Patent ID: 7421482

Claim:
A method for automatically providing rich media content to a client on a computer network, comprising: sending a query from a server to the client regarding the ability of the client to playback said rich media content locally, said sending being automatic and being initiated by the server; receiving at the server a response from the client regarding the ability of the client to playback said rich media content locally, said receiving being responsive to said sending; comparing at the server the ability of the client to playback said rich media content locally against a predefined schedule of rich media file formats available on said network for said rich media content, said schedule comprises a preference ranking of said rich media file formats available on said network for said rich media content; and selecting a version of said rich media content appropriate for said ability of the client to playback said rich media content locally, said version of said rich media content comprising a rich media file, the format of said rich media file is the highest ranked of said rich media file formats available on said network for said rich media content that matched said ability to playback said rich media content locally.