User controlled multi-device media-on-demand system

• US 9,497,508 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Katz, Neil, Semple, Bruce P., Stern, Edith H., Willner, Barry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhong, Jun Fei
• Application Number:
  US14/924,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20160073169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• 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 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for providing configurable access to media in a media-on-demand system also can include delivering the media to a first client device in a format compatible with the first client device; interrupting the delivery of the media; recording a bookmark specifying a position in the media where the interruption occurred; and resuming delivery of the media to a second client device, the resumed delivery beginning at a position in the media specified by the recorded bookmark. The method further can include identifying device properties for each of the first and second client devices; delivering the media to the first client device in a format compatible with the identified device properties for the first client device; and, delivering the media to the second client device in a format compatible with the identified device properties for the second client device.

Claims

1. A system for resuming transmission, to a device, of a video in one format from a point at which the video was paused at another device in a different format, the system comprising:

a first video receiving device configured to;

transmit a first request for a video, wherein the first request comprises an indication of a first device type of the first video receiving device and a user identifier;

receive the video in a first format that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding, wherein a media-on-demand server determines that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the first format based on the first device type, wherein the first video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of a second format of a plurality of formats, and wherein the plurality of formats comprises the first format;

cause the video to be displayed; and

transmit a second request to pause the video at a pause point in the video;

a second video receiving device configured to;

transmit a third request to resume the video from the pause point, wherein the third request comprises an indication of a second device type of the second video receiving device and the user identifier, and wherein the second device type is different from the first device type;

receive the video in the second format that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding, wherein the media-on-demand server determines that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the second format based on the second device type, and wherein the second video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of the first format; and

cause the video to be displayed;

the media-on-demand server configured to;

receive, from the first video receiving device, the first request for the video;

determine, based on the first device type of the first request, that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the first format, wherein the first video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of the second format;

identify the video in the first format from one or more videos stored in a memory;

transmit the video in the first format to the first video receiving device;

receive, from the first video receiving device, the second request to pause the video;

transform, in the memory, a data structure associated with the user identifier based on the second request, wherein the data structure indicates an identifier of the video and a time code associated with the pause point;

receive, from the second video receiving device, the third request to resume the video from the pause point;

determine, based on the third request, that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the second format wherein the second video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of the first format;

based on the third request, retrieve the data structure associated with the user identifier from the memory;

identify, based on the time code in the data structure, the pause point; and

transmit the video in the second format to the second video receiving device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to:

identify, based on the determined first format, a first video distribution server as being capable of transmitting the video in the first format; and

transmit instructions to the first video distribution server to cause the video to be transmitted to the first video receiving device in the first format that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to:

identify, based on the determined second format, a second video distribution server as being capable of transmitting the video in the second format;

transmit instructions to the second video distribution server to cause the video to be transmitted to the second video receiving device from the pause point in the second format that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to store the data structure in more than one location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to convert the video from the first format to the second format.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the time code associated with the pause point is a time code associated with another point in the video that is a predetermined amount of time prior to the pause point and subsequent to a beginning of the video.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the media-on-demand server transmits the video to the first video receiving device and the second video receiving device in a compressed format.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to:

retrieve a first configuration information corresponding to the first device type indicated in the first request from the first video receiving device, wherein the first configuration information includes a first supported format;

assign the first format that the first video receiving device can decode to be the first supported format in the first configuration information.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to:

retrieve a second configuration information corresponding to the second device type indicated in the third request from the second video receiving device, wherein the second configuration information includes a second supported format;

assign the second format that the second video receiving device can decode to be the second supported format in the second configuration information.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to:

retrieve the first configuration information corresponding to the first device type from a database indexed according to device type;

retrieve the second configuration information corresponding to the second device type from the database indexed according to device type.

8. A media-on-demand server, comprising:

an access interface, configured to;

receive, from a first video receiving device, a first request for a video, wherein the first request comprises an indication of a first device type of the first video receiving device and a user identifier;

transmit, to the first video receiving device, the video in a first format that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding, wherein control circuitry determines that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the first format based on the first device type, wherein the first video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of a second format of a plurality of formats, and wherein the plurality of formats comprises the first format;

receive, from the first video receiving device, a second request to pause the video at a pause point in the video and the user identifier;

receive, from a second video receiving device, a third request to resume the video from the pause point, wherein the third request comprises an indication of a second device type of the second device and the user identifier, and wherein the second device type is different from the first device type;

transmit, to the second video receiving device, the video in the second format that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding, wherein the control circuitry determines that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the second format based on the second device type, and wherein the second video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of the first format;

a memory, configured to;

store one or more videos in a plurality of formats;

store a data structure associated with the user identifier, wherein the data structure indicates an identifier of the video and a time code associated with the pause point;

the control circuitry, configured to;

receive, via the access interface, the first request for the video from the first video receiving device;

determine, based on the first device type of the first request, that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the first format, wherein the first video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of the second format;

identify the video in the first format from the one or more videos stored in the memory;

transmit, via the access interface, the video in the first format to the first video receiving device;

receive, via the access interface, the second request to pause the video and the user identifier from the first video receiving device;

transform, in the memory, the data structure associated with the user identifier based on the second request;

receive, via the access interface, the third request to resume the video from the pause point from the second video receiving device;

determine, based on the third request, that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the second format wherein the second video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of the first format;

based on the third request, retrieve the data structure associated with the user identifier from the memory;

identify, based on the time code in the data structure, the pause point; and

transmit, via the access interface, the video in the second format to the second video receiving device.

