(19) United States
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`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2001/0042107 A1
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`(43) Pub. Date:
`Nov. 15, 2001
`Palm
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`US 20010042107A1
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`(54) NETWORKED AUDIO PLAYER TRANSPORT
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`PROTOCOL AND ARCHITECTURE
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`(76)
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`Inventor: Stephen R. Palm, Fullerton, CA (US)
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`Correspondence Address:
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX
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`PLLC
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`1100 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 600
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`WASHINGTON, DC 20005_3934 (US)
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`(21) Appl. No‘.
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`09/755,085
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`(22)
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`Ffled;
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`Jam 3, 2001
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`Related US, Application Data
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`(63) Non-provisional of provisional
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`60/174,706, filed on Jan. 6, 2000.
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`application No.
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`Publication Classification
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`...................... .. G06F 15/16
` (51) Int. Cl.7 ..
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`(52) U.S. Cl.
`......................... .. 709/218; 709/219; 709/231
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`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
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`T e present invention contains a communications system
`consisting of a networked multimedia device (also referred
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`to as a multimedia player) and a media server that may be
`located within a home network or an external network.
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`Further it contains a method for selecting and delivering
`multimedia. Specifically, the instant invention focuses on
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`solutions for multimedia content delivery from a centralized
`repository, via the home-networking infrastructure,
`to IP
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`based multimedia devices, which are connected to that same
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`network.
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`Method For Distributing
`Multimedia Content
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`3 00
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`K‘
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`

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`Patent Application Publication Nov. 15, 2001 Sheet 1 of 4
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`US 2001/0042107 A1
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`Public Media Servers
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`connected to the WAN
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`Public Home
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`Media Server
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`Local Home
`Media Server
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`Multimedia Devices
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`FIG. 1
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`

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`Patent Application Publication Nov. 15, 2001 Sheet 2 of 4
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`US 2001/0042107 A1
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`FIG. 2
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`

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`Patent Application Publication Nov. 15, 2001 Sheet 3 of 4
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`US 2001/0042107 A1
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`Method For Distributing K
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`Multimedia Content
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`FIG. 3
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`

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`Patent Application Publication Nov. 15, 2001 Sheet 4 of 4
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`US 2001/0042107 A1
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`LII5’
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`FIG. 4
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`

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`US 2001/0042107 A1
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`Nov. 15, 2001
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`NETWORKED AUDIO PLAYER TRANSPORT
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`PROTOCOL AND ARCHITECTURE
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`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
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`APPLICATIONS
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`[0001] This application claims priority under 35. U.S.C. §
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`119 (e) to provisional application 60/174,706 filed Jan. 6,
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`2000 incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`1. Field of the Invention
`[0002]
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`[0003] The present invention is directed to a communica-
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`tions device and system, and a method for deploying home-
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`networking based multimedia delivery solutions. Specifi-
`instant
`invention focuses on solutions
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`cally,
`the
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`multimedia content delivery from a centralized repository,
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`via the home-networking infrastructure, to IP based multi-
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`media devices, which are connected to that same network.
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`2. Background Art
`[0004]
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`[0005] The recent proliferation of high speed home net-
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`working technologies (e.g. phone wire based, wireless,
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`power-line, etc) combined with the deployment of broad-
`band internet access (e.g. xDSL, cable modems, satellite,
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`wireless, etc) encourages and provides a foundation for
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`consumers to listen to and view digital multimedia content.
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`On one hand, users of computers have been able to play
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`digital media content on their computer, but it has required
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`detailed knowledge of operating systems and application
`programs. On the other hand, devices such as televisions and
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`radios have extremely simple and user friendly interfaces
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`but are generally limited to receiving non-interactive broad-
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`cast programming. From the consumer user perspective,
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`what is needed are receiving devices (players) with rela-
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`tively simple to operate user interfaces in which they can
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`interactively select content stored on media servers that is
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`delivered via their home network.
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`[0006] From the system design perspective, protocols and
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`interfaces are needed to provide communication between the
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`user player and media server so that the user may navigate
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`and select the particular media items to be played. Once the
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`user has made their selection, a format for describing the
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`pieces of content, the ordering of play, and other information
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`must also be communicated between the server and the
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`player before the transmission of the actual media.
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`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`[0007] The present invention contains a communications
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`system consisting of a networked multimedia device (also
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`referred to as a multimedia player) and a media server that
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`may be located within a home network or an external
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`network. Further it contains a method for selecting and
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`delivering multimedia. Specifically,
`the instant
`invention
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`focuses on solutions for multimedia content delivery from a
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`centralized repository, via the home-networking infrastruc-
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`ture, to IP based multimedia devices, which are connected to
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`that same network.
