(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2011/0060998 A1
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Mar. 10, 2011
`Schwartz et al.
`
`US 20110060998A1
`
`(54) SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR MANAGING
`INTERNET MEDIA CONTENT
`
`(76) Inventors:
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`Rick Schwartz, Carlsbad, CA (US);
`Osama Al-Shaykh, San Diego, CA
`(US); Ron Linyard, San Diego, CA
`(US); Mark Banham, San Diego,
`CA (US); Ralph Neff, Dan Diego,
`CA (US); Magdalena Leuca
`Espelien, San Diego, CA (US);
`Keith Hullfish, San Diego, CA
`(US)
`12/807,322
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Sep. 2, 2010
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(60) Provisional application No. 61/275,950, filed on Sep.
`4, 2009.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G06F 3/0
`(2006.01)
`G06F 5/16
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................................................ T15/738
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A system and a method manage internet media content by
`identifying relevant media content associated with a
`webpage, generating a symbolic representation for the iden
`tified media and/or presenting the symbolic representation of
`the identified media to enable media management, organiza
`tion, retrieval, consumption and/or redirection functionality
`to be integrated with a web browsing experience. The system
`and the method may provide enhanced multimedia function
`ality integrated with a web browsing experience using an
`application providing web browser functionality, a plug-in
`program for an existing web browser, and/or an application
`associated and/or in communication with a web browser.
`
`300-
`
`REPRESENTATIONS
`315
`
`CONTROLS-N-
`326
`
`
`
`MEDA
`DESNATONS
`329
`WORKSPACE
`AREA 325
`
`3O5
`
`RENDERED
`EMPTY SO
`WEB PAGE
`37
`31O
`N BROWSER CONTROLS
`-t: ANDLE
`A-42coNTROLs
`
`
`
`DENT FED
`MEDIA
`CONTENT
`32O
`
`REPRESENTATION
`OF HANDLE 355
`
`
`
`ORIGINAL HANDLE
`POSITION 3.54
`
`Page 1 of 41
`
`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1011
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 1 of 8
`
`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`FG.
`
`PROR ART
`
`MEDA
`CONTENT
`STE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MEDA
`CONTENT
`STE 2
`
`MEDIA
`CONTENT
`STE 3
`
`
`
`FIG 2
`
`
`
`WEB
`BROWSER
`
`MEDIA
`L BRARY
`
`MEDIA
`MANAGEMENT
`APPLICATION
`
`3.
`
`5
`
`O
`
`APPL CATION
`
`r
`
`4O
`
`.
`
`USER
`
`35ENT
`
`STE 1
`
`32
`
`MEDIA
`CONTENT
`STE 2
`
`al
`
`M
`
`MEDIA
`C 9NET O
`STE
`
`33
`
`25
`
`2O
`
`-
`
`35
`
`*
`
`Josition
`
`22
`
`MEDA
`DESTNATION
`2
`
`23
`
`MEDIA
`DESTATION
`
`LOCAL
`CONTENT
`SOURCE
`
`Page 2 of 41
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 2 of 8
`
`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`
`
`
`
`MEDIA
`WORKSPACE
`
`
`
`INTERNET
`CONTENT
`
`BROWSER
`APPLICATION
`
`CONTROL
`LOGC
`
`85
`
`DEVICE
`DISCOVERY
`AND
`CONTROL
`
`MEDA
`DESTINATIONS
`AND
`
`LOCA
`CONTENT
`SOURCES
`
`
`
`
`
`MUTMEDIA
`PLAYER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`TRANSCODING
