| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20090125634 | NETWORK MEDIA STREAMING WITH PARTIAL SYNCING - Partial content syncing in a network media receiver is disclosed. One embodiment comprises identifying available cache space on the media receiver, detecting a media data file to be downloaded from a media server, and pre-buffering a portion of the media data on the media receiver prior to selection of the media data file for playback. In this manner, substantially glitch-free playback of a media data file may be started with little delay and with relatively little local storage. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090178087 | INTELLIGENT RETRANSMISSION OF DATA STREAM SEGMENTS - An intelligent retransmission of data stream segments is disclosed. One embodiment comprises detecting a missing media data segment at a media receiver, assigning a value to the missing media data segment based upon media playback consequences of not utilizing the missing media data segment, comparing the value with a threshold, and requesting retransmission of the missing media data segment from a media server if the value meets a predetermined condition relative to the threshold. In this manner, retransmission is requested when it is determined that retransmission will improve playback performance relative to non-retransmission. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090178096 | INTELLIGENT OVER-TRANSMISSION OF MEDIA DATA SEGMENTS - An intelligent multi-sending of data stream segments is disclosed. One embodiment comprises monitoring one or more variable data transmission parameters, detecting one or more invariant media data segment parameters, assigning a value to the media data segment based upon the one or more invariant media data segment parameters and the one or more variable data transmission parameters, comparing the value to a threshold, and sending multiple copies of the media data segment over a network link to a media receiver if the value is above the threshold. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090249384 | ENTERTAINMENT CONTENT PURCHASE VIA ADVERTISING VIEWING CREDIT - The purchase of entertainment content online via advertising credits is disclosed herein. One disclosed embodiment comprises providing an advertising content item to a user over a network, and awarding an amount of advertising viewing credit to the user based upon the advertising content item provided to the user. Next, a request is received from the user to view an entertainment content item. In response, the entertainment content item is provided to the user, and at least a portion of the advertising viewing credit is deducted in exchange for providing the entertainment content item. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20100100637 | Dynamically Balancing User Experiences in a Multi-User Computing System - A media experience policy engine includes three components: an information manager, a policy evaluator, and an enforcement module. The information manager collects information regarding the current state of a media delivery system, such as, for example, usage of a CPU, memory, hard disk, (I/O) interface, and a network. This collected data is then verified by the policy evaluator to see if resource contention is, or is close to, occurring. If so, existing or potential conflicts are dealt with by the enforcement module, which applies corrections, such as, for example, limiting the access of later chronologic users, or degrading the user experience of all users, in accordance with a desired policy in order to vitiate the resource contention and maintain a user experience consistent with the desired policy. | 04-22-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080205389 | Selection of transrate and transcode processes by host computer - A host computer manages and processes multiple requests for transmission of media content to other devices within a network. Hardware or software-driven media processing units format media content for streaming to the network devices. A policy engine manages processing constraints of the media processing units to determine the best combination of transrate/transcode processes to provide the highest quality transmissions without overloading the processing capacity of the host computer. The policy engine also considers available network bandwidth when determining transformation instructions for the media processing units. The policy engine identifies target formats, bit rates, and image resolutions for output for each media stream or for storage for later transmission and instructs the media processing units to transrate and/or transcode the media content appropriately to meet the demand. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080310496 | Real-Time Key Frame Generation - The real-time generation of key frames in a media data stream is disclosed. One embodiment provides a method of processing encoded media data comprising receiving a request to play back the encoded media data from a media receiver, generating one or more key frames from the encoded media data, and sending the generated key frame or key frames to the media receiver. The key frames are generated by decoding the media data, and then encoding the key frames from the decoded media data. In this manner, a frequency of key frames in a media data stream may be increased to improve trick mode and 1× playback. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080310814 | MULTI-LOCATION BUFFERING OF STREAMING MEDIA DATA - The multi-location buffering of streaming media data is disclosed. One embodiment comprises buffering a first segment of media data associated with a current playback location, and buffering a second segment of media data associated with a seek point separated from the first segment of media data by a segment of unbuffered data. In this manner, data at seek points in the media stream may be buffered before a user requests a seek operation. Playback at a seek point may therefore begin with lessened or no perceived lag when a user inputs a seek command. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080310825 | RECORD QUALITY BASED UPON NETWORK AND PLAYBACK DEVICE CAPABILITIES - The recording of digital media according to one or more of playback device capabilities, network performance and user preference is disclosed. One embodiment provides a method for recording digital video comprising determining a first set of capabilities of a first networked playback device, receiving media in at least one of a first format and a first bit rate, and recording the media in at least one of a second format and a second bit rate according to the first set of capabilities. In this manner, playback considerations may be incorporated while the digital media is recorded, thus improving the playback of the digital media at a later time. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080313555 | Scalable User Interface - The scaling of a user interface according to network or device limitations is disclosed. One embodiment provides a method of scaling a user interface, comprising sending a user interface over a network to a networked device, detecting a performance limitation of the user interface in at least one of the network or the networked device, and scaling a parameter of the user interface in response to the detected limitation to improve the performance of the user interface. In this manner, a user interface may be scaled in response to limitations on performance and end-user experience can be improved. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20110072081 | COMPOSITION OF LOCAL MEDIA PLAYBACK WITH REMOTELY GENERATED USER INTERFACE - A media server in a home entertainment network coordinates with a media player connected with the network to provide a media presentation with a combined user interface (UI) on an attached display device. Media content is sourced locally on a networked media player. The media player extracts metadata related to the media content and transmits the metadata to the media server. The media server creates the UI to include components related to the media content rendered by the media player. The media server then transmits the UI to the media player for combination with the rendered media content for a composite output to a presentation device. The media server may further develop and transmit compositing instructions and additional media content to the media player for inclusion in the composite output. | 03-24-2011 |
