback of the digital media content, and at least one of caption setting information and volume information;

(b) transmitting the playback position information to the server by using the information for access to the digital media content; and

(c) performing streaming playback of the digital media content from the playback position in the first client based on the at least one of the caption setting information or the volume information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating information about features of the first client; and

transmitting the generated information about the features of the first client to the server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information about the features of the first client includes at least one of screen size information, information about playable content formats, and information about a supported resolution.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for performing a method of executing handover of streaming playback of digital media content of a server in a first client, the method comprising:

receiving playback position information which specifies a current playback position of the digital media content in a second client, information for access to the digital media content from the second client that is performing streaming playback of the digital media content, and at least one of caption setting information and volume information;

transmitting the playback position information to the server by using the information for access to the digital media content; and

performing streaming playback of the digital media content from the playback position in the first client based on the at least one of the caption setting information or the volume information.

5. A first client which performs streaming playback of digital media content of a server, wherein the first client comprises:

a receiver which receives playback position information which specifies a current playback position of the digital media content in a second client, information for access to the digital media content from the second client when the second client is performing streaming playback of the digital media content, and at least one of caption setting information and volume information;

a transmitter transmits the playback position information to the server by using the information for access to the digital media content; and

a streaming unit embodied on a recording medium of the first client which performs streaming playback of the digital media content from the playback position based on the at least one of the caption setting information the volume information.

6. The first client of claim 5, further comprising:

a generator which generates information about features of the first client; and

the transmitter which transmits the generated information about the features to the server.

7. The first client of claim 6, wherein the information about features of the first client includes at least one of screen size information, information about playable content formats, and information about a supported resolution.