`ENGINE
`
`- -
`- -
`TYPCAL BROWSER COMPONENTS AODED TO PROVIDE
`ENHANCEO APPLICATION FUNCIONAY
`COMPONENTS
`
`
`
`2O
`
`25
`
`23O
`
`(N-205
`WEB PAGE
`
`DETEC
`MEDIA
`CONTEN
`
`
`
`DENTIFIED
`MEDA
`CONTENT
`
`-Nu-1
`2OO
`
`CONTEXT
`Si6-214
`
`d
`
`281 u-USER 22OluseR
`NPU
`27
`222 25O
`
`PREFERENCES
`
`F G 5
`2O
`216
`S -?. --f
`IDENTIFIED
`DETECTED REMOVE
`REMOVE
`MEDA-0 UNUSABLE-0ADVERTISING-PREFERENCE-0CAPABLITY--O MEDIA
`CONTENT
`CONTENT
`CONTENT
`FILTER
`FILTER
`
`
`
`CONTENT-?h.DEPENDENT
`2001 Nu
`
`FILTERING
`
`
`
`--- it
`CONTENI-5EPENDENT caEY1
`
`FLERNG
`
`NFORMATION
`
`Page 3 of 41
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 3 of 8
`
`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`F G. 6
`
`
`
`3O5
`
`RENDERED/O
`
`WEB PAGE
`
`SYMBOLC
`
`BROWSER CONTROLS )
`SEos M1M1-DESCRIPTION
`315
`M2M2-DESCRIPTION
`T
`M3M3-DESCRIPTION
`
`w
`
`CONTROLS
`326
`
`-Y-
`MEDA
`DESNATIONS
`329
`
`WORKSPACE
`AREA
`325
`
`/
`
`3OO
`
`DENT FED
`MEDIA
`CONTENT
`32O
`
`F G. 7
`
`
`
`3O5
`
`RENDERED/O
`
`WEB PAGE
`
`BROWSER CONTROLS )
`
`SYMBOLIC
`REPRESENTATIONS
`315
`
`N-DESCRIPTION
`M2M2-DESCRIPTION
`M3-DESCRIPTION
`
`coys -
`326
`
`
`
`SEESTEDMEA
`CONTENT OBJECT
`
`PEED
`CONTENT
`32O
`
`-->
`MEDIA
`DESNATIONS
`329
`
`WORKSPACE
`R SEEA
`
`f
`
`3OO
`
`Page 4 of 41
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 4 of 8
`
`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`FG.8
`
`305
`
`N300
`
`RENDERED
`WEB PAGE
`3O
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SELECTED
`34
`
`
`
`SOURCE
`ES
`34O
`
`PAYS
`335
`
`DENTIFED
`MEDIA
`CONTENT
`32O
`
`C
`(C5EscRIPTION EuB
`
`CS
`EF2 EQ
`sendsendsend
`RP
`(49.
`TODOD2TOD3
`G5CRIPT
`ON
`
`SYMBOC
`PAYLIST
`PLAYS
`REPRESEAONS XSESE; EDTING AREA CONTROS
`345
`346
`F G 9 w
`3O5
`RENDERED
`WEB PAGE
`300-
`31O
`
`EMPTY SO
`37
`
`BROWSER CONTROS
`A
`
`14 a CONTROLS
`
`REPRESENATIONS
`315
`
`CONTROLSTN
`326
`
`
`
`MEDA
`DESTNATONS
`329
`WORKSPACE
`AREA 325
`
`DENT FED
`MEDIA
`CONTENT
`32O
`
`REPRESENTATION
`OF HANDLE 355
`
`ORIGINAL HANDLE
`POSITION 3.54
`
`Page 5 of 41
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 5 of 8
`
`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`FG.O
`
`ACTIVE
`AB
`36
`
`305
`
`BROWSER CONTROLS
`
`
`
`
`
`RENDERED
`WEB PAGE
`31 O
`
`SELECTED
`SOURCE
`
`DENT FED
`MAGE CONENT
`32O
`
`CONTENT TYPE
`CONTROLS
`
`-300
`
`TAB
`NAVIGATION
`CONTROLS
`36O
`
`T
`ESA
`375
`
`MEDIA
`DESTINATIONS
`329
`
`WORKSPACE
`AREA 325
`
`RENDERED
`WEB PAGE
`3O
`
`MT
`
`---
`M3
`---
`m
`SELECTED
`WEB PAGE
`381
`--- M
`
`DESCRIPTION
`
`A2 Scription
`A3 SCRIPTION
`w A4
`DESCRIPTION
`AS-
`DESCRIPTION
`A
`
`SYMBOLC
`REPRESENTATIONS
`35
`3O 5
`
`S2 DESCRIPTION
`5ÉscRIPTION
`S4
`DESCRIPTION
`
`M
`
`A
`
`SOURCE
`SELECTION
`CONTROLS
`340
`
`s
`
`3OO-1N
`
`
`
`
`
`SYM ROLIC
`REPRESENTATIONS
`315
`
`CONTROLS
`385
`
`MEDA
`DESTINATIONS
`329
`
`workspace
`AREA 325
`
`
`
`list of wes
`PAGES 38O
`
`Page 6 of 41
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 6 of 8
`
`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`F.G. 12
`
`MEDIA CONEN
`SOURCE AREA
`39 O.
