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US6097380A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Continuous media stream control
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1996-06-24
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Granted: 2000-08-01
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Expires: 2016-06-24
Abstract
Abstract A network system includes one or more network servers and a plurality of available media streams. The media streams are formatted differently. Some are file-based streams, supplied by the network servers. Others are supplied by local tuners from digital and/or analog signal broadcasts. A network client executes an application program that is to control rendering of the media streams. Each media stream is represented by a programming object. Each programming object has identical interface functions that can be invoked by the application program to control playback of the different media streams even though such media streams are of different media types.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian D. Crites
- 👤 Edward J. Praitis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:40
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/465
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
In a computer system that includes a plurality of media sources of different types, a method comprising the following steps: creating programming objects representing the respective media sources, the programming objects having common object interfaces regardless of the types of media sources represented by the respective programming objects; invoking the interfaces of the programming objects to control media rendering from the media sources represented by the programming objects.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
68 words
In a computer system that includes a plurality of media sources of different types, a method comprising the following steps: creating programming objects representing the respective media sources, the programming objects having common object interfaces regardless of the types of media sources represented by the respective programming objects; invoking the interfaces of the programming objects to control media rendering from the media sources represented by the programming objects.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the common object interfaces include: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from the media sources; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of media streams from the media sources.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the common object interfaces include: a play control interface for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from the media sources; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of media streams from the media sources; a video control interface for setting position and size parameters of video media streams from the media sources.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of creating a programming object comprises: creating a media-specific programming object representing a specific media source; invoking a general-media object creation function with reference to the media-specific programming object, the general-media object creation function creating a general-media programming object representing the specific media source regardless of the type of the media source, the general-media programming object having the common object interfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of creating programming objects comprises: creating programming objects representing digital data streams; creating programming objects representing analog broadcasts; the programming objects having common object interfaces regardless of whether they represent digital data streams or analog broadcasts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a computer network having a plurality of media streams available from one or more network servers, a method of playing the media streams at a network client, the method comprising: receiving a source designation from one of the network servers, the source designation specifying a media stream; creating a programming object representing the media source based on the source designation, the programming object having common interfaces regardless of the type of media stream represented by the programming object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a computer network having a plurality of media streams available from one or more network servers, a method of playing the media streams at a network client, the method comprising: receiving a source designation from one of the network servers, the source designation specifying a media stream; creating a programming object representing the media source based on the source designation, the programming object having common interfaces regardless of the type of media stream represented by the programming object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the programming object comprises: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from the network servers; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of media streams being rendered from the network servers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the programming object comprises: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from the network servers and for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from analog sources; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of media streams from the network servers and for setting volume levels from analog sources.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
94 words
A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the programming object comprises: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from the network servers and for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from analog sources; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of media streams from the network servers and for setting volume levels from analog sources; a video control interface for setting position and size parameters of video media streams from the network servers and for setting position and size parameters of video media streams from analog sources.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
110 words
A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the step of creating a programming object comprises: creating a first media-specific programming object representing a digital media source; creating a second media-specific programming object representing an analog media source; invoking a general-media object creation function with reference to the first media-specific programming object, the general-media object creation function creating a first general-media programming object representing the digital media source and having the common object interfaces; invoking the general-media object creation function with reference to the second media-specific programming object, the general-media object creation function creating a second general-media programming object representing the analog media source and having the common object interfaces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a computer system, a method comprising the following steps: obtaining source designations for a plurality of media sources of different types; passing each source designation to the same object creation function; the object creation function creating programming objects representing the respective media sources based on the source designations, the programming objects having common interfaces regardless of the types of media sources represented by the respective programming objects; invoking the interfaces of the programming objects to control media rendering from the media sources represented by the programming objects.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a computer system, a method comprising the following steps: obtaining source designations for a plurality of media sources of different types; passing each source designation to the same object creation function; the object creation function creating programming objects representing the respective media sources based on the source designations, the programming objects having common interfaces regardless of the types of media sources represented by the respective programming objects; invoking the interfaces of the programming objects to control media rendering from the media sources represented by the programming objects.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 11, wherein a source designation indicates a server ID and a filename.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 11, wherein a source designation indicates a channel number.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 11, wherein a source designation indicates a frequency.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 11, wherein source designations are references to object interfaces, the object interfaces having one or more functions that identify the media sources.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the common interfaces include: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of media streams; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of media streams; a video control interface for setting position and size parameters of video media streams.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
