System and Method for Managing and/or Rendering Internet Multimedia Content in a Network

Abstract

A system and a method render internet multimedia content in a network using an application to render the internet multimedia content and/or locally stored multimedia content on one or more rendering devices in the network. The application may provide web browser functions, such as, for example, receiving, processing, decoding and/or rendering the internet multimedia content. The application may have an enhanced user interface which may enable a user to select the internet multimedia content and a rendering device in the network, send the internet multimedia content to the rendering device and/or control rendering of the internet multimedia content on the rendering device.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for rendering internet multimedia content in a network connected to the internet wherein a rendering device is connected to the network, the method comprising the steps of:
 retrieving the internet multimedia content from the internet using the network wherein the internet multimedia content is retrieved from the internet based on user input accepted by a user interface provided by a device connected to the network and further wherein the user interface displays a first webpage;   transmitting the internet multimedia content to the rendering device; and   rendering the internet multimedia content on the rendering device wherein rendering by the rendering device is controlled by the device that provides the user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 processing the internet multimedia content before transmitting the internet multimedia content to the rendering device wherein processing of the internet multimedia content is based on capabilities of the rendering device. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 displaying controls based on properties of the internet multimedia content wherein the controls are displayed in the user interface and further wherein the internet multimedia content is transmitted to the rendering device in response to selection of at least one of the controls. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 displaying controls based on capabilities of the rendering device wherein the controls are displayed in the user interface and further wherein the internet multimedia content is transmitted to the rendering device in response to selection of at least one of the controls. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 transmitting a first message to the rendering device wherein the rendering device transmits a second message in response to the first message and further wherein the second message requests transmittal of the internet multimedia content to the rendering device. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 retrieving a restriction associated with the internet multimedia content before transmitting the internet multimedia content to the rendering device wherein the internet multimedia content is transmitted to the rendering device if the restriction does not prohibit transmittal to the rendering device. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 displaying a list of rendering devices that indicates that the rendering device and an additional rendering device are capable of rendering the internet multimedia content and further wherein the internet multimedia content is transmitted to the rendering device in response to selection of the rendering device from the list. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 creating a playlist that has the internet multimedia content and multimedia content files stored in a server connected to the network wherein the internet multimedia content and the multimedia content files stored in the server are rendered in response to selection of the playlist. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 storing the internet multimedia content as a digital multimedia content file on a server connected to the network in response to user input accepted by the user interface. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 rendering the internet multimedia content in the user interface in substantial synchronization with rendering of the internet multimedia content by the rendering device. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 displaying a graphic representation of the rendering device wherein the internet multimedia content is transmitted to the rendering device in response to selection of the graphic representation. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 creating a bookmark for the internet multimedia content wherein a default rendering device connected to the network is associated with the bookmark and further wherein selection of the bookmark using the user interface initiates rendering of the internet multimedia content on the default rendering device. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the internet multimedia content is provided by the first webpage and further wherein the rendering device continues to render the internet multimedia content after the user interface navigates from the first webpage to a second webpage that is a different webpage than the first webpage. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 transmitting advertising content associated with the internet multimedia content to the rendering device wherein the rendering device renders the advertising content. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 storing the internet multimedia content and advertising content associated with the internet multimedia content as a digital multimedia content file on a server connected to the network in response to user input accepted by the user interface. 
 
     
     
         16 . A method for rendering internet multimedia content in a network connected to the internet wherein a plurality of rendering devices are connected to the network and further wherein each of the plurality of rendering devices has rendering capabilities, the method comprising the steps of:
 retrieving the internet multimedia content from the internet with a user interface provided on a device connected to the network wherein the internet multimedia content has properties and further wherein the user interface displays a webpage;   identifying at least one rendering device of the plurality of rendering devices wherein the rendering capabilities of the at least one rendering device correspond to the properties of the internet multimedia content;   displaying a first set of controls in the user interface wherein each of the at least one rendering device is associated with one of the first set of controls;   accepting user input that identifies a selected control of the first set of controls wherein the user input determines a target rendering device and further wherein the target rendering device is one of the at least one rendering device which is associated with the selected control;   transmitting the internet multimedia content to the target rendering device; and   rendering the internet multimedia content on the target rendering device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of:
 reviewing a restriction associated with the internet multimedia content wherein the at least one rendering device conforms to the restriction. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of:
 displaying a restriction associated with the internet multimedia content in the user interface wherein the internet multimedia content is transmitted to the target rendering device in response to user input after display of the restriction.