9. The media-on-demand server of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

identify, based on the determined first format, a first video distribution server as being capable of transmitting the video in the first format; and

transmit, via the access interface, instructions to the first video distribution server to cause the video to be transmitted to the first video receiving device in the first format that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding.

10. The media-on-demand server of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

identify, based on the determined second format, a second video distribution server as being capable of transmitting the video in the second format;

transmit, via the access interface, instructions to the second video distribution server to cause the video to be transmitted to the second video receiving device from the pause point in the second format that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding.

11. The media-on-demand server of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to convert the video from the first format to the second format.

12. The media-on-demand server of claim 8, wherein the time code associated with the pause point is a time code associated with another point in the video that is a predetermined amount of time prior to the pause point and subsequent to a beginning of the video.

13. The media-on-demand server of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry transmits the video to the first video receiving device and the second video receiving device in a compressed format.

14. The media-on-demand server of claim 8, wherein the access interface comprises one of an Ethernet interface that supports communication using a TCP/IP stack, an X.25 interface that supports communication using a public data network, and a T1 interface that supports communication using a public switched telephone network.

25. The media-on-demand server of claim 8, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

retrieve a first configuration information corresponding to the first device type indicated in the first request from the first video receiving device, wherein the first configuration information includes a first supported format;

assign the first format that the first video receiving device can decode to be the first supported format in the first configuration information.

26. The media-on-demand server of claim 25, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

retrieve a second configuration information corresponding to the second device type indicated in the third request from the second video receiving device, wherein the second configuration information includes a second supported format;

assign the second format that the second video receiving device can decode to be the second supported format in the second configuration information.

27. The media-on-demand server of claim 26, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

retrieve the first configuration information corresponding to the first device type from a database indexed according to device type;

retrieve the second configuration information corresponding to the second device type from the database indexed according to device type.

15. A system for resuming transmission, to a device, of a video in one format from a point at which the video was paused at another device in a different format, the system comprising:

means for receiving, from a first video receiving device, a first request for a video, wherein the first request comprises an indication of a first device type of the first video receiving device and a user identifier;

means for determining, based on the first device type of the first request, that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding video of a first format, wherein the first video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of a second format of a plurality of formats, and wherein the plurality of formats comprises the first format;

means for identifying the video in the first format from one or more videos stored in a memory;

means for transmitting the video in the first format to the first video receiving device;

means for receiving, from the first video receiving device, a second request to pause the video and the user identifier;

means for transforming, in the memory, a data structure associated with the user identifier based on the second request, wherein the data structure indicates an identifier of the video and a time code associated with a pause point;

means for receiving, from a second video receiving device, a third request to resume the video from the pause point, wherein the third request comprises an indication of a second device type of the second device and the user identifier, and wherein the second device type is different from the first device type;

means for determining, based on the third request, that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding video of the second format, wherein the second video receiving device is not capable of decoding video of the first format;

means for retrieving, based on the third request, the data structure associated with the user identifier from the memory;

means for identifying, based on the time code in the data structure, the pause point; and

means for transmitting the video in the second format to the second video receiving device.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for transmitting, at a first video receiving device, the first request for the video;

means for receiving, at the first video receiving device, the video in the first format that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding;

means for causing, at the first video receiving device, the video to be displayed; and

means for transmitting, at the first video receiving device, the second request to pause the video at the pause point in the video.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for transmitting, at a second video receiving device, the third request to resume the video from the pause point;

means for receiving, at the second video receiving device, the video in the second format that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding; and

means for causing, at the second video receiving device, the video to be displayed.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for identifying, based on the determined first format, a first video distribution server as being capable of transmitting the video in the first format; and

means for transmitting instructions to a first video distribution server to cause the video to be transmitted to the first video receiving device in the first format that the first video receiving device is capable of decoding.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for identifying, based on the determined second format, the second video distribution server as being capable of transmitting the video in the second format;

means for transmitting instructions to the second video distribution server to cause the video to be transmitted to the second video receiving device from the pause point in the second format that the second video receiving device is capable of decoding.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for converting the video from the first format to the second format.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the time code associated with the pause point is a time code associated with another point in the video that is a predetermined amount of time prior to the pause point and subsequent to a beginning of the video.

28. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for retrieving a first configuration information corresponding to the first device type indicated in the first request from the first video receiving device, wherein the first configuration information includes a first supported format;

means for assigning the first format that the first video receiving device can decode to be the first supported format in the first configuration information.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

means for retrieving a second configuration information corresponding to the second device type indicated in the third request from the second video receiving device, wherein the second configuration information includes a second supported format;

means for assigning the second format that the second video receiving device can decode to be the second supported format in the second configuration information.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

means for retrieving the first configuration information corresponding to the first device type from a database indexed according to device type;

means for retrieving the second configuration information corresponding to the second device type from the database indexed according to device type.