User controlled multi-device media-on-demand system

Abstract

A method for providing configurable access to media in a media-on-demand system also can include delivering the media to a first client device in a format compatible with the first client device; interrupting the delivery of the media; recording a bookmark specifying a position in the media where the interruption occurred; and resuming delivery of the media to a second client device, the resumed delivery beginning at a position in the media specified by the recorded bookmark. The method further can include identifying device properties for each of the first and second client devices; delivering the media to the first client device in a format compatible with the identified device properties for the first client device; and, delivering the media to the second client device in a format compatible with the identified device properties for the second client device.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A system for resuming transmission, to a device, from a point preceding a point in the video at which the video was paused at another device, the system comprising:
 a first video receiving device configured to:
 transmit a first request for a video, wherein the first request comprises a user identifier; 
 cause the video to be displayed; and 
 transmit a second request to pause the video at a pause point in the video; 
   a second video receiving device configured to:
 transmit a third request to resume the video from the pause point; and 
 cause the video to be displayed; 
   a media-on-demand server configured to:
 receive, from the first video receiving device, the first request for the video; 
 receive, from the first video receiving device, the second request to pause the video; 
 calculate a time code by subtracting a time offset from the pause point such that the calculated time code precedes the pause point; 
 transform a data structure associated with the user identifier to include an identifier of the video and the calculated time code; 
 receive, from the second video receiving device, the third request to resume the video from the pause point; 
 based on the third request, retrieve, from a memory, the data structure associated with the user identifier; 
 identify, based on the time code in the data structure, a resume point in the video; and 
 transmit the video, beginning from the resume point, to the second video receiving device. 
   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the time offset is a set time offset. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein calculating the time code comprises subtracting the set time offset from the pause point. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the time offset is a variable time offset. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to calculate the variable time offset based on a transitory delay of the second request between the first video receiving device and the media-on-demand server. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein calculating the time code comprises subtracting the calculated variable time offset from the pause point. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the data structure is a first data structure, wherein the calculated time code is a first time code, further comprising:
 a second server configured to store a second data structure associated with the user identifier, wherein the second data structure includes a second identifier of the video and a second time code.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the second video receiving device is further configured to:
 compare the first time code to the second time code;   determine that the first time code is different from the second time code; and   based on determining that the first time code is different from the second time code, provide an option to select which of the first time code and the second time code is a correct time code.   
     
     
         36 . A system for resuming transmission, to a device, from a point preceding a point in the video at which the video was paused at another device, the system comprising:
 a first video receiving device configured to:
 transmit a first request for a video, wherein the first request comprises user identifier; 
 cause the video to be displayed; and 
 transmit a second request to pause the video at a pause point in the video; 
   a second video receiving device configured to:
 transmit a third request to resume the video from the pause point, wherein the third request; and 
 cause the video to be displayed; 
   a media-on-demand server configured to:
 receive, from the first video receiving device, the first request for the video; 
 receive, from the first video receiving device, the second request to pause the video; 
 transform a data structure associated with the user identifier to include an identifier of the video and a time code associated with the pause point; 
 receive, from the second video receiving device, the third request to resume the video from the pause point; 
 based on the third request, retrieve the data structure associated with the user identifier; 
 identify the time code in the data structure; 
 calculate a resumption point by subtracting a time offset from the time code; and 
 transmit the video, beginning from the resumption point, to the second video receiving device. 
   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the time offset is a set time offset. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein calculating the resumption point comprises subtracting the set time offset from the time code. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the time offset is a variable time offset. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to calculate the variable time offset based on a transitory delay of the second request between the first video receiving device and the media-on-demand server. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein calculating the resumption point comprises subtracting the calculated variable time offset from the time code. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the data structure is a first data structure, wherein the time code is a first time code, further comprising:
 a second server configured to store a second data structure associated with the user identifier, wherein the second data structure includes a second identifier of the video and a second time code.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the second video receiving device is further configured to:
 compare the first time code to the second time code;   determine that the first time code is different from the second time code; and   based on determining that the first time code is different from the second time code, provide an option to select which of the first time code and the second time code is a correct time code.   
     
     
         44 . A method for resuming transmission, to a device, from a point preceding a point in the video at which the video was paused at another device, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a media-on-demand server, from a first video receiving device, a first request for the video, wherein the first request comprises a user identifier;   transmitting, from the media-on-demand server, the video for display on a display screen coupled to the first video receiving device;   receiving, at the media-on-demand server, from the first video receiving device, a second request to pause the video at a pause point in the video;   calculating a time code by subtracting a time offset from the pause point such that the calculated time code precedes the pause point;   transforming a data structure associated with the user identifier to include an identifier of the video and the calculated time code;   receiving, at the media-on-demand server, from a second video receiving device, a third request to resume the video from the pause point;   based on the third request, retrieving, from a memory, the data structure associated with the user identifier;   identifying, based on the time code in the data structure, a resume point in the video; and   transmitting the video, beginning from the resume point, from the media-on-demand server to the second video receiving device.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the time offset is a set time offset, wherein calculating the time code comprises subtracting the set time offset from the pause point. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the time offset is a variable time offset. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising calculating the variable time offset based on a transitory delay of the second request between the first video receiving device and the media-on-demand server. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein calculating the time code comprises subtracting the calculated variable time offset from the pause point. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the data structure is a first data structure, wherein the calculated time code is a first time code, further comprising:
 storing, at a second server, a second data structure associated with the user identifier, wherein the second data structure includes a second identifier of the video and a second time code.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 comparing the first time code to the second time code;   determining that the first time code is different from the second time code; and   based on determining that the first time code is different from the second time code, causing an option to be provided at the second video receiving device, wherein the option allows the user to select which of the first time code and the second time code is a correct time code.   
     
     
         51 . A method for resuming transmission, to a device, from a point preceding a point in the video at which the video was paused at another device, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a media-on-demand server, from a first video receiving device, a first request for the video, wherein the first request comprises a user identifier;   transmitting, from the media-on-demand server, the video for display on a display screen coupled to the first video receiving device;   receiving, at the media-on-demand server, from the first video receiving device, a second request to pause the video at a pause point in the video;   transforming a data structure associated with the user identifier to include an identifier of the video and a time code associated with the pause point;   receiving, at the media-on-demand server, from a second video receiving device, a third request to resume the video from the pause point;   based on the third request, retrieving, from a memory, the data structure associated with the user identifier;   identifying the time code in the data structure;   calculating a resumption point by subtracting a time offset from the time code; and   transmitting the video, beginning from the resumption point, to the second video receiving device.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the time offset is a set time offset, wherein calculating the resumption point comprises subtracting the set time offset from the time code. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the time offset is a variable time offset. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising calculating the variable time offset based on a transitory delay of the second request between the first video receiving device and the media-on-demand server. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein calculating the resumption point comprises subtracting the calculated variable time offset from the time code. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the data structure is a first data structure, wherein the calculated time code is a first time code, further comprising:
 storing, at a second server, a second data structure associated with the user identifier, wherein the second data structure includes a second identifier of the video and a second time code.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , further comprising:
 comparing the first time code to the second time code;   determining that the first time code is different from the second time code; and
 based on determining that the first time code is different from the second time code, causing an option to be provided at the second video receiving device, wherein the option allows the user to select which of the first time code and the second time code is a correct time code.