Network media device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10986148-B2
Application number	US-201916256535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2019
Priority date	Jun 4, 2004
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A network media device is described that pulls multimedia data from one or more sources (e.g., a multimedia website or a multimedia server computer) at a first time, stores it to long-term storage within the device and transmits the stored multimedia data to one or more designated multimedia playback devices at a second time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of retrieving multimedia content from a content source, the method comprising:
receiving, via a first playback device, an indication of content to be sent to a second playback device;
receiving, via the first playback device, an indication of one or more services provided by a content source, wherein the indication facilitates discovery of the one or more services by the first playback device;
establishing a paired relationship between the first playback device and the content source;
configuring the first playback device to receive the content from the content source, based at least in part upon the one or more services;
accessing, via the first playback device, the content from the content source based on the indication; and
sending, via the first playback device, the content to the second playback device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication facilitates discovery of the content source by the first playback device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the indication of one or more services provided by the content source is provided via at least one network.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the indication of one or more services provided by the content source is provided using a predetermined protocol for discovery of electronic devices on the at least one network.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising initiating playback of the content at the second playback device via the first playback device.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising initiating playback of the content at the first playback device.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving user input to cause the first playback device to obtain the content from the content source.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content source comprises a multimedia website or a multimedia server computer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein accessing the content comprises retrieving the content via the content source, from a remote source.

10. A playback device, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive an indication of content to be sent to a second playback device;
receive, via the first playback device, an indication of one or more services provided by a content source, wherein the indication facilitates discovery of the one or more services by the playback device;
establish a paired relationship between the playback device and the content source;
configure the playback device to receive the content from the content source based at least in part upon the one or more services;
access the content from the content source based on the indication; and
send the content to the second playback device.

11. The playback device of claim 10 , comprising communications circuitry configured to communicatively couple the playback device to the content source.

12. The playback device of claim 10 , wherein the playback device is configured to receive user input to cause the playback device to obtain the content from the content source.

13. The playback device of claim 12 , wherein the playback device is configured to receive user input to cause the playback device to play back the content.

14. The playback device of claim 12 , wherein the playback device is configured to receive user input to cause the second playback device to play back the content.

15. The playback device of claim 10 , wherein
the indication facilitates discovery of the content source by the playback device.

16. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause one or more processors to perform a method for receiving content from a content source by a first playback device, the method comprising:
receiving, via the first playback device, an indication of content to be sent to a second playback device;
receiving, via the first playback device, an indication of one or more services provided by a content source, wherein the indication facilitates discovery of the one or more services by the first playback device;
establishing, via the first playback device, a paired relationship between the first playback device and the content source;
configuring the first playback device to receive the content from the content source, based at least in part upon the one or more services;
accessing, via the first playback device, the content from the content source; and
sending, via the first playback device, the content to the second playback device.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the method comprises:
accessing, via the first playback device, one or more multimedia libraries each comprising one or more multimedia files of the content that may be transferred to the first playback device;
accepting, via the first playback device, user input specifying which of the one or more multimedia files are to be transferred to the one or more processors; and
retrieving, via the first playback device, the specified one or more multimedia files from the content source.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein:
the indication facilitates discovery of the content source by the first playback device;
the method comprises accepting, via the first playback device, user input to establish the paired relationship between the first playback device and the content source; and
establishing the paired relationship comprises establishing, via the first playback device, the paired relationship based upon the user input.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the paired relationship between the first playback device and the content source is exclusive.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein accessing the content comprises retrieving the content via the content source, from a remote source.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Robbin Jeffrey L
• Heller David

Classifications

• H04L12/66 Primary

  Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways · CPC title

• H04L65/613

  for the control of the source by the destination (control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637) · CPC title

• H04L65/612 Primary

  for unicast · CPC title

• H04L49/604

  Hybrid IP/Ethernet switches · CPC title

• H04L65/1069

  Session establishment or de-establishment · CPC title