`
`3OO
`
`MEDA CONFEN
`OBJECT AREA
`395
`
`SYMBOLC
`REPRESENTATIONS
`315
`
`MEDIA MANAGEMENT APP
`
`
`
`
`
`LS OF WEB
`PAGES
`
`
`
`
`
`SELECTED
`WEBPAGE.
`381
`
`
`
`SELECTED
`
`
`
`SOURCE
`SELECTION
`Coggis
`
`
`
`NY MUSC STES
`
`PAGE 1 LABEL
`PAGE 2 LABEL
`PAGE 3. LABEL
`PAGE 4 LABEL
`PAGE 5 ABEL
`PAGE 6 ABEL
`PAGE 7 LABEL
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`MYMAGE MY IMAGE
`SITES
`LIBRARY
`MY VD MY WID
`YEO) (NYS59
`
`
`
`Si)6ESCRIPTION SSRIPTION
`S25&CRIPTION Sr 5ESCRIPTION
`S
`S3-
`8
`S35ESCRIPTION SE5SCRIPTION
`S4 -
`S45ESCRIPTION
`S5
`DESCRPON
`
`CONTROLS AREA
`
`396
`
`MEDA
`DESTNATIONS
`329
`
`Page 7 of 41
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 7 of 8
`
`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`FIG 3 to
`
`START
`
`4O1
`
`
`
`APPLICATION IDENTIFIES MEDIA CONTENT .
`ASSOCATED WITH ARENDERED WEB PAGE
`WHICH S WSBLE TO AND ACCESSIBLE
`BY THE USER
`
`APPLICATON DETERMINES ASYMBOLC
`REPRESENTATION FOR THE DENTIFIED
`MEDIA CONTENT
`
`APPLICATION DISPLAYS THE SYMBOLC
`REPRESENTATION INA WORKSPACE AREA
`WHICH IS WISBLE TO AND ACCESSIBLE TO
`THE USER CONCURRENTLY WITH THE
`RENDERED WEB PAGE
`
`.
`
`*
`
`USER ACCESSES THE DENTIFIED MEDIA
`CONTENT USING THE DISPLAYED
`SYMBOLC REPRESENTATION
`
`FIG 14,
`
`START
`
`APPLICATION IDENTIFIES MEDIA CONTENT
`ASSOCATED WITH ONE OR MORE
`WEB PAGES
`
`APPLICATION DETERMINES ASYMBOLIC
`REPRRESENTATION FOR THE DENTIFIED
`MEDIA CONTEN
`
`51O
`
`APPLICATION DISPLAYS THE SYMBOLC
`REPRESENTATION IN A WORKSPACE AREA
`
`55
`
`USER INPUT SELECTS ONE OR MORE
`EDENTIFIED MEDIA CONTENT OBJECTS
`USING THE SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION
`52O
`
`APUCATION HIGHLIGHTS ONE OR MORE
`MEDIA DESTINATIONS TO WHICH THE
`SELECTED MEDIA CONTENT OBJECTS
`MAYBE SUTABLY DIRECTED
`
`525
`
`USER INPUT SPECIFIES THE SELECTED
`MEDIA CONTENT OBJECTS BE DIRECTED
`TO ONE OF THE MEDIA DESTINATIONS
`
`
`
`APPLICATION DIRECTS THE SELECTED
`MEDIA CONTENT OBJECTS TO THE
`SPECIFIED MEDIA DESTINATION
`
`Page 8 of 41
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Mar. 10, 2011 Sheet 8 of 8
`
`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`FIG. 15
`
`START
`
`6O1
`
`USER INPUT SELECTS ONE OR
`MORE WEB PAGES FROM ALIST
`
`APPLICATION RETREVES THE
`ONE OR MORE WEB PAGES
`6O
`
`APPECATION IDENTIFIES MEDA
`CONTENT ASSOCATED WITH THE
`ONE OR MORE WEB PAGES
`
`APPLICATION DETERMINES A
`SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION
`FOR THE DENTFED
`MEDIA CONTENT
`
`APPLICATION DISPLAYS THE
`SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION
`NA WORKSPACE AREA
`
`USER ACCESSES THE
`DENTIFIED MEDA CONTENT
`USNG THE DISPLAYED
`SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 16
`
`START
`
`7O
`
`USER SELECTS ONE OR MORE
`WEB PAGES FROM ALIST
`
`APPICATION RETRIEVES THE ONE
`ORMORE SELECTED WEB PAGES
`
`71O
`
`APPLICATION IDENTIFIES MEDIA
`CONTENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE
`ONE OR MORE SELCTED WEB PAGES
`
`APPLICATION HGHLIGHTS ONE
`ORMORE MEDIA DESTNATONS
`TO WHICH IDENTIFIED MEDIA
`CoNTENT FROM THE ONE OR
`MORE SELECTED WEB PAGES
`MAYBE SUITABLY DIRECTED
`
`USER INPUT SPECIFIES THAT
`THE MEDIA CONTEN FROM
`THE ONE OR MORE SELECTED
`WEB PAGES BE DIRECTED AS
`A GROUP TO ASPECIFIED
`MEDIA DESTNATON
`
`APPLICATION DETERMINES A
`SUBSET OF THE DENTIFIED
`MEDIA CONTENT FROM THE
`ONE OR MORE SELECTED WEB
`PAGES WHICH IS SUITABLE
`FOR DIRECTION TO THE
`SPECIFIED MEDIA DESTINATION
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`APPLICATION DIRECTS THE SUBSET
`OF THE DENTIFIED MEDIA
`CONTENT TO THE SPECIFIED
`MEDIA DESTINATION
`
`Page 9 of 41
`
`

`

`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`Mar. 10, 2011
`
`SYSTEMAND METHOD FORMANAGING
`INTERNET MEDIA CONTENT
`
`0001. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provi
`sional Application Ser. No. 61/275,950, filed Sep. 4, 2009.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`0002 The present invention generally relates to a system
`and a method for managing internet media content. More
`specifically, the present invention relates to a system and a
`method that identify relevant media content associated with a
`webpage, generate a symbolic representation for the identi
`fied media, and/or present the symbolic representation of the
`identified media to enable media management, organization,
`retrieval, consumption and/or redirection functionality to be
`integrated with a web browsing experience.
`0003. The internet is a rich source of media content. Many
`websites present, share and/or distribute internet media con
`tent. Such internet media content may include image content,
`Such as, for example, digital photographs, graphic images,
`bitmap images, vector graphics, animated image files and/or
`the like; audio content, such as, for example, digital audio
`files, music files, synthetic music files, encoded speech, audio
`podcast, audio streams, internet radio channels, ringtones,
`midi files and/or the like; and/or video content, such as, for
`example, video files, video clips, video podcasts, video
`streams, video channels, TV shows, movies, user-generated
`video and/or the like. Thus, a user with an internet connection
`and a suitable web browser application may access, browse,
`view and/or enjoy internet media content on a variety of
`websites.
