Systems and methods for offline access to video content of a web-site

Abstract

The present invention provides a comprehensive development platform and client-side technology for intelligent and cost-effective delivery of video, audio and broadband content over a network, such as the Internet, to desktop, mobile computing, and network connected devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, an intelligent delivery system (IDS) automatically provides a user with offline access to video content from a web-site. A user may display online content via a browser the first time visiting a content provider, such as a web-site, and from thereafter, the IDS automatically provides a second application to display offline content downloaded from the content provider. For example, a user may select via a web browser to view a video displayed in high-definition or in another desired video characteristic. In response to the request, the IDS may transparently download the video in high-definition to storage of the client and have the high-definition video seamlessly displayed from storage by a second application on the client. As such, the IDS provides local access to video content of web-site, such as high-definition video that may otherwise be limited or constrained when transmitted over a network.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams of embodiments of a computing device for practicing an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an embodiment of an intelligent delivery client system;

FIG. 2B is a block diagram of an illustrative network environment for practicing an embodiment of the intelligent delivery client system;

FIG. 3A is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of content structure for source content;

FIG. 3B is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of content structure for local content;

FIG. 3C is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of content structure in using a download order to download from the source content to the local content;

FIG. 3D is another diagrammatic view of another embodiment of content structure to download from the source content to the local;

FIG. 3E is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of content structure in using temporary directory structure with a download order to download from the source content to the local content;

FIG. 3F is a flow diagram of steps performed in practicing an embodiment of downloading content with download orders;

FIG. 4A is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of local content structure updated according to an embodiment of the flipping technique depicted in FIG. 4B;

FIG. 4B is a flow diagram of steps performed for practicing an embodiment of a flipping technique;

FIG. 5A is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of a hashing and virtual file system of local content structure;

FIG. 5B is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of a hashing and virtual file system of local content structure;

FIG. 5C is a diagrammatic view of yet another embodiment of a hashing and virtual file system of local content structure;

FIG. 5D is a flow diagram of steps performed in practicing an embodiment of caching and virtual file system content storing techniques;

FIG. 5E is a flow diagram of an embodiment of steps performed in accessing content stored via the illustrative caching and virtual file system related techniques of FIG. 5D;

FIG. 6A is a block diagram view of an embodiment for storing downloaded content using a shuffle storage technique;

FIG. 6B is a diagrammatic view of embodiments of various shuffle storage technique examples;

FIG. 6C is a flow diagram of example steps performed in practicing an embodiment of the shuffle storage technique in view of FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B;

FIG. 7A is a block diagram view of another embodiment for downloading and storing content from multiple servers;

FIG. 7B is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing an embodiment of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol downloading technique in view of FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8A is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of downloading according to a delivery behavior;

FIG. 8B is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of a phased delivery behavior;

FIG. 8C is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing one or more download behavior techniques in view of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B;

FIG. 9A is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the intelligent client delivery system providing a user interface and user experience via online content;

FIG. 9B is an example embodiment of the user interface and user experience of the online content depicted diagrammatically in FIG. 9A;

FIG. 9C is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the intelligent client delivery system for providing a user interface and user experience via offline content;

FIG. 9D is an example embodiment of the user interface and user experience of the offline content depicted diagrammatically in FIG. 9A;

FIG. 9E is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of providing offline access to online content;

FIG. 9F is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of providing a user a similar offline experience as the online user experience;

FIG. 10A is a block diagram of an embodiment of the intelligent client delivery system for providing a content development environment;

FIG. 10B is an embodiment of the user interface of the designer tool of the content development environment;

FIG. 10C is another embodiment of the user interface of the designer tool of the content development environment;

FIG. 10D is an embodiment of the user interface of the editor tool of the content development environment;

FIG. 10E is another embodiment of the user interface of the editor tool of the content development environment;

FIG. 10F is an embodiment of the user interface of a content download selector mechanism;

FIG. 10G is another embodiment of the user interface of a content download selector mechanism;

FIG. 10H is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of providing offline and online content from a single content development tool;

