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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
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`Application Number
`Title of Invention I Play Control of Content on a Display Device
`
`Attorney Docket Number
`
`30160-0002P01
`
`The application data sheet is part of the provisional or nonprovisional application for which it is being submitted. The following form contains the
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`t I f
`A
`I"
`,DD 1can n orma 10n:
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`Prefix Given Name
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`David
`Strober
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`apsi@fr.com
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`Title of the Invention
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`Play Control of Content on a Display Device
`Attorney Docket Number 30160-0002P01
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`PTO/SB/14 (11-08)
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`Application Number
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`Title of Invention I Play Control of Content on a Display Device
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`PTOISB/14 (11-08)
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
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`Application Number
`Title of Invention I Play Control of Content on a Display Device
`
`Attorney Docket Number
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`30160-0002P01
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`/Samuel Borodach/
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`Date (YYYY-MM-DD) 2011-04-21
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`First Name
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`Samuel
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`I Last Name
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`/ Borodach
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`38388
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`PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT COVER SHEET
`This is a request for filing a PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT under 37 C.F.R. §1.53(c).
`
`INVENTOR(S)
`
`Given Name (first and middle [if anvl\
`David
`
`Residence
`(Citv and either State or Foreian Countrvl
`Strober
`Rye, NY
`Additional inventors are being named on the
`separately numbered sheets attached hereto
`0
`TITLE OF THE INVENTION (500 characters max)
`Play Control of Content on a Display Device
`
`Family Name or Surname
`
`Direct all correspondence to:
`
`[8]Customer Number:
`
`26211
`
`CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS
`
`OR
`U Firm or
`Individual Name
`Address
`Address
`City
`Country
`
`~ Application Data Sheet.
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`I State
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`I aFORMTEXT
`I Telephone I
`I Fax
`ENCLOSED APPLICATION PARTS (check all that aoo/y)
`D CD(s), Number
`See 37 C.F.R. § 1.76.
`D Other (specify):
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`Number of Pages _M
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`~ Specification
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`Number of Sheets -11
`Application Size Fee: If the specification and drawings exceed 1 OD sheets of paper, the application size fee due is $270 ($135 for small
`entitv) for each additional 50 sheets or fraction thereof. See 35 U.S.C. § 41 (a)(1 )(G) and 37 C.F.R § 1.16(s)
`METHOD OF PAYMENT OF FILING FEES AND APPLICATION SIZE FEE FOR THIS PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT
`12$1 Applicant Claims small entity status. See 37 C.F.R.§ 1.27.
`D A check or money order is enclosed to cover the filing fees.
`D Payment by credit card. Form PTO-2038 is attached.
`~ The Director is hereby authorized to charge filing fees or credit any overpayment to Deposit
`Account Number
`06-1050
`A copy of this form is enclosed for fee processing.
`
`TOTAL FEE AMOUNT($)
`
`110.00
`
`The invention was made by an agency of the United States Government or under a contract with an agency of the United States Government.
`1:8] No.
`D Yes, the name of the U.S. Government agency and the Government contract number are:
`
`Date: April 21, 2011
`
`Samuel Borodach, Reg. No. 38,388
`
`Telephone No: (212) 765-5070
`
`DocketNo: 30160-0002P0I
`
`30608689.doc
`
`Page 5 of 37
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`

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`Attorney Docket No.: 30 I 60-0002P0 I
`
`PLAY CONTROL OF CONTENT ON A DISPLAY DEVICE
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`This disclosure relates to play control of content on a display device. Such
`display devices include, for example, television displays used by consumers in their home
`for viewing videos and other media that are either provided from the Web or previously
`stored. In particular, the disclosure relates to the creation, storage, manipulation and
`access of media playlists used in conjunction with display devices and control of the
`display devices.
`
`Web media often is played on computers rather than television displays.
`Although it is known to connect a computer to a television set in order to watch Web
`media, it is difficult to control such a system within the typical scenario for television
`watching where the viewer is positioned some distance from the television. Furthermore,
`although a wireless device can enable the user to control the television from a distance, it
`can be difficult to view a web browser display on the television set and may interfere
`with normal television program viewing by other persons.
`
`Given the desire to watch various World Wide Web media on a family's primary
`television set, and to control this operation from the comfort of one's couch, there is a
`need to operate a television set remotely from a personal computing device, such as a
`mobile phone. It also is desirable to allow a user to perform a general Web search to
`locate and capture Web media, and to control a television display remotely using the
`personal computing device.