`0004 Such websites may be, for example, digital photo
`sites such as Flickr (trademark of Yahoo! Inc.), video sites
`such as YouTube (trademark of Google Inc.), media search
`engines Such as Google Images (trademark of Google Inc.),
`music sites such as Last.FM (trademark of Audioscrobbler
`Limited LLC) and Hype Machine (trademark of The Hype
`Machine Inc.), or any of a multitude of websites which may
`provide integrated and/or associated media content. Many
`websites have media content which may be accessed and/or
`may be consumed without cost to the user. Some media
`content types may require the user to obtain and/or installan
`associated media player application and/or a plug-in pro
`gram, but typically the associated media player application
`and/or the plug-in program are also available at no cost to the
`user. Thus, media content sites provide the user with a con
`Venient means to access internet media content and to use the
`internet media content within the webpages provided by the
`websites.
`0005. The use of internet media content within a webpage
`and/or a web browser has limitations. First, the user is typi
`cally limited to viewing, interacting with and consuming the
`internet media content associated with the webpage accord
`ing to the organization, the presentation and the functionality
`enabled by the webpage. The ability to view, consume and/or
`play the associated media content is nearly always available.
`However, enhanced media functions, such as, for example,
`media searching, media organization, media management,
`bookmarking of media, marking favorite media, creating,
`editing and/or using playlists based on the media, and like
`functions, are rarely provided by the webpage. Additional
`enhanced media functions, such as, for example, the ability to
`direct the internet media content associated with the webpage
`
`to rendering devices in the home network and to synchronize
`the media content associated with the webpage to a portable
`media player, are not provided by in-page tools provided by
`the webpage.
`0006. Some websites with internet media content provide
`a Subset of advanced features. For example, searching, book
`marking of favorites and/or downloading may be provided.
`However, when a website provides such functions within the
`webpage, the enabled functionality is limited to the internet
`media content provided by the website. Moreover, the avail
`able functionality and the user interface will vary for different
`websites. Thus, a user must learn to use the available func
`tionality for each website of interest, and no common user
`interface for such functionality is available in the web
`browser and/or the associated webpage. Moreover, the site
`specific in-page tools do not provide means to organize,
`manipulate, manage and/or consume the internet media con
`tent of multiple websites.
`0007 For example, digital photo sharing sites such as
`Flickr may provide tools to upload photos and to create and/or
`arrange albums which may be displayed as slide shows. How
`ever, the functionality is limited to photos the user uploaded to
`the Flickr website. The user interface to organize, edit,
`arrange and display an album in Flickr is not applicable to
`photos the user may find on or upload to other websites
`having internet media content, such as, for example, Snapfish
`(trademark of Hewlett-Packard Company) or Photobucket
`(trademark of Photobucket.com, Inc.), or to photos the user
`may find on other websites using a web-based search engine.
`The user must obtain and/or download Such photos and Sub
`sequently upload them to Flickr to use the functionality pro
`vided by the Flickr in-page editing and organization facilities.
`0008. As another example, a music site such as Hype
`Machine may allow a user to browse and play music files on
`the website and to mark selected music files as “favorites'
`using tools provided by the webpages associated with the
`website. However, such tools are limited to internet media
`content provided by the specific website. Music files marked
`as “favorites” within a webpage of a music site such as Hype
`Machine will not be marked, will not be accessible and will
`not be found within the favorites function provided by a
`different website having internet media content. Different
`websites may present tools having similar functionality; how
`ever, the tools have different appearances, locations and
`behavior on each website. In addition, each set of tools is
`usable only with the internet media content provided by the
`specific website. As a further example, a music site may
`provide a tool to create and play a playlist, but playlists
`created with the tool are limited to the internet media content
`provided by the specific music site.
`0009. Such limitations on website functionality are often
`intentional because the media content site owner may provide
`Such tools as an incentive for the user to continue use of the
`specific media content site. If the user makes the investment
`to create a user account on a website and learn to use the tools
`provided by the website, the user is likely to continue using
`the website and to continue viewing revenue-generating
`advertisements presented by the website. Typically, the web
`site owner has no interest to enable functionality for compet
`ing websites having internet media content.