FIG. 11A is a block diagram of an embodiment of the intelligent client delivery system for providing authentication and authorization of users for access to content;

FIG. 11B is a block diagram of an embodiment of a media player for providing authentication and authorization of users for access to content;

FIG. 11C is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of providing authenticated and authorized access to media files;

FIG. 12A is a block diagram of an embodiment of a networked environment for practicing synchronization techniques;

FIG. 12B is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of synchronizing transmission of streaming media for a user;

FIG. 12C is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of synchronizing playing downloaded media for a user;

FIG. 12D is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of synchronizing content between devices of a user;

FIG. 13A is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of requesting from one computing device a download to another computing device; and

FIG. 13B is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method performed in practicing a technique of changing the download from one computing device to another computing device.

Claims

1. A method for providing to a client local access to video content communicated via a network, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing, by a browser on a client, a first user interface displaying a video media communicated via the network from a content source;(b) requesting, by a user via the first user interface, to display the video media in a form having a desired video characteristic;(c) while displaying the video media on the first user interface, downloading to a storage of the client from the content source a content comprising the video media having the desired video characteristic; and(d) invoking, by the browser in response to the request, an application providing a second user interface displaying from the storage the video media having the desired video characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired video characteristic is selected from the following: a resolution, an aspect ratio, a size, a quality, a bit depth per pixel, a compression, a frame rate, and a bit rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video media of the downloaded content comprises a higher resolution of the video media communicated via the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises downloading the content as a background process transparent to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein step (c) further comprises downloading the content in response to the request.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein step (c) further comprises downloading the content prior to the request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprising automatically downloading the content upon providing the first user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises invoking the application in one of a transparent or seamless manner to the user of the browser.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising displaying the second user interface of the application to appear as one of related to or a portion of the first user interface of the browser.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising displaying the second user interface of the application as a borderless window.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user interface comprises a second set of user interface elements having one of an appearance and a behavior substantially similar to a corresponding first set of user interface elements of the first user interface.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying, by the application, one or more user interface elements for the second user interface from the storage.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising displaying, by the application, for the second user interface at least one user interface element communicated via the network.

14. A client for providing local access to video content communicated via a network, the client comprising: a browser displaying via a first user interface a video media communicated via the network from a content source, the first user interface comprising an element for a user to request displaying the video media in a form having a desired video characteristic;a download manager downloading to a storage of the client from the content source a content comprising the video media having the desired video characteristic, the download manager downloading while the first user interface displays the video media; andan application invoked by the browser in response to the request to provide a second user interface displaying from the storage the video media having the desired video characteristic.

15. The client of claim 14, wherein the desired video characteristic comprises one or more of the following: a resolution, an aspect ratio, a size, a quality, a bit depth per pixel, a compression, a frame rate, and a bit rate.

16. The client of claim 14, wherein the video media of the downloaded content comprises a higher resolution of the video media communicated via the network.

17. The client of claim 14, wherein the download manager executes as a background process transparent to the user.

18. The client of claim 14, wherein the download manager downloads the content in response to the request.

19. The client of claim 14, wherein the download manager downloads the content prior to the request.

20. The client of claim 14, wherein the download manager automatically downloads the content upon displaying the first user interface.

21. The client of claim 14, wherein the browser invokes the application in one of a transparent or seamless manner to the user of the browser.

22. The client of claim 14, the application displays the second user interface to appear as one of related to or a portion of the first user interface of the browser.

23. The client of claim 21, wherein the second user interface of the application is displayed as a borderless window.

24. The client of claim 14, wherein the second user interface comprises a second set of user interface elements having one of an appearance and a behavior substantially similar to a corresponding first set of user interface elements of the first user interface.

25. The client of claim 14, wherein the downloaded content in the storage provides one or more user interface elements for the second user interface displayed by the application.

26. The client of claim 14, wherein the application displays one or more user interface elements for the second user interface from the storage.

27. The client of claim 14, wherein the application displays for the second user interface at least one user interface element communicated via the network.