`
`BRIEF DECSRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system according to the
`invention.
`
`FIG. 2 illustrates various details of the flow of information and signals according
`to some implementations.
`
`FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a transmission code incorporated into a message
`from a personal computing device.
`
`FIG. 4 illustrates an example oflook-up table that forms part of a server system.
`
`1
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`Page 6 of 37
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`Attorney Docket No.: 30160-0002P0 I
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`FIG. 5 illustrates an example of entries in a universal API adapter.
`FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing steps for display device to load a video player and
`
`FIG. 7 A illustrates an example of a display device including a synchronization
`
`FIG. 7B illustrates an example of a synchronization code look-up table.
`FIGS. 8-13 illustrate examples of various scenarios in which the invention can be
`
`video.
`
`code.
`
`used.
`
`FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrated examples of display screens that may appear on a
`user's personal computing device in accordance with the invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`As shown in FIG. 1, a system 10 facilitates synchronizing a connection between
`two or more devices 20, 22 connected to the Internet 21 or other network. The
`connection is designed to be made by a first device (e.g., a personal computing device) 20
`that acts as a controller and a second device (e.g., a television set 22 with a display 23)
`that acts as a receiver to play content selected by a user of the first device and to respond
`to commands that originate at the personal computing device. The personal computing
`device 20 is operable to display an application or web site that contains information and
`links to content providers 30 on the Internet 21. The television set 22 is operable to link
`back to a server system 24 from which the television set receives commands. When a
`user makes a selection using the personal computing device 20 for particular content to
`be displayed on the television display 23, a signal is sent through the Internet (or other
`network) 21 to the server system 24. A corresponding command signal then is passed
`along to the connected television set 22, which acts on a transmission code contained
`within the signal and performs specified commands. For example, in some scenarios, the
`command instructs the television set 22 to access a content provider 30 through the
`Internet 21, load a specific media player, load the media player-specific content (e.g., a
`video) and play the content on the television display 23. The user can use the personal
`computing device 20 to control how the content is played on the television display 23.
`The user may subsequently visit the same or another Web site using the personal
`
`2
`
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`Attorney Docket No.: 30160-0002P01
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`computing device 20 to select different content (e.g., a second video) to be played on the
`
`television display 23. In that case, another signal would be sent through the server
`
`system 24 to the television set 22. A transmission code associated with this command
`
`signal instructs the television set 22 to load a new media player (if needed) over the
`
`Internet and to load the specified video file to be played on the display 23. Thus, the
`
`system 10 allows a personal computing device 20 to be used to select different content to
`
`be played on a remote display 23 even if different media players are required for the
`
`different content. The user also can control how the content is displayed (e.g., play,
`
`pause, stop, rewind, fast forward, etc.) on the display 23 using the personal computing
`
`device 20. The user-initiated play commands are passed from the user's personal
`
`computing device 20, through the server system 24, to the television set 22.
`
`Although the following detailed discussion describes videos as an example of the
`
`type of content to be played on the display 23, the system 10 can be used for other types
`
`of content as well. Thus, depending on the implementation, the content may include one
`
`or more of the following: video, audio, interactive video game, streaming media,
`
`multimedia, images, slides ( e.g., a PowerPoint presentation) or other types of dynamic
`
`content. Furthermore, in the following discussion, it is assumed that the personal
`
`computing device 20 is a mobile phone that includes a display, an internal
`
`microprocessor or other processing circuitry, a keypad, touchscreen, mouse or other
`
`device to receive user selections and other input, and a transceiver to establish
`
`communications to the Internet 21 or other communications networks. More generally,
`
`however, the personal computing device 20 can be any type ofhandheld or other
`
`Internet-enabled personal computing device, including personal computers, e-books,
`
`kiosks, tablets, smart phones, media players, and motion and touch sensory interfaces.
