Method and a media device for pre-buffering media content streamed to the media device from a server system

A media device for receiving media content from a server system, the media device being connectable to a network, said media device comprising:

• a processor;
• a rechargeable battery;
• a media playback application which is adapted to control playback of media content received from the server system, for playback by the media device;
• a user interface which is adapted to display a plurality of media options corresponding to respective media streams, and to receive a selection of a particular media option of the plurality of media options, wherein the processor is configured to cause the media device to interpret the selection of the particular media option as a request to the server system to stream a corresponding particular media content item;
• a bandwidth logic within the media playback application, which is adapted to determine an available network bandwidth;
• a charging logic within the media playback application, which is adapted to determine a charging level of the rechargeable battery;
• and
• a pre-buffering logic within the media playback application, which is adapted to select a pre-buffering policy based on the determined available network bandwidth and the determined charging level of the rechargeable battery, including
• determining an amount of media content data of the particular media content item to be pre-buffered, and
• generating a pre-buffering request, for transmission to the server system, based on the determined available network bandwidth and the determined charging level,
• wherein the pre-buffering request includes an amount of bandwidth to utilize for the pre-buffering, and the determined amount of media content data to be pre-buffered, and
• wherein the media playback application is further adapted to pre-buffer media content data of the particular media content item from the server system in the amount determined by the pre-buffering logic, in accordance with the selected pre-buffering policy.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon which when read and executed by a media device cause the media device to perform the steps comprising:

• providing, at the media device, a media playback application which controls the playback of media content that is received from a server system, for playback by the media device;
• providing, at the media device, a user interface adapted to display a plurality of media options corresponding to respective media streams;
• determining, by a bandwidth logic within the media playback application, an available network bandwidth;
• determining, by a charging logic within the media playback application, a charging level of the rechargeable battery;
• receiving, at the user interface, a selection of a particular media option of the plurality of media options;
• interpreting the selection of the particular media option as a request to the server system to stream a corresponding particular media content item;
• selecting a pre-buffering policy for the particular media content item, by a pre-buffering logic within the media playback application, based on the determined available network bandwidth and the determined charging level of the rechargeable battery, including
• determining an amount of media content data of the particular media content item to be pre-buffered;
• generating a pre-buffering request, for transmission to the server system, based on the determined available network bandwidth and the determined charging level,
• wherein the pre-buffering request includes an amount of bandwidth to utilize for the pre-buffering, and the determined amount of media content data to be pre-buffered;
• and
• pre-buffering media content data of the particular media content item from the server system, by the media playback application, in the amount determined by the pre-buffering logic, in accordance with the selected pre-buffering policy.