Patent · US Expired

System for controlling and enforcing playback restrictions for a media file by splitting the media file into usable and unusable portions for playback

US7315899B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
159References
76Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 28, 2005
Grant dateJan 1, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 27, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N21/440227
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Files are divided into parts and at least some of the parts are transmitted to a client using a communication channel. At least some of the transmitted parts are cached locally. This allows subsequent streaming playback of the file while using less bandwidth by transmitting the part of the file that hasn't been cached, and combining the cached parts with the transmitted parts. In some embodiments, files may be represented at a low quality level by a first data set, and at higher quality levels with additional data sets. Data sets are cached locally, so that during subsequent streaming playback of the file, the quality level of the playback may be improved by sending additional data sets using bandwidth that would otherwise be dedicated to transmitting the cached data sets.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.