`
`FIG. 2 illustrates further details of the flow of information and signals according
`
`to some implementations. The personal computing device (e.g., mobile phone) 20 is
`
`operable to display an application or web site that contains information and links to
`
`content providers 30 on the Internet 21. The user operates the mobile phone 20 so as to
`
`start the application or access the web site (block I 00). In some implementations, a logo
`
`appears on the mobile phone's display. By selecting the logo, the user causes a menu to
`
`expand and present various options. The options can include, for example: (i) add new
`
`3
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`Attorney Docket No.: 30160-0002P01
`
`content to a playlist, (ii) play a listed item on a secondary device, (iii) play a listed item
`
`on the mobile phone 20. If the user selects to add new content to the playlist, the user is
`
`presented with a screen that allows him to enter user-defined search parameters or o
`
`select predefined search parameters to request video data. The search parameters are sent
`
`from the mobile phone 20 as part of a request for video data that satisfy the search
`
`parameters (block 102). The request is transmitted via the Internet 21 and through the
`
`server system 24 to the appropriate content provider web site. In response, the content
`
`provider 30 provides metadata (e.g., titles, links to the videos) for one or more video files
`
`that satisfy the search parameters (block 104 ). The metadata can be provided to the
`
`mobile phone 20, for example, in the form of an XML data file. Upon receiving the data
`
`file, the mobile phone 20 displays a list of one or more videos based on the information
`
`received from the content provider 30 (block 106).
`
`If desired, the user can take one several actions, including a selecting one of the
`
`videos from the displayed list to be played on the television display 23 or initiating a
`
`command with respect to a video that already has been loaded to the television set 22
`
`(block 108). The mobile phone 20 then formats and transmits a message to the server
`
`system 24 (block 110). The message from the mobile phone 20 contains a transmission
`
`code that includes data regarding the user information (e.g., user identification or account
`
`number), the secondary display it wants to connect to (e.g., television set 22 with display
`
`23), the location and name of the media player for the selected video, the command (e.g.,
`
`play, pause, rewind, etc.), and the video file to be acted upon. An example of the format
`
`of a transmission code from the mobile phone 20 to the server system 24 is illustrated in
`
`FIG. 3. Different formats and/or different information may be appropriate for other
`
`implementations.
`
`The message from the mobile phone 20 is transmitted over the Internet 21 and is
`
`received by the server system 24 (block 112). Based on information in the message from
`
`the mobile phone 20, the server system 24 verifies that the user has an account (block
`
`114), and the contents of the message, as well as the date and time ofreceipt of the
`
`message, are added to a personal computing device database 32 (block 116) which forms
`
`parts of a switchboard 28. In general, all messages from a particular user's personal
`
`computing device 20 are stored in the database 32 corresponding to an account for the
`
`4
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`Attorney Docket No.: 30160-0002P0I
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`particular user. Thus, the database 32 stores a record of all messages received from a
`user's personal computing device 20, as well as the user's identification, an indication of
`the target device 22, an identification of the media player that is required for the selected
`video, and an identification of the selected video.
`The switchboard 28 also includes a look-up table 34 that stores a correspondence
`between a particular personal computing device (such as mobile phone 20) and target
`devices ( e.g., the television set 22) to which the user command is directed. An example
`of the look-up table 28 is illustrated in FIG. 4. In this example, it is assumed that, at
`most, a single connection is established at any given time between a particular mobile
`phone and a display device. However, as explained below, other scenarios are also
`possible to establish group connections (e.g., multiple mobile phones connected to the
`same display device). The server system 24 performs a target verification (block 118),
`which includes checking whether a connection to a particular display device already is
`established for the mobile phone 20 and, if so, checking the identification of the display
`device. During the target verification, if the look-up table indicates that there is no
`connection established between the mobile phone 20 and a particular display device, then
`the server system 24 sends a message to the mobile phone 20 to prompt the user to
`identify the device on which the video is to be displayed.
`A user can identify the device on which the video is to be displayed in one of
`several ways, depending on the implementation. In some implementations, the user can
`select the display device from a list of devices displayed on the mobile phone 20. The list
`can include a field populated with names or identifications of display devices that
`previously have been initialized for connection. Alternatively, the user can select the
`display device by entering a synchronization code associated with the particular display
`device. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, the synchronization code 48 can be displayed, for
`example, on a splash page of the display device as text on the screen or as an image such
`as a QR code and can be entered into the mobile phone 20, for example, manually by the
`user or by scanning the code into the mobile phone. The code can be scanned, for
`example, using optical scanning or RFID techniques. Preferably, the synchronization
`code is different from the IP address associated with the device 22. For example, in some
`implementations, the synchronization code is generated randomly and assigned to the
`
`5
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`Attorney Docket No.: 30160-0002P0I
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`display device 22 each time it connects to the server system 24. Thus, a particular
`display device 22 may have an IP address, a web or browser cookie, and a
`synchronization code ("sync code") assigned to it at any given time. This information
`can be stored, for example, in a look-up table in the server system 24. An example of
`entries in such a look-up table are illustrated in FIG. 7B.