`0010 Media management applications are the most popu
`lar Solution to this problem. Examples of media management
`applications are RealPlayer (trademark of RealNetworks,
`Inc.), SimpleCenter (trademark of Universal Electronics
`
`Page 10 of 41
`
`

`

`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`Mar. 10, 2011
`
`Inc.), iTunes (trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.) and
`Twonky Media Manager (trademark of PacketVideo Corpo
`ration). Media management applications enable the user to
`perform a multitude of media management, organization,
`consumption and/or redirection functions using media files in
`a media library. The media library may be associated with the
`media management application and/or may be located on one
`or more local media servers and/or local content storage
`locations which may be accessible to the media management
`application. A disadvantage of media management applica
`tions is that the media management application is a, separate
`experience from the web browser. A disadvantage of media
`management applications is that the media management
`application does not provide browser controls and is not
`capable of selecting, requesting, retrieving or rendering
`webpages. Thus, the user must find internet media content
`using a web browser but then must download the internet
`media content and add the internet media content to the media
`library, the local media server and/or the local content storage
`location before the internet media content may be used sepa
`rately from the web browser in the media management appli
`cation. Therefore, the additional functionality is not available
`directly in the web browsing experience in an integrated
`fashion.
`FIG. 1 generally illustrates using a typical prior art
`0011
`system. The user utilizes a web browser to access various
`media content sites. The web browser presents standard
`browser controls which allow the user to select, navigate to
`and/or request a webpage associated with a media content
`website. As a result, the web browser may retrieve the
`webpage and the various elements on which the webpage may
`depend and may display a rendered webpage which the user
`may view, explore, and interact with in the web browser user
`interface. The webpage and/or the elements on which the
`webpage depends may have markup source. Such as, for
`example, HTML, XHTML, XML and/or the like; text; graph
`ics; active content objects, Scripts and/or applications. Such
`as, for example, Flash (trademark of Adobe System, Inc.),
`Flash Actionscript, JavaScript (trademark of Sun Microsys
`tems, Inc.), ECMAScript, VBScript and/or the like; and/or
`media content.
`0012. The web browser may allow the user to find and/or
`render the media content in the rendered webpage and per
`form other functions which may be specifically enabled by
`the webpage and/or the Scripts, the active content objects
`and/or the applications which may be embedded in the
`webpage. The web browser may allow the user to download
`the media content to a local media library, a local media server
`and/or another local storage location so that the user may use
`the media content outside of the web browser. Alternatively,
`the web browser and/or the means by which the media content
`website incorporates the media content into the webpage may
`not allow the user to download the media content using the
`web browser. In this case, the user may use other ways to
`download the media content associated with the webpage.
`For example, a “content downloading website, such as
`“saveyoutube.com.” may allow the user to download the
`media content available from a media content website. Such
`as YouTube, by entering the URL associated with the media
`content into a field on the “content downloading website.
`Web browser plug-in programs are available which imple
`ment similar functionality.
`0013. After the internet media content is downloaded and
`saved to a local media library, the user may execute a separate
`
`media management application to access a local copy of the
`internet media content in the media library and/or to use any
`enhanced media functions provided by the media manage
`ment application. However, the Internet media content down
`loaded to the local media library lacks the organization and
`the presentation of the media content website. Information,
`Such as, for example, ratings, comments, relationships to
`other media, discussions about the media and the like are not
`available from the local copy of the internet media content.
`Moreover, the latest available media content on a dynamic
`media content website is not available in the media library.
`0014. Therefore, by downloading internet media content
`to a local media library, a local media server or other local
`content storage location, the user loses the dynamic vitality of
`the media content website associated with the Internet media
`content. In addition to providing access to media objects, a
`website typically has a unique organization and/or presenta
`tion. Further, a website typically has unique means of brows
`ing, searching, updating and/or recommending the associated
`internet media content. For example, a webpage associated
`with a music website may provide music content relevant to a
`particular band, a particular music style and/or the favorite
`music of a music expert associated with the content site. To
`visit the website and download the content to local storage for
`use within a separate media management application is dis
`advantageous because the separate media management appli
`cation does not preserve or provide the organization, presen
`tation, and recommendation functions of the website and the
`associated webpages.
