Patent ID: 7647386
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method of determining a connection speed of a user's computer, comprising the steps of: receiving a preferences page and a timing block of data having a known size by a user's computer; marking the time at which transfer of the timing block begins; marking the time at which transfer of the timing block ends; determining the connection speed based on the size of the timing block and the times at which transfer begins and ends, wherein the timing block is included in the preferences page as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) comment and is transferred when the preferences page is loaded, and wherein timing block data is only utilized for timing purposes during transfer and excluded during processing of the preferences page; providing preference selection information to a user that permits a user to select from determined configurations and determined connection speed, preferred configurations and preferred connection speed; and recommending a specific media player be chosen based on user selection of preferred configuration and preferred connection speed.