`Once the synchronization code is entered into, or captured by, the mobile phone
`20, it is sent from the mobile phone 20 to the server system 24, which stores the
`information in the look-up table 36 so as to establish a connection between the mobile
`phone 20 and the display device 22 through the server system 24.
`Once a connection is established between the mobile phone 20 and the display
`device 22, signals sent from the mobile device 20 to its associated database 32 are copied
`to a database 34 associated with the target device (e.g., television set 24) based on the
`correspondence between the mobile device and the target device listed in the look-up
`table 36 (block 122). Thus, the database 32 entries associated with a particular display
`device (e.g., television set 24) provide a record of the messages received for that display
`device, as well as an indication of the identification of the device that sent each message,
`an indication of the media player required to play the video, and an indication of the
`selected video.
`
`In the illustrated implementation, the command in the transmission code (see FIG.
`3) contains a JavaScript reference to control the media player needed to play the selected
`video. Various types of video players may use different JavaScript commands to control
`their respective playback. Therefore, in the illustrated implementation, a universal
`adapter 26 is provided to interpret and convert a standard or universal command (e.g.,
`play, pause, etc.) into the specific command recognized by the media player. Each time a
`signal is received from the mobile device 20, the API adapter 26 checks and identifies the
`specific media player that is being requested. Based on this information, the system loads
`the appropriate set of protocols or application programming interfaces (APls) from its
`library and converts the incoming commands from the mobile device 20 into the correct
`JavaScript code used by the target device 22 to control the specific player (block 120).
`The server system 24 then copies the converted version of the message to the database 34
`associated with the target device 22, as indicated in above in connection with block 122.
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`The universal adapter 26 can be implemented, for example, as a look-up table.
`Examples of entries in such a look-up table are illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, for a universal
`command "New Video," the universal adapter 26 provides the corresponding command
`for each of several specific media players ( e.g., "yt_loadVideo" for You Tube). Similarly,
`for a universal command "Pause," the universal adapter 26 provides the corresponding
`command for each of several specific media players ( e.g., "pause Video" for Ted.com).
`Other universal commands and the corresponding command(s) for one of more media
`players also can be stored by the universal adapter 26.
`
`The display device 22 periodically checks the entries in the database 34 to
`determine if there are any new messages/commands directed to it (block 124). For
`example, in some implementations, the display device 22 polls the associated database 34
`at some predetermined time interval. In some implementations, instead of the display
`device 22 periodically checking whether there are any messages for it in the database 34,
`the server system 24 can push the messages to the display device 22. In any event, the
`system is arranged so that the display device 22 receives the messages intended for it.
`When the display device 22 receives a message from the server system 24 (block
`126), the display device executes the message (block 128). In some cases, the media
`player required to play the video indicated in the message is not presently loaded in the
`display device 22. For example, the received command may be to "play" a particular
`video. As indicated by FIG. 6, if the media player needed to play the video is not already
`loaded in the display device 22, the display device 22 requests and obtains a copy of the
`appropriate media player 40 and a copy of the video file 42 from a content provider 30,
`loads the media player and then presents the video on the display 23 (FIG. 2, block 130).
`Likewise, as indicated by FIG. 6, if the appropriate media player already is loaded in the
`display device, but the particular video is not, then the display device 22 requests and
`obtains a copy of the video file 42 from the content provider 30 and proceeds to play the
`video. To allow the display device 22 to switch between different video players (i.e., to
`load and unload different video players), a software program can be stored on the display
`device and/or the web site to establish a secure connection back to the server system 24.
`Once the video is playing on the display device 22, the user of the mobile phone
`20 can control the playing of the video by entering appropriate commands (e.g., pause,
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`Attorney Docket No.: 30160-0002P01
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`fast forward, rewind, stop, play, etc.) through the mobile phone. Each command is
`incorporated into a message including a transmission code (FIG. 3) as described above.
`The message is transmitted to the server system 24, which copies the message into
`database entries associated with the particular display device 22 (i.e., after performing
`any conversion of the command by the API adapter 26). Once the message is retrieved
`by or sent to the display device 22, the display device proceeds to execute the command.
`The system and methods described here allow a user of a mobile phone or other
`personal computing device to create a playlist based on videos ( or other types of content)
`from multiple sources and to play back each