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`[0008] The present invention utilizes HTML and WML to
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`optimize for playlists and media headers. Usable home
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`network media include, but are not limited to, phone wire
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`based, wireless, power-line, etc. Usable broadband Internet
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`access media include xDSL, cable modems, satellite, wire-
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`less, etc. The invention provides consumer user receiving
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`devices (multimedia devices or players) with relatively
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`simple to operate user interfaces in which they can interac-
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`tively select content stored on media servers that is delivered
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`via their home network.
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`[0009] The present invention provides protocols and inter-
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`faces for communication between the multimedia devices
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`and media server so that the user may navigate and select a
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`particular media item to be played. The invention also
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`allows communication either with at least one local media
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`server (content repository) and media servers on the Internet.
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`Users are provided the ability to type a few letters and see
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`the possible completions after each letter is typed since a
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`unique match may be reached without typing the full letters
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`of the keyword. This is especially important since the
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`present invention contemplates multimedia devices that do
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`not have a full size keyboard.
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`[0010] One feature of the invention is that once the user
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`has made their selection, it provides a format for describing
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`the pieces of content, the ordering of play, and other infor-
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`mation that must be communicated between the server and
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`the player before the transmission of the actual media.
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`[0011] Another feature of the invention, is that it provides
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`a method to allow the user many different ways of indicating
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`their preferences such as, but not limited to selection from
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`a hierarchical list, searches, both interactive and submitted,
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`content provider suggestions, etc.
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`[0012] An advantage of the instant invention is that it
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`provides an interactive search by processing a database of
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`track, album, and playlist information.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE
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`DRAWINGS/FIGURES
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`[0013] The present invention is described with reference
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`to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like refer-
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`ence numbers generally indicate identical, functionally simi-
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`lar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in
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`which an element first appears is indicated by the left-most
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`digit or digits in the corresponding reference number. The
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`accompanying figures, which are incorporated herein and
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`form part of the specification, illustrate the present invention
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`and, together with the description, further serve to explain
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`the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled
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`in the relevant art to make and use the invention.
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`[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a home-network
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`based multimedia delivery system according to an embodi-
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`ment of the present invention.
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`[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a multimedia device user inter-
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`face according to an embodiment of the present invention.
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`[0016] FIG. 3 is a flowchart diagram of a routine for
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`delivering multimedia clips over a home-network according
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`to an embodiment of the present invention.
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`[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates an implementation of a home-
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`network based multimedia delivery system user interface
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`according to an embodiment of the present invention.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
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`INVENTION
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`[0018] The detailed description of the present invention
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`that follows begins with a terminology subsection that
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`

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`US 2001/0042107 A1
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`Nov. 15, 2001
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`communications network 125. Each of these features of
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`home-network based multimedia delivery system 100 is
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`further described below.
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`[0038] Multimedia devices 105 are connected via the local
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`home communications network 107 to a media server 115.
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`Local home communications network 107 can be imple-
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`mented using any two-way networking technology such as
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`telephone wire, for example. Multimedia devices 105 can be
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`further connected to other media servers 115 via access link
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`120. Access link 120 can also be implemented using broad-
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`band networking technology such as wireless, and power-
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`line xDSL, cable, and satellite for example.
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`[0039] Access Device/Gateway 110 serves as an interface
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`between a local home communications network 107 and an
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`access link 120. Access Device/Gateway 110 is able to
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`translate communications protocols necessary to allow com-
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`munications between a local home communications network
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`107 and an access link 120. In one embodiment, access link
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`120 is used to facilitate communications between multime-
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`dia device 105 and media servers 115 located on public
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`communications network 125. In this case, access device/
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`gateway 110 is further used to translate communications
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`protocols used to communicate over public communications
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`network 125 into communications protocols used to com-
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`municate over the local home communications network 107.
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`In one embodiment, Access Device/Gateway 110 is further
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`able to allocate an IP address for media device 105.
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`[0040] Media server 115 can be any processor capable of
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`accepting requests using HTTP (or WAP, or other equiva-
`lents for broadband wireless) for content catalog browsing
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`as well as media streaming. The media server 115 may
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`respond to each request with a response which complies
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`with the WML standard,
`in which case the multimedia
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`device 105 will render it accordingly to obtain the next
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`request from the user interface, or with a response which
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`denotes a multimedia object to be retrieved by the device
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`(e.g. an MP3 clip).
