System and method for early media buffering using detection of user behavior

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10425665-B2
Application number	US-201615336665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2016
Priority date	Jun 17, 2013
Publication date	Sep 24, 2019
Grant date	Sep 24, 2019

Abstract

A system and method for early media buffering using prediction of user behavior. In accordance with an embodiment, a client device user interface displays a plurality of media options, each of which is associated with a corresponding media content, for example a media channel or video stream, that can be received from a media server system for playing at the device, or at a controlled device. While the user interacts with the user interface, media content associated with regions of the interface can be buffered in preparation for selection and subsequent playing. The client device can include a user interaction sensor, for example a motion, hand/proximity, or heat sensor, which detects when a user is about to interact with the device. The media server system can be triggered to buffer media content associated with one or more neighboring media options on the user interface, in preparation for selection and playing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for early media buffering using prediction of user behavior, comprising:
a client device, including a processor;
an application user interface provided at the client device, which displays a plurality of media options as a visual array of media tiles, each of which media tiles is associated with a corresponding media stream that can be received from a media server system for playing at one or more of the client device, or a controlled device;
a user interaction sensor provided at the client device, which detects when a user is about to interact with the client device; and
a user prediction logic provided at the client device, which receives an indication from the user interaction sensor when the user is about to interact with the client device;
wherein the client device operates to
determine one or more neighboring media tiles within the visual array of media tiles as one or more media tiles having a likelihood to be selected next, and communicate with the media server system to enable the client device to buffer the corresponding media streams associated with a first set of media tiles within the visual array, including the one or more media tiles having a likelihood to be selected next, in preparation for selection and subsequent playing, and
in response to receiving an input indicative of panning the visual array of media tiles,
display one or more additional media options at the user interface as one or more additional media tiles,
determine one or more of the additional media tiles as having a likelihood to be selected next, and
communicate with the media server system to enable the client device to buffer the corresponding media streams associated with a second set of media tiles within the visual array, including at least one of the one or more additional media tiles having a likelihood to be selected next, in preparation for selection and subsequent playing.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the media tiles is associated with a corresponding media channel or video stream that can be selected and received from the media server system for playing at one or both of the client device and the controlled device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interaction sensor is one or more of a motion, hand/proximity, or heat sensor, which detects when the user picks up the client device and provides the indication when the user is about to interact with the client device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controlled device includes an output display that displays media content, and wherein the client device operates as a remote control, and is adapted to receive a selection from the user of a selected media tile, for subsequent receipt from the media server system and playing at the output display of the controlled device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controlled device displays media channels or video streams on the output display as received from the media server system, and wherein selection from the user of a selected media tile is used as a media-change request to change a media channel at the controlled device.

6. A method for early media buffering using prediction of user behavior, comprising:
providing, at a client device, an application user interface which displays a plurality of media options as a visual array of media tiles, each of which media tiles is associated with a corresponding media stream that can be received from a media server system for playing at one or more of the client device, or a controlled device;
detecting, using a user interaction sensor provided at the client device, when a user is about to interact with the client device;
receiving an indication from the user interaction sensor when the user is about to interact with the client device;
determining one or more neighboring media tiles within the visual array of media tiles as one or more media tiles having a likelihood to be selected next, and communicating with the media server system to enable the client device to buffer the corresponding media streams associated with a first set of media tiles within the visual array, including the one or more media tiles having a likelihood to be selected next, in preparation for selection and subsequent playing; and
in response to receiving an input indicative of panning the visual array of media tiles
displaying one or more additional media options at the user interface as one or more additional media tiles,
determining one or more of the additional media tiles as having a likelihood to be selected next, and
communicating with the media server system to enable the client device to buffer the corresponding media streams associated with a second set of media tiles within the visual array, including at least one of the one or more additional media tiles having a likelihood to be selected next, in preparation for selection and subsequent playing.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the media tiles is associated with a corresponding media channel or video stream that can be selected and received from the media server system for playing at one or both of the client device and the controlled device.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the user interaction sensor is one or more of a motion, hand/proximity, or heat sensor, which detects when the user picks up the client device and provides the indication when the user is about to interact with the client device.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the controlled device includes an output display that displays media content, and wherein the client device operates as a remote control, and is adapted to receive a selection from the user of a selected media tile, for subsequent receipt from the media server system and playing at the output display of the controlled device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the controlled device displays media channels or video streams on the output display as received from the media server system, and wherein selection from the user of a selected media tile is used as a media-change request to change a media channel at the controlled device.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon which when read and executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform steps comprising:
providing, at a client device, an application user interface which displays a plurality of media options as a visual array of media tiles, each of which media tiles is associated with a corresponding media stream that can be received from a media server system for playing at one or more of the client device, or a controlled device;
detecting, using a user interaction sensor provided at the client device, when a user is about to interact with the client device; and
receiving an indication from the user interaction sensor when the user is about to interact with the client device;
determining one or more neighboring media tiles within the visual array of media tiles as one or more media tiles having a likelihood to be selected next, and communicating with the media server system to enable the client device to buffer the corresponding media streams associated with a first set of media tiles within the visual array, including the one or more media tiles having a likelihood to be selected next, in preparation for selection and subsequent playing; and
in response to receiving an input indicative of panning the visual array of media tiles,
displaying one or more additional media options at the user interface as one or more additional media tiles,
determining one or more of the additional media tiles as having a likelihood to be selected next, and
communicating with the media server system

Assignees

• Spotify Ab

Inventors

• Öman Andreas

Classifications

• H04N21/2407

  Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads (arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14) · CPC title

• H04N21/2183

  Cache memory {(caches in web servers or browsers G06F16/9574; intermediate storage and caching in data networks H04L67/568)} · CPC title

• H04L47/722

  at the destination endpoint, e.g. reservation of terminal resources or buffer space · CPC title

• H04N21/437

  Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server {(flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60)} · CPC title

• H04N21/2393

  involving handling client requests (scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60) · CPC title