Video mail and content playback control with cellular handset
View Patent ↗The playback of video content delivered over a wireless network can be controlled by the provision of various control functions that can be actuated by the user. The controlled playback can be implemented on a system level, in which the delivery of the video content is controlled in response to receiving control actuation signals from a receiver device or can be implemented at the receiver device level by storing the video content and controlling the rendering of the content based on user actuations. In either implementation, the playback control can include pausing, stopping, fast-forwarding, rewinding, reversing, fast-reversing and skipping of the video content.
1. A method for providing playback control of video content delivered through a wireless cellular network from a video messaging source, the method comprising the steps of:
establishing a communication link between the video messaging source and a caller device, wherein the video messaging source is configured to terminate circuit-switched traffic over a public switched telephone network (“PSTN”) and the communication link is established as a result of the video messaging source terminating a call from the caller device to a destination number associated with the video messaging source;
leveraging the caller device to deposit a video message at the video messaging source, the deposited video message being directed to an account associated with a subscriber of the video messaging source;
establishing a communication link between the video messaging source and a receiver device associated with the subscriber, wherein the communication link is established as a result of the video messaging source terminating a call from the receiver device to a destination number associated with the video messaging source;
continuously delivering video content, in a first manner, from the source, wherein the manner of continuous delivery is a linear progression of video frames at a given rate;
receiving from the source the continuously delivered video content at the receiver device, wherein the delivered video content is received continuously as a linear progression of video frames at a given rate that is equivalent to the first manner of continuous delivery;
commencing the rendering of the continuously received video content on a display of the receiver device starting with the first frame of video content received;
detecting the actuation of a control function at the receiver device during the rendering of the continuously received video content;
transmitting a signal to the source during the rendering of the continuously received video content, the signal identifying the control function actuated; and
in response to receiving the signal, the source modifying the manner of the continuous delivery of the video content to a second manner that is associated with the detected actuation, wherein the second manner of continuous delivery comprises a modification of the given rate at which the linear progression of video frames is delivered.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
receiving the continuously delivered video content in the second manner at the receiver device; and
rendering the continuously received video content on the display commensurate with the second manner of continuous delivery.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of modifying the manner of delivery to the second manner further comprises the steps of:
the source identifying a frame in the video content that differs from the last frame delivered per the first manner of continuous delivery; and
transmitting the video content by transmitting beginning with the identified frame, wherein the second manner of continuous delivery serves to translate the linear progression of video frames from the last frame delivered per the first manner of delivery to the identified frame.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of modifying the continued delivery of the video content to a second manner comprises the steps of:
suspending the rendering of the video content based on the identified actuated control function;
detecting a subsequent actuated control function;
transmitting a subsequent signal to the source, the subsequent signal identifying the subsequent control function identified; and
continuing the rendering of the video content in a manner based on the subsequent actuated control function, wherein the subsequent actuated control function identifies a manner of continuous delivery that is different from the first manner.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the identified frame is located at a position in the linear progression of video content that is prior to the position of the last frame delivered.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the identified frame is located at a position in the linear progression of video content that is after the position of the last frame delivered.
7. A telecommunications platform for providing controlled playback of video messaging content, the telecommunications platform being configured to terminate a call on a public switched telephone network (“PSTN”) and comprising:
a network interface to a digital wireless network enabling communication with a caller device and a receiver device, wherein the receiver device is associated with a subscriber of the telecommunications platform;
a memory device for containing video content in one or more subscriber accounts; and
a processing device operative to:
deposit a video content into a subscriber account, wherein the video content is deposited as a result of the caller device being leveraged to make a call to a destination number accessible via the PSTN and associated with the telecommunications platform;
receive a request for the video content from the receiver device, wherein the request is received as a result of the receiver device being leveraged to make a call to a destination number accessible via the PSTN and associated with the telecommunications platform;
begin a continuous delivery of the video content, in a first manner, in response to the request, wherein a manner of continuous delivery is a linear progression of video frames at a given rate beginning with a certain frame; and
modify the continuous delivery of the video content to a second manner in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device, wherein modification to the second manner of continuous delivery comprises modifying the given rate at which the linear progression of video frames is delivered per the first manner.
8. The telecommunications platform of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is operative to modify to a second manner the continuous delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by suspending the delivery of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a pause function.
9. The telecommunications platform of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is operative to modify to a second manner the continuous delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by continuing with the delivery of the video content by skipping a portion of the linear progression of frames of video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a skip-forward function.
10. The telecommunications platform of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is operative to modify to a second manner the continuous delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by continuing with the delivery of the video content by skipping portions of the linear progression of frames of video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a fast-forward function.
11. The telecommunications platform of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is operative to modify to a second manner the continuous delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by continuing with the delivery of the video content by restarting the delivery of the video content at a point in the linear progression of frames of video content that had previously been delivered in response to an actuation signal associated with a rewind function.
12. The telecommunications platform of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is operative to modify to a second manner the continuous delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by continuing with the delivery of the video content in reverse order on a frame by frame basis in response to an actuation signal associated with a reverse function.
13. The telecommunications platform of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is operative to modify to a second manner the continuous delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by continuing with the delivery of the linear progression of frames of video content in reverse order and skipping portions of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a fast-reverse function.
14. The telecommunications platform of claim 8 , wherein the processing device is further operative to modify the continuous delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by:
resuming with the continuous delivery of the video content at the last frame delivered in response to an actuation signal associated with a play function.
15. The telecommunications platform of claim 14 , wherein the processing device is further operative to modify the delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by:
resuming with the delivery of the video content by skipping a portion of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a skip-forward function;
resuming with the delivery of the video content by skipping portions of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a fast-forward function;
resuming with the delivery of the video content in reverse order on a frame by frame basis in response to an actuation signal associated with a reverse function; and
resuming with the delivery of the video content in reverse order and skipping portions of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a fast-reverse function.
16. The telecommunications platform of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is operative to modify the continuous delivery of the video content in response to receiving an actuation signal from the receiver device by:
suspending the delivery of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a pause function;
resuming with the delivery of the video content by skipping a portion of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a skip-forward function;
resuming with the delivery of the video content by skipping portions of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a fast-forward function;
resuming with the delivery of the video content by restarting the delivery of the video content at a point in the video content that had previously been delivered in response to an actuation signal associated with a rewind function;
resuming with the delivery of the video content in reverse order on a frame by frame basis in response to an actuation signal associated with a reverse function;
resuming with the delivery of the video content in reverse order and skipping portions of the video content in response to an actuation signal associated with a fast-reverse function.