Patent # 6,938,047 issued on August 2005

From a claim coverage perspective, this one claims a media player that is embedded within the media stream and activated in a browser and includes a compression and decompression that that just includes similar data sections of a media file once in the compressed media stream.  The idea protected here is to make it feasible for low bandwidth devices to stream in a dynamic fashion typically high-bandwidth video without having a high-bandwidth connection.  Coverage that just focuses on the media player being streamed and embedded within the media stream and then activated when someone attempts to play the media data (within the media stream) was filed as a continuation off this patent and is presently pending before the United States Patent Office.  Coverage on this patent was also granted and exists in the European Union, Great Britian, Germany, and France, and is being prosecuted in Japan, Australia, and Canada at the present time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In various embodiments of the present invention, techniques for processing media data are presented. Media frames for media data are evaluated as data sections. Similar data sections are stored in a compressed media data once. A meta data structure provides a mapping for decompressing the compressed media data into populated media frames associated with the original media data. A media player that is self-playing and self-executing is sent over a network to a requesting recipient. The media player configures and acquires the meta data structure with the compressed media data. Next, the media uses the meta data structure and the compressed media data to decompress and play the media data for the recipient. More specifically and in one embodiment of the present invention, a method to process media data is described. Data sections for media data frames of media data are evaluated. Next, similar data sections are iteratively stored as a single data section for a compressed media data. A meta data structure is generated to identify associations for each of the data sections in the single data section with respect to the media data
frames to which the similar data sections are associated. Finally, a media player, the meta data structure, and the compressed media data are streamed over a network.

What this means is that methods, media data structures and systems are provided for compressing, streaming, and playing media data. Data Sections for frames of media data are compared, and similar date sections are stored once in a compressed media data. A meta data structure maps each similar data section in the ompressed media data to its appropriate frame in the media data. A media player that is self loading and executing is transmitted to a recipient. In one embodiment, the media player detects a network data transmission rate and configures accordingly. Next, the media player requests the meta data structure and the compressed media data and automatically begins receiving, decompressing ad playing th frames of the media data.

In laymen terms what this means is The Media Player is loaded without the need for a software download or install. All needed information is loaded with the player configuration so that an instant playback is achieved. During this process the player identifies what content needs to be displayed to the viewer and what bandwidth the targeted desktop has, this allows the player to select a video that plays more instant and is more fitting for the end users system. the end user doesn’t have to download a player on their computing device. The video is loaded onto the server by the sender and when the end user wants to play it they click on the URL address for that video which then determines how much bandwidth the end user has available and then the file size is adjusted to fit the end users system and sent. The player is built into the stream.  What’s good about this is the end user doesn’t have to download a lot of clutter into their computer which eventually fowls up their computer because too much junk is being downloaded into it.   This is particularly useful for the future of handheld devices.

Patent # 7,400,764  Issued on July 15 2008

From a claim coverage perspective, this patent compresses a media file via color wave patterns found in the media file and then produces a correction matrix to accompany the media file.  The correction matrix then permits the compressed media file to be restore (decompressed) to its original state and quality on a receiving or playing end by using the correction matrix and the wave decompression approach.  This patent is presently being prosecuted in the European Union. 

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In various embodiments, techniques are presented for compression and decompressing media data. More specifically, and in an embodiment, an original  version of media data is compressed. Next, the compressed version is decompressed. The decompressed version is compared against the original version and a matrix correction value is generated for restoring the original color values of the compressed version when it is subsequently decompressed. A color matrix layout is also produced for restoring the original color layout for the   subsequently decompressed version. Finally one more  entries into a pattern matrix are generated for restoring symbols in the subsequent decompressed version back to their original version before it is decompressed.

What this means is a decompressed version of a compressed wave of media data is compared to an original version of that media data before it was compressed. A matrix correction value and a color matrix layout for the decompressed version are produced. Entries for symbols andd their original positions with the original version of the wave are recorded  within the pattern matrix. The pattern matrix, the matrix correction value, the color matrix layout, and the compressed version are streamed to a recipient for subsequent decompression.

What this patent means is This method of compression, creates a comparison matrix ( can also be called a correction matrix ) by decompressing the bit rate compressed video data and analyzing what frames lost the original quality and creating a correction method that then can be applied on the receiving end to restore the original quality. This results into an additional decompressing  / reconstructing information add-on that at the end reduces the bit rate but it doesn’t reduce the quality. This method is applied for each of the 3 colors.  presently and in the future High Definition is going to be the demand of almost all users.  The problem is that most compression codec’s cannot handle a high quality HD stream.  The most advance codec is H264. However, even this one has problems maintaining HD picture quality especially when it comes to keeping the picture in sync with the sound track.  To solve this problem this patent splits the color matrix into three colors which are then compressed separately which allows the picture compression to compress itself faster to stay in sync with the sound track.  This patent protects the compression method that utilizes a correction matrix that is continually generated by comparing the original wavelet source with the decoded compressed media data prior to the data transfer and which helps to decrease the bandwidth requirements for the media stream and increases the decoding quality. So instead of just trying to reconstruct the stream, we are adding the correction matrix that allows the stream to deliver a correction method to the encoding process.  This solves the problems of HD streaming.

Patent # 7,496,676  Issued on Feb. 24th 2009

From a claim coverage perspective, this patent covers custom compression of a media file that is streamed to a browser with an embedded media player.  The custom compression is done based on a connection rate of the receiving browser and either improves pixel resolution of the media file during the streaming and compression when there is a high bandwidth connection or degrades slightly the pixel resolution of the media file during the streaming and the compression of the media file for low bandwidth connections.  So, compression is increased (size decreased for the media file) and bandwidth improved for low bandwidth connections by decreasing the pixel resolution of the media file before streaming it with the media player to a browser.  Similarly, compression is decreased (size of media file increased) and quality is improved for high bandwidth connections by improving or maintaining pixel resolutions of the media file when streaming it with the media player to a browser.   This is presently being prosecuted in the European Union, Australia, Canada, and Japan.  

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In various embodiments of the present invention, techniques for processing media data are presented. Media data is compressed and sent along with portions of a media player to a requestor. The pixel resolution for the compressed media data is determined based on a connection rate associated with a requestor. In some embodiments, the media data is also encrypted and the portions of the media player include the decryption algorithm necessary to decrypt the compressed media data.  More specifically and in one embodiment of the present invention, a method to process media data is described. A request for media is received from a requestor. The media data is compressed with a custom pixel resolution based on the connection rate of the requestor. Next. Portions of the media player and the compressed media data are streamed to the requestor at the connection rate.

What this means is that methods, systems and data structures are provided for custom compressing, encrypting, and streaming media data. A requestor makes a request for media data and based on the connection rate of the requestor a pixel resolution for the media data is customized and the media data is compressed. Optionally, the compressed media data is encrypted, such that only a customized media player knows the encrypted media data. Next, the compressed media data and portions of a media player are streamed to a requestor.

In layman terms what this patent means is it’s related to custom compression based on a desired or selected pixel resolution rate that the customer desires when streaming video.  So, compression is customized and bandwidth can be increased or decreased based on the desired pixel quality for the video images sent to the customer.  Bandwidth increases with lower pixel resolution and decreases with higher pixel resolution, it is customizable to the end users choosing. You see this being used all the time with almost all video streaming software companies.  For instance, when the end user wants to see a particular video and the sender requests the end user to choose a file size such as small, medium, or large.