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`[0041]
`In one embodiment, media server 115 is comprised
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`of a storage medium for the media content, i.e. multi media
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`clips, and an indexing engine that contains pointers to
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`content location (e.g. RDBMS) and any additional informa-
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`the content provider will also implement the content group-
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`ing into categories such as rock, country, and rhythm and
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`blues for example. The media server 115 further comprises
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`an application server (not shown), which dynamically gen-
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`erates the WML content and the XML scripts describing the
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`play lists based on the multimedia device’s requests, an
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`HTTP server (not shown) to which the multimedia device is
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`connected, and an optional mechanism for authenticated
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`multimedia device access (not shown).
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`[0042]
`It is the responsibility of the media server 115 to
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`compose play list descriptor files or scripts. This task is
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`accomplished using dynamic generation of those scripts, in
`accordance with the specification provided herein. It is the
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`multimedia device’s 105 responsibility to parse those
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`scripts, and issue corresponding calls to the media server 115
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`to retrieve the content specified in them.
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`[0043] Media server 115 can reside in the local home
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`communications network 107 or on public communications
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`network 125. Public communications network 125 can be
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`defines terms used to describe the invention. This subsection
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`is then followed by subsections that describe in detail
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`various embodiments of the invention. Finally, this section
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`concludes by illustrating an implementation of the present
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`invention.
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`[0019] Terminology
`[0020] The following terms are defined so that they may
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`be used to describe embodiments of the present invention.
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`As used herein:
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`[0021] Multimedia clip means electronic audio or
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`video data. A typical multimedia clip might have all
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`or a portion of a song, an entire album recording,
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`streaming stereo channel data, or other information
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`as known to a person skilled in the relevant arts.
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`[0022] SDMI refers to Secure Digital Music Initiative
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`[0023] WAP refers to Wireless Access Protocol
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`[0024] WML refers to Wireless Markup Language
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`[0025] RDBMS refers to Remote Database Management
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`System
`[0026] References
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`[0027] The detailed disclosure also refers to the following
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`Recommendations, Standards, drafts and contributions, the
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`subject matter of which is expressly incorporated herein by
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`reference in their entirety:
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`[SSDP] Y. Goland, T. Cai, P. Leach., Y. Gu, S.
`[0028]
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`Albright, “DRAFT Simple Service Discovery Protocol/1.0”,
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`http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-cai-ssdp-v1-03.txt
`[DHC] R. Troll, “DRAFT Automatically Choosing
`[0029]
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`an IP Address in an Ad-Hoc IPv4 Network”, http://www.i-
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`etf.org/internet-drafts/draft-ietf-dhc-ipv4-autoconfig-04.txt
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`[HTTPUDP] Y. Y. Goland. Multicast and Unicast
`[0030]
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`UDP HTTP Requests. Internet Draft—a work in progress,
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`draft-goland-http-udp-00.txt.
`[RFC2365] D. Meyer. Administratively Scoped IP
`[0031]
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`Multicast. RFC 2365, July 1998.
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`[RFC2396] T. Berners-Lee, R. Fielding and L.
`[0032]
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`Masinter. Uniform Resource Identifiers (URI): Generic Syn-
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`tax. RFC 2396, August 1998.
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`[0033]
`[HTTP] R. Fielding, J. Gettys, J. C. Mogul, H.
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`Frystyk, L. Masinter, P. Leach and T. Berners-Lee. Hyper-
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`text Transfer Protocol - HTTP/1.1. RFC 2616, November
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`1998.
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`[ASX] http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/ime-
`[0034]
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`dia/windowsmedia/crcontent/asx.asp
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`[SDMI] http://www.sdmi.org
`[0035]
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`[0036] System Requirements
`[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates an example home-network based
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`multimedia delivery system 100 according to an embodi-
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`ment of the present invention. Home-network based multi-
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`media delivery system 100 is comprised of at least one
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`multimedia device 105, at least one media server 115, and a
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`local home communications network 107. Home-network
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`based multimedia delivery system 100 is further comprised
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`of an access gateway 110, an access link 120, and a public
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`

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`US 2001/0042107 A1
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`Nov. 15, 2001
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`any publicly accessible wide area network such as the
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`Internet for example. Regardless if the media server 115
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`resides in the vicinity of the home or office, or at some Data
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`Center on the Internet, it provides a uniform functionality,
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`which to the multimedia device appears transparent through
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`the simple WML script, which is used to render the screens
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`at multimedia device 105. In general, the media server’s 115
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`role is similar to one of a web server: to allow the multi-
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`media device 105 to navigate through a set of screens which
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`describe the media titles, or the play lists, and to access the
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`content in a direct access fashion for playback purpose.
