Rerouting media to selected media applications

Abstract

A data stream may be processed using a computer system by receiving the data stream using a browser application, detecting a content type of data in the data stream, temporarily overriding a default rendering process otherwise associated with the content type detected for the data in the data stream by associating a particular rendering process with the data stream based on the type of data in the data stream, and routing the data stream to the particular rendering process. The default rendering process may be identified in a registry of the computer system. It may be temporarily overridden by discriminating among internal and external instances of the browser application used to receive the data stream, and temporarily overriding the default rendering process only if the browser application is an internal instance.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for temporarily overriding a default rendering process associated with a data stream comprising:
 receiving a data stream using a browser running on a computer system; 
 detecting an original Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type of the data stream called by the browser; 
 determining whether the browser is invoked within an application environment of an internet service provider to enable a subscriber of the internet service provider to access an online resource; 
 if it is determined that the browser is invoked within the application environment of the internet service provider, changing the original MIME type of the data stream to a different MIME type, wherein the original MIME type associates the data stream with a first rendering process identified in a registry of the computer system and the different MIME type associates the data stream with a second rendering process identified in the registry of the computer system; and 
 temporarily overriding the a default rending rendering process identified in the registry of the computer by handling the data stream with the second rendering process based on the different MIME type of the data stream and thereby temporarily overriding the default rendering process. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the data stream is received in response to the request from the browser. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising loading a MIME filter into an operating system of the computer system. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  further comprising receiving notification in the browser that the data stream is available for filtering by the MIME filter. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3  further comprising activating a multimedia subsystem player running on the computer system to render the data stream. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  further comprising passing the data stream to the multimedia subsystem player. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising routing the data stream to the default rendering process if the browser is determined to have been invoked outside the application environment of the internet service provider. 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 calling a data stream using a browser running on a computer system;   detecting an original Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type of the data stream called by the browser;   changing the original MIME type of the data stream to a different MIME type, wherein the original MIME type associates the data stream with a first rendering process identified in a registry of the computer system and the different MIME type associates the data stream with a second rendering process identified in the registry of the computer system; and   temporarily overriding a default rendering process identified in the registry of the computer by handling the data stream with the second rendering process based on the different MIME type of the data stream and thereby temporarily overriding the default rendering process.    
     
     
       9. The method of claim 8 further comprising loading a MIME filter into an operating system of the computer system.  
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving notification in the browser that the data stream is available for filtering by the MIME filter.  
     
     
       11. The method of claim 9 further comprising activating a multimedia subsystem player running on the computer system to render the data stream.  
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11 further comprising passing the data stream to the multimedia subsystem player.  
     
     
       13. The method of claim 8, wherein the registry comprises a registry of available media players.  
     
     
       14. The method of claim 8, wherein the registry comprises a Windows registry.  
     
     
       15. The method of claim 8, wherein the registry comprises an association of MIME types with rendering processes.  
     
     
       16. A non-transitory computer program, stored on a computer readable medium, comprising instructions for:
 calling a data stream using a browser running on a computer system;   detecting an original Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type of the data stream called by the browser;   changing the original MIME type of the data stream to a different MIME type, wherein the original MIME type associates the data stream with a first rendering process of the computer system and the different MIME type associates the data stream with a second rendering process identified in the registry of the computer system; and   temporarily overriding a default rendering process identified in the registry of the computer by handling the data stream with the second rendering process based on the different MIME type of the data stream and thereby temporarily overriding the default rendering process.    
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer program of claim 16, further comprising instructions for loading a MIME filter into an operating system of the computer system.  
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer program of claim 17, further comprising instructions for receiving notification in the browser that the data stream is available for filtering by the MIME filter.  
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer program of claim 17, further comprising instructions for activating a multimedia subsystem player running on the computer system to render the data stream.  
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer program of claim 19, further comprising instructions for passing the data stream to the multimedia subsystem player.  
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer program of claim 16, wherein the registry comprises a registry of available media players.  
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer program of claim 16, wherein the registry comprises a Windows registry.  
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer program of claim 16, wherein the registry comprises an association of MIME types with rendering processes.