`0015. As a specific example, a media content website may
`provide information about a sports team. The media content
`website may allow users to post photographs taken at recent
`games played by the sports team, user-generated video con
`tent recorded at games played by the sports team, fan videos
`and/or the like. The media content posted on the media con
`tent website may be updated in real-time as the users post the
`media content and may be organized by the media content
`website in various ways. For example, the media content may
`be organized based on which user posted the media content,
`the game with which the media content is associated, an
`athlete featured in the media content, keywords entered by the
`user who posted the media content, the date the media content
`was posted and/or the like. The media content website may
`provide different webpages which implement the presenta
`tion and the organization of the media content and/or which
`organize the media content in different ways. For example, a
`first webpage of the media content website may presentall of
`the media content posted by a particular user. A second
`webpage may present all of the user-generated video clips
`recorded by various users at a specific game. A third webpage
`may present all of the fan videos associated with a particular
`athlete.
`0016. The user may use a prior art web browser applica
`tion to explore the media content website and to download
`individual media content objects of interest. The user may
`Subsequently use a separate media management application
`to access the downloaded media content objects and utilize
`the enhanced media functions provided by the separate media
`management application. However, the user will not preserve
`the organization of the media content objects, the presenta
`tion of the media content objects and/or the additional infor
`mation which may be displayed with the media content
`objects in the webpages provided by the media content web
`site. Further, the separate media management application is
`
`Page 11 of 41
`
`

`

`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`Mar. 10, 2011
`
`not aware of and cannot present to the user the recently posted
`media content objects which may be available on the
`webpages associated with the media content website. The
`separate media management application is not aware of and
`cannot present to the user any media content which the user
`has not specifically discovered using the web browser and
`downloaded to a local media library, the local media server or
`the local content storage location.
`0017. The prior art merely partially addresses the above
`limitations. For example, RealPlayer provides a browser
`plug-in program which identifies video objects in the ren
`dered webpage and provides means to download the video
`objects into the media library associated with RealPlayer. The
`technique is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
`11/756,588 to Chasen et al. The plug-in program enables
`downloading of the video objects; however, the enhanced
`functionality is a separate experience in the separate Real
`Player application. The user must download the video content
`using the plug-in program. Then, the user must exit the
`browser to organize, manage and/or consume the downloaded
`video using the enhanced media functions of RealPlayer. The
`media management functionalities are not provided as an
`integrated browser experience, and media redirection func
`tionality is not addressed.
`0018 Cooliris (trademark of Cooliris, Inc.) provides a
`browser plug-in program having enhanced visualization and
`navigation functions for images and videos on specific web
`sites which Support Cooliris. The Cooliris plug-in program
`renders photos and/or representative images from videos on
`an interactive “moving wall” to enhance the browsing and/or
`the exploration of the image and/or the video content associ
`ated with a webpage. The Cooliris plug-in program also Sup
`ports marking the images and/or the videos which are recog
`nized by the plugin as “favorites.” However, the Cooliris
`plug-in program is not capable of identifying relevant video
`and/or image content for generic websites.
`0019 Specific knowledge about the website must be pro
`vided to the Cooliris plug-in program to enable the visualiza
`tion and favorites functionality for the website. Cooliris Sup
`ports popular websites such as Flickr and YouTube. For other
`websites having internet media content, means are provided
`for the website owner to configure the website to be supported
`by Cooliris. For example, the owner of the website may flag
`the relevant content using the MediaRSS syndication stan
`dard or may use a site-enabling tool provided by Cooliris.
`However, most websites are currently not Cooliris-enabled.
`An end user of the Cooliris plug-in program cannot enable the
`functionality for a website which is not supported or for
`which the plug-in program does not function correctly. Fur
`ther, the Cooliris plug-in program only provides the "favor
`ites’ function and does not provide the full range of media
`management and redirection functionality of a separate
`media management application.
`0020 Syndication standards such as Really Simple Syn
`dication (RSS) or MediaRSS allow a media content website
`and/or a content provider to specifically flag content for pub
`lication. Applications with RSS Reader capabilities may use
`an RSS feed to determine the media content available from
`the RSS feed, the location for obtaining and/or downloading
`the media content and several metadata properties of the
`media content. Content updates are made available from the
`RSS feed, and updated media content may be downloaded
`automatically by a suitable RSS reader client. Accordingly,
`RSS is widely used to distribute audio and/or video podcast
`
`files. A significant limitation of RSS is that the media content
`website and/or the content provider must intentionally create
`and offer the RSS feed which describes the media content.