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`Clever content providers and aggregators should be able to
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`leverage this capability and insert additional content such as
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`advertising and branding messages into the actual content or
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`to the menus. Others (typically portals) can use this to link
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`multiple media servers 115 to each other, thus providing a
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`ring of content servers, which appear to the multimedia
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`device 105 as one entity.
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`[0044] Multimedia devices 105 should however be able to
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`function without the presence of a media server 115 within
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`the local home communications network 107, thereby allow-
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`ing media servers 115 outside the scope of the local home
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`communications network to function as alternative media
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`is assumed that some devices may ship
`It
`servers 115.
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`out-of-the-box with the ability to directly connect with
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`media servers 115 attached to the public communications
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`network 125.
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`[0045] The IP addresses for media servers 115 connected
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`to the local home communications network are published on
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`the network using a method based on DHCP as described
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`further below. In addition, as evident from FIG. 1, multi-
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`media devices 105 are able to issue similar requests to Media
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`Servers outside the scope of the local home communications
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`network. In similarity to ordinary Web browsing,
`initial
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`access to a media server 115 will be obtained by specifying
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`a URL which also may be supplied via DHCP. In one
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`embodiment, the media server 115 located inside the local
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`home communications network 107 will be used to locate
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`the media servers 115 on the public communications net-
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`work 125.
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`[0046] With the above assumptions, the actual application
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`on the Multimedia Device remains generic, and it is up to the
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`Media Server’s implementation to define the functionality,
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`as long as the implementation remains within the constraints
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`of the WML language and the capabilities of the device
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`requesting the information.
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`[0047]
`In one embodiment, multimedia device 105 is
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`further able to automatically configure itself on local home
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`communications network 107. Automatic configuration of
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`the multimedia device 105 on the local home communica-
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`tions network 107 can be done using a method such as
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`DHCP. The implementation of DHCP would be apparent to
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`one skilled in the relevant art and thus further detail is not
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`necessary. However, the DHCP method is further described
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`in the article “Automatically Choosing an IP Address in an
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`Ad-Hoc IPv4 Network”[DHC] incorporated herein in its
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`entirety. Multimedia device 105 is able to resolve a host
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`name in a URL using DNS call. Multimedia device 105 is
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`further able to issue HTTP requests (GET, POST) [HTTP]
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`and receive HTTP responses containing MIME classified
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`objects. Multimedia device 105 is further capable of at least
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`displaying Wireless Markup Language compatible (WML)
`or HTML content.
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`[0048] Multimedia device 105 is also able to parse a play
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`list, containing URLs of specific clips,
`in XML format.
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`Finally, multimedia device 105 is capable of mixing remote
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`(song title, total length, advertisements, etc) content and
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`local (elapsed time, eye candy (spectral analyzer, etc) con-
`tent.
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`[0049]
`In another embodiment, multimedia device 105 is
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`capable of connecting to a media server 115 using either
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`local home communications network 107 or public commu-
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`nications network 125.
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`[0050]
`In still another embodiment, multimedia device
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`105 is further capable of supporting interactive search by
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`processing a database of track/album/playlist information.
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`[0051]
`In yet another embodiment, multimedia device 105
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`is further capable of receiving “channels” designated by
`number. This functionality is equivalent to television or
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`radio where the user selects a channel number and receives
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`a broadcast if available. Since this implies multipoint (non-
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`interactive) reception, the receiver must be capable of start-
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`ing playback in mid stream (ie no header information
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`describing the contents ) (e.g. MS Netshow .nsc file)
`[0052] A preferred embodiment includes all the features
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`described above.
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`is contemplated that other embodi-
`it
`[0053] However,
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`ments may include any subset of these features. Further,
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`while the present invention is described with reference to
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`audio (i.e, digital audio files and stereo for example), this is
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`intended by way of example only and not limitation. It is
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`contemplated that graphics and video will be accessed as
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`well.
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`[0054] Functionality
`[0055] The introduction of the above capabilities for home
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`networking multimedia device 105 will allow it to perform
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`the following sample functions against a centralized reposi-
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`tory of multimedia clips stored in media server 115:
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`[0056]
`1. Navigate through the content repository’s
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`logical hierarchy of media categories;
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`[0057]
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`2. Request and display play lists;
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`[0058]
`3. Passive Search for specific titles using
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`keywords
`(in title,
`artist, playlist name,
`etc)
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`(Optional);
`[0059] Request a specific title for playback,
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`[0060] Request scheduled or non-scheduled inter-
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`ruptions for the purpose of aborting the current
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`media title (if any), to switch to another, and
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`[0061]
`4. Interactive Search for specific titles using
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`keywords
`(in title,
`artist, playlist name,
`etc)
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`(Optional).