94 words
A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the common interfaces include: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from the network servers and for starting and pausing rendering of media streams from analog sources; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of media streams from the network servers and for setting volume levels from analog sources; a video control interface for setting position and size parameters of video media streams from the network servers and for setting position and size parameters of video media streams from analog sources.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the object creation function creates programming objects representing both analog and digital media sources, said programming objects having common object interfaces regardless of whether they represent analog or digital media sources.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A computer system comprising: programming objects representing respective media streams; the programming objects having common interface functions that are callable to control playback of different media streams even though such media streams are of different media types.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
A computer system comprising: programming objects representing respective media streams; the programming objects having common interface functions that are callable to control playback of different media streams even though such media streams are of different media types.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A computer system as recited in claim 19, further comprising a local analog tuner that is one of the media sources.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
A computer system as recited in claim 19, further comprising a remote network server that is one of the media sources.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
A computer system as recited in claim 19, further comprising the plurality of media sources, the plurality of media sources including a remote network server and a local analog tuner.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
A computer system as recited in claim 19, the common interface functions including: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of the media streams; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of the media streams.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
51 words
A computer system as recited in claim 19, the common interface functions including: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of the media streams; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of the media streams; a video control interface for setting position and size parameters of the media streams.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
79 words
A network system comprising: one or more network servers; a plurality of media streams available from the one or more network servers, the media streams being of different media types; a network client; an application program executing at the network client; programming objects representing the respective media streams, the programming objects having common interface functions that are invoked by the application program to control playback of different media streams even though such media streams are of different media types.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
79 words
A network system comprising: one or more network servers; a plurality of media streams available from the one or more network servers, the media streams being of different media types; a network client; an application program executing at the network client; programming objects representing the respective media streams, the programming objects having common interface functions that are invoked by the application program to control playback of different media streams even though such media streams are of different media types.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
A network system as recited in claim 25, the common interface functions including: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of the media streams; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of the media streams.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
51 words
A network system as recited in claim 25, the common interface functions including: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of the media streams; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of the media streams; a video control interface for setting position and size parameters of the media streams.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
A network system as recited in claim 25, further comprising a local analog tuner, wherein the common interface functions can be invoked by the application program to control playback of the local analog tuner.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
49 words
A network system as recited in claim 28, the common interface functions including: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of the media streams and of the local analog tuner; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of the media streams and of the local analog tuner.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
69 words
A network system as recited in claim 28, the common interface functions including: a play interface for starting and pausing rendering of the media streams and of the local analog tuner; a volume control interface for setting volume levels of the media streams and of the local analog tuner; a video control interface for setting position and size parameters of the media streams and of the local analog tuner.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
52 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for creating programming objects representing media sources of different types, the programming objects having common object interfaces regardless of the types of media sources represented by the respective programming objects, said object interfaces being callable to control rendering of media streams supplied by the media sources.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
52 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for creating programming objects representing media sources of different types, the programming objects having common object interfaces regardless of the types of media sources represented by the respective programming objects, said object interfaces being callable to control rendering of media streams supplied by the media sources.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
36 words
A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 31, wherein the instructions contained on the computer-readable storage medium are further for creating programming objects representing digital data streams and for creating programming objects representing analog broadcasts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-01 | 2004-01-31 | 2004-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-01 | 2008-01-31 | 2008-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-01 | 2012-01-31 | 2012-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |