System and method for improved content streaming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9749373-B2
Application number	US-201213585349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2012
Priority date	Aug 14, 2012
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A system and methods for improved streaming of content. After streaming of a content item from a wireless device (e.g., a smart phone, a table computer) commences to a presentation device (e.g., a media receiver, a television), the presentation device determines that it can stream the content item from an alternative source, such as a web server, data server or other content repository residing on the Internet or other network. The presentation device initiates the alternative streaming and notifies the wireless device that it may stop streaming. The wireless device may continue to provide control inputs to allow a user to pause, play, fast forward or otherwise control the presentation, and may or may not present the content item locally. If the presentation device must cease streaming of the content item from the alternative source, it notifies the wireless device, which resumes streaming.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of streaming content, the method comprising:
initiating, at a first device, streaming of a content item to a presentation device via a wireless communication connection;
receiving, at the first device, from the presentation device a notification that the presentation device is to stream the content item from an alternative source;
based at least in part on receiving the notification, terminating, at the first device, streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the first device; and
after terminating streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the first device, maintaining control of a presentation of the content item during streaming of the content item from the alternative source, the maintaining control comprising:
receiving, at the first device, a control input for controlling the presentation of the content item; and
transmitting, by the first device, the control input to the presentation device, wherein the control input controls the presentation of the content item on the presentation device as the presentation device streams the content item from the alternative source.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting to the presentation device one or more of:
an identity of the content item;
identities of at least one source of the content item, including the alternative source; and
a current timestamp of the streaming within the content item.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying, on a display component of the first device, an indication that streaming of the content item from the first device has been terminated.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a notification that streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the alternative source is terminating; and
resuming streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the first device.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving from the presentation device a current timestamp of the content item at which to resume streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the first device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling, by the first device, the presentation of the content item on the presentation device while streaming the content item from the first device to the presentation device.

7. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of streaming content, the method comprising:
initiating, at a first device, streaming of a content item to a presentation device via a wireless communication connection;
receiving, at the first device, from the presentation device a notification that the presentation device is to stream the content item from an alternative source;
based at least in part on receiving the notification, terminating, at the first device, streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the first device; and
after terminating streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the first device, maintaining control of a presentation of the content item during streaming of the content item from the alternative source, the maintaining control comprising:
receiving, at the first device, a control input for controlling the presentation of the content item; and
transmitting, by the first device, the control input to the presentation device, wherein the control input controls the presentation of the content item on the presentation device as the presentation device streams the content item from the alternative source.

8. A device for streaming content, comprising:
a processor; and
a wireless communication interface;
wherein the processor and the wireless communication interface are configured to:
initiate streaming of a content item to a presentation device via a wireless communication connection;
receive from the presentation device a notification that the presentation device is to stream the content item from an alternative source;
based at least in part on the notification, terminate the streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the first device; and
after termination of the streaming of the content item to the presentation device from the first device, maintain control of a presentation of the content item during streaming of the content item from the alternative source, wherein to maintain control of the presentation, the processor and the wireless communication interface are configured to:
receive a control input to control the presentation of the content item; and
transmit the control input to the presentation device, wherein the control input controls the presentation of the content item on the presentation device as the presentation device streams the content item from the alternative source.

9. A method of streaming content from a presentation device, the method:
streaming a content item from a first source;
presenting the content item during the streaming;
identifying a second source of the content item;
initiating streaming of the content item from the second source;
transmitting, to the first source, a notification indicating that the presentation device is to stream the content item from the second source;
after transmitting the notification, terminating streaming of the content item from the first source; and
after terminating streaming of the content item from the first source, maintaining control of a presentation of the content item during streaming of the content item from the alternative source, the maintaining control comprising:
receiving, from the first source, a control input for controlling the presentation of the content item as the presentation device streams the content item from the second source; and
using the control input to control the presentation of the content item.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the first source comprises a wireless device; and
the second source comprises a content repository other than the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving from the first source one or more of:
an identity of the content item;
a location of the second source of the content item; and
a current timestamp within the content item.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein identifying the second source of the content item comprises:
identifying an alternative source of the content item;
determining whether a connection to the alternative source of the content item can be used to receive the content item;
establishing a connection to the alternative source of the content item based on the determining; and
identifying the alternative source of the content item as the second source of the content item.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining that streaming of the content item from the second source will terminate prior to completion of presentation of the content item;
notifying the first source to resume streaming the content item;
resuming streaming of the content item from the first source; and
terminating streaming of the content item from the second source.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
notifying the first source of a timestamp of the content item at which to resume streaming the content item from the first source.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the presentation device comprises a media appliance.

16. A device for streaming content, comprising:
a processor; and
a communication interface;
wherein the processor and the co

Assignees

• Dave Swapnil R
• Varoglu Devrim
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Dave Swapnil R
• Varoglu Devrim

Classifications

• H04L65/1083

  In-session procedures · CPC title

• H04L65/4084 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L65/80

  Responding to QoS · CPC title

• H04L65/612 Primary

  for unicast · CPC title