`[0062] The interactive search may function on the first
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`word of a text string or all words in a text string. As the user
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`is entering a search text string, each character is read by
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`multimedia device 105 and compared to a local information
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`store representative of all the available multimedia clips.
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`Based on this comparison, multimedia device 105 is able to
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`anticipate what the user intends to request. For example, if
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`the user is interactively searching by artist, typing the letters
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
`
`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
`
`

`
`
`
`US 2001/0042107 A1
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`
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`Nov. 15, 2001
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`embodiment output is pixel addressable, so the transport
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`protocol must allow graphical data such as pixmaps.
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`According to this embodiment, a full keyboard is used for
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`input and output is PIXEL addressable (Medium to large).
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`For example, multimedia device 105 could be a PC or
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`similar class device. One skilled in the relevant arts would
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`recognize that no special requirements are needed, as this
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`embodiment should be able to support HTML and all other
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`necessary protocols.
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`[0073] GUI Display
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`[0074]
`In all of the example embodiments of multimedia
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`device 105 above, a means is needed to display content
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`transmitted by the media server 115 (lists, titles, etc) with
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`content generated locally on the client (elapsed time, eye
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`candy, etc). In the traditional HTML environment, client
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`side scripting (eg JavaScript) is frequently used to mix local
`information with the information transmitted by the server.
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`Client-side script statements embedded in an HTML page
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`can respond to user events such as mouse-clicks, form input,
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`and page navigation. The script statements are needed to
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`respond to system events (e.g. elapsed timer variable updat-
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`ing, spectrum bitmap updating, etc) as well. The script
`statements execute without any network transmission (after
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`their initial download with the page). The WAP forum has
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`standardized WML script as a simpler version of JAVA
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`Script (ECMA script) that can be used in combination with
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`WML and WAP.
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`Implementation
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`[0076] A method 300 for providing multimedia content
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`over a network will now be described with reference to FIG.
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`3. In a step 305, multimedia device 105 is initialized. In an
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`embodiment, the multimedia devices 105 follow the guide-
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`lines proposed by UPnP. In brief, initial setup for multimedia
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`device 105 consists of requesting an IP setup configuration
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`via DHCP, with the Auto-Configuration option. After the
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`address is assigned, the client should test if the address is not
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`conflicting, and try again until all retries are exhausted.
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`[0077] After the device is booted and is assigned with an
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`IP address, in step 310, the device will identify and display
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`all discovered Media Servers 115 available to provide mul-
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`timedia content. Some of the media servers 115 on the list
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`may be pre-defined in multimedia device’s 105 built in
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`configuration by the manufacturer. The multimedia device
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`105 will attempt to connect to the media server 115. Certain
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`devices will attempt to connect to media server 115 using a
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`DNS call to the name server assigned during the DHCP
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`session, which will, in turn, return the address of a media
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`server 115 connected to the public communications network
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`125. In addition, the device will attempt to discover more
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`media servers 115 within the vicinity of the local home
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`communications network 107 using the SSDP discovery
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`method or equivalent.
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`[0075]
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`[0078]
`In step 315, multimedia device 105 connects using
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`HTTP to a selected media server 115 and retrieves the
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`default home page. In an embodiment, the default home
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`page will include a description of what media clips are
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`available from media server 115. Media clips can be video,
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`audio, graphics, or other data capable of being digitized and
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`downloaded across a network.
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`[0079] Next, in step 320, multimedia device 105 is used to
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`request a specific multimedia clip from media server 115.
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`Netflix, Inc. Exhibit 1006
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`“P”“R” may match with “PRince”, “The PRetenders”,
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`“Elvis PResley” and “Bruce SPRingsteen”.
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`[0063] Sample Multimedia Devices
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`[0064] Multimedia device 105 is a receiving device, such
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`as a set-top box for example, able to process digital audio,
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`video, graphics, or similar data. Described below are the
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`input and display mechanisms associated with the multime-
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`dia device.
`In a preferred embodiment,
`the multimedia
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`device is capable of playing audio signals or transmitting the
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`audio or video signals to an external device (e.g., speakers
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`or video screen).
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`[0065]
`In an embodiment, multimedia device 105 imple-
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`ments WMLbrowsing for the purpose of navigating through
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`a catalog containing MP3 clips. Referring to FIG. 2, the
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`multimedia device 105 in this embodiment is provided with
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`a graphical user interface that has