`However, most available internet media content is not offered
`from RSS feeds. Many media content websites are supported
`by advertising, and RSS feeds that enable users to automati
`cally download updated media content without visiting the
`media content website and viewing the advertising is not in
`the financial interests of many media content website owners.
`0021 Moreover, the prior art does not provide a solution to
`the problem of separating relevant media, namely media Suit
`able for downloading, managing, organizing, consuming,
`redirecting, synchronizing and/or otherwise using outside the
`context of the associated webpage, from irrelevant media,
`namely page graphics, background images, advertising con
`tent and/or content unsuitable for a current task and/or
`expressed preferences of the user. For example, the Real
`Player plug-in program identifies and offers to download
`advertising video content in the same way videos depicting
`the content of interest are identified and offered. The Cooliris
`plug-in program requires site-specific information to identify
`and present the target images and/or videos for a website
`having internet media content. Thus, for a website lacking
`site-specific support by Cooliris or for which the internet
`media content is not specifically flagged and/or identified by
`the content provider, the Cooliris plug-in program cannot
`correctly identify and present the target images and/or videos.
`0022 Redirection of internet media content to rendering
`devices in the home network (hereafter “redirection') is of
`interest due to the emerging availability of low-cost media
`servers and rendering devices based on industry standard
`home networking technologies. The Universal Plug and Play
`(UPnP) Audio and Video (AV) standard defines a popular
`protocol by which media servers and rendering devices may
`be connected, may be controlled and may be used to process
`and play multimedia content. The Digital Living Network
`Alliance (DLNA) specifications provide additional details
`and conformance points to ensure UPnP AV-based home net
`working products correctly communicate with each other.
`Products based on the UPnP AV standard and/or the DLNA
`specifications allow the user to access, control and render
`media content files, such as, for example, audio files, video
`files, digital photographs and the like, in a multimedia-en
`abled home network.
`0023 Typically, the media content files reside on one or
`more media servers in the home network. The media content
`files may have been downloaded from the internet using the
`means discussed previously. Alternatively, the media content
`files may have been acquired without using the internet. For
`example, the user may have copied audio files from a CD or
`transferred video files from a camcorder and stored resulting
`audio and/or video files on one of the media servers in the
`home network. Based on a combination of internet and non
`internet content sources, a user may build a local media col
`lection on the one or more media servers in the home network.
`User input may then direct transmittal of the media content
`files from the one or more media servers to one or more of the
`rendering devices in the home network.
`0024. The home network may have various rendering
`devices. Such as, for example, networked Stereos, televisions,
`personal computers, digital photo frames and other devices
`which have media content rendering capabilities. The home
`network may also have control points which may be used to
`control the media servers and the rendering devices so that the
`
`Page 12 of 41
`
`

`

`US 2011/0060998 A1
`
`Mar. 10, 2011
`
`user may discover and/or may select from the media content
`files and/or may control rendering of the media content files.
`0025 Thus, the existing home networking technologies
`may enable selection, delivery and/or rendering of the media
`content files which reside on the media servers in the home
`network. However, the media content files originating from
`the internet must be found by the user using a web browser,
`downloaded by the user and placed on one of the media
`servers to be accessible to the rendering devices in the home
`network. Therefore, the existing home networking technolo
`gies have a limitation similar to the limitation of the separate
`media management applications because the wide range of
`internet media content which may be discovered in a web
`browsing experience cannot be redirected to, sent to or ren
`dered on rendering devices in a home network without the
`inconvenient steps of downloading the content, placing the
`content on a local media server, and exiting the web browser
`to use a separate application, Such as a separate computer
`application, a stand-alone control point device or the user
`interface of the target rendering device.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`0026. The present invention generally relates to a system
`and a method for managing internet media content. More
`specifically, the present invention relates to a system and a
`method that identify relevant media content associated with a
`w