Mechanism for distributing content data

• US 10,116,978 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
• Inventors: Griggs, Theodore L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc K
• Application Number:
  US15/247,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20160366457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The current invention provides a system for distributing content data to user locations. The content data preferably includes digital video data that is available on demand from a requesting location. A system server stores user accounts and generated customized program schedules for the user account based on user criteria which includes user preferences. Authorized users access their accounts to modify user criteria and to select program transmissions. Preferably, a computer and a television set receive program transmissions from a system network, wherein the computer provides a logical interface between the television set and content data transmitted over the system network.

Claims

1. A method for distributing one or more digital content items to at least one receiver of one or more receiving devices, the method comprising:

receiving, by a content distribution computer, user preference data comprising one or more user preferred content types, user billing information and data identifying a location of at least one receiving device where the one or more digital content items are to be received, and storing the user preference data in a user account;

generating, by the content distribution computer, a customized content listing comprising a plurality of digital content items from a plurality of digital content providers selected based on the user preferred content types and the data identifying the location of at least one receiving device;

receiving, by the content distribution computer, a selection signal for selecting one of the plurality of digital content items included in the customized content listing;

attempting to bill, by the content distribution computer, the user account for the selected digital content item using a cost associated with the selected digital content item and the user billing information; and

transmitting, by the content distribution computer, the selected digital content item to a receiver corresponding to the data identifying the location of the at least one receiving device if the user account was successfully billed for the selected digital content item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data identifying the location of the at least one receiving device contains a geographic location associated with the receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data identifying the location of a receiving device is indicative of a logical address associated with the receiver.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the content distribution computer, data identifying a location of a secondary receiving device; and

transmitting, by the content distribution computer, the selected digital content item to a secondary receiver corresponding to the data identifying the location of the secondary receiving device.

5. The method for claim 4, further comprising:

attempting to bill, by the content distribution computer, the user account for transmission of the selected digital content item to the secondary receiver using the cost associated with the selected digital content item and user billing information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the customized content listing comprises:

applying, by the content distribution computer, one or more weighting factors to the user preferred content types; and

selecting, by the content distribution computer, the plurality of digital content items according to the weighted user preferred content types.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by the content distribution computer, a list of available digital content items from one or more content providers prior to generating the customized content listing.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the content distribution computer, a list of available digital content items via user input prior to generating the customized content listing.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating, by the content distribution computer, a user identity corresponding to the user preference data prior to receiving the user preference data.

10. A method using one or more computers to select and receive one or more digital content items, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the one or more computers, user preference data comprising one or more user preferred content types, user billing information and data identifying a location of the one or more computers where the one or more digital content items are to be received, and storing the user preference data in a user account;

receiving, by the one or more computers, a customized content listing comprising a plurality of the digital content items from a plurality of digital content providers selected based on the user preferred content types and the data identifying the location of the one or more computers where the one or more digital content items are to be received;

transmitting, by the one or more computers, a selection signal for selecting one of the plurality of digital content items included in the customized content listing;

receiving, by the one or more computers, confirmation that the user account was billed for the selected digital content item using a cost associated with the selected digital content item and the user billing information; and

receiving, by the one or more computers, the selected digital content item following the confirmation that the user account was successfully billed for the selected digital content item.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing, by the one or more computers, the selected digital content item at the one or more computers.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

presenting, by the one or more computers, a listing of content items stored at the one or more computers.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more computers, a request to delete one or more first content items included in the listing of content items; and

deleting, by the one or more computers, the first content items from storage at the one or more computers.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more computers, a request to present the selected digital content item on a display device;

determining, by the one or more computers, that an authorization time limit associated with the selected digital content item has expired; and

presenting, by the one or more computers, an indication that the request was denied.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of digital content items in the customized content listing is organized into categories based on content type.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting, by the one or more computers, updated user preference information; and

receiving, by the one or more computers, an updated customized content listing comprising a plurality of additional digital content items selected based on the updated user preference information.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting, by the one or more computers, a user identity corresponding to the user preference data prior to transmitting the user preference data.

18. A system for distributing one or more digital content items to at least one receiver, the system comprising:

a catalog interface component configured to;

receive user preference data comprising one or more user preferred content types, user billing information and data identifying a location of at least one receiving device where the one or more digital content items are to be received, and storing the user preference data in a user account,

generate a customized content listing comprising a plurality of the digital content items from a plurality of digital content providers selected based on the user preferred content types and the data identifying the location of the at least one receiving device, and

receive a selection signal for selecting one of the plurality of digital content items included in the customized content listing;

a billing component configured to bill, by the content distribution computer, the user account for the selected digital content item using a cost associated with the selected digital content item and the user billing information; and

a media transport component configured to transmit the selected digital content item to a receiver corresponding to the data identifying the location of the at least one receiving device if the user account was successfully billed for the selected digital content item.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

an authentication component configured to verify a user identity corresponding to the user preference data.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a user database configured to store the user preference data and information corresponding to the user identity.