Methods and apparatus for providing virtual content over a network
First Claim
1. A computerized method of providing digitally rendered content over a content delivery network to at least one of a plurality of computerized client devices, said computerized method comprising:
- receiving, at a network-side computerized storage entity for storage thereon, data indicative of digitally rendered content from a first computerized client device associated with at least one of a plurality of users of said content delivery network;
causing at least a portion of said digitally rendered content to be stored by said computerized network-side storage entity, said computerized network-side storage entity configured to store said at least portion of said digitally rendered content at a storage location specifically associated with said at least one user;
receiving, at an entity of said content delivery network, data representative of a request to download at least said stored portion of said digitally rendered content to a second computerized client device;
determining that said second computerized client device to which said digitally rendered content is requested to be downloaded is associated with said at least one user; and
based at least one said determination that said second computerized client device is associated with said at least one user, causing download of at least said stored portion of said digitally rendered content to said second computerized client device, said causing said download of at least said stored portion of said digitally rendered content to said second computerized client device comprising causing contemporaneous download of at least said stored portion of said digitally rendered content to said first computerized client device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for selecting, purchasing and delivering content to users of a network so that the user has “virtual” ownership of and access to the content, thereby obviating the need for physical media (e.g., DVDs or CDs). In an exemplary embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network, and on-demand (OD) sessions or broadcast modes are used to deliver the virtual content stored at the head-end (or hub site) to the requesting owner. The purchased content is associated with one or more users when stored, thereby providing the owner(s) unlimited access thereto, without the costs and effort associated with renting/purchasing and maintaining DVDs. The content may also comprise new release content, which would otherwise not be available over the network at that time but for the purchase and delivery mechanisms of the invention. Various other complementary features for enhancing the user'"'"'s virtual ownership experience are also disclosed.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A computerized method of providing digitally rendered content over a content delivery network to at least one of a plurality of computerized client devices, said computerized method comprising:
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receiving, at a network-side computerized storage entity for storage thereon, data indicative of digitally rendered content from a first computerized client device associated with at least one of a plurality of users of said content delivery network; causing at least a portion of said digitally rendered content to be stored by said computerized network-side storage entity, said computerized network-side storage entity configured to store said at least portion of said digitally rendered content at a storage location specifically associated with said at least one user; receiving, at an entity of said content delivery network, data representative of a request to download at least said stored portion of said digitally rendered content to a second computerized client device; determining that said second computerized client device to which said digitally rendered content is requested to be downloaded is associated with said at least one user; and based at least one said determination that said second computerized client device is associated with said at least one user, causing download of at least said stored portion of said digitally rendered content to said second computerized client device, said causing said download of at least said stored portion of said digitally rendered content to said second computerized client device comprising causing contemporaneous download of at least said stored portion of said digitally rendered content to said first computerized client device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computerized method of managing digital content via a content delivery network, so as to ensure copyright preservation, said computerized method comprising:
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forming a digital trusted domain with a first digital data recording device, said first digital data recording device being associated with a first user via at least data maintained by a computerized entity of said content delivery network; recording a first rendering of a digital content element on said first digital data recording device at a first network location, said recording of said first rendering comprising at least a portion of said digital content element to be stored on at a storage location specifically associated with said first user; and recording a second rendering of said digital content element on a second digital data recording device at a second network location, said second network location;
(i) being in data communication with said first network location via said content delivery network, and (ii) located at a network location different from that of said first network location, accessibility to said second rendering being provided only to said first user so as to protect one or more copyrights of said digital content element;wherein said second digital data recording device is within said digital trusted domain and said second rendering is held at said second digital data recording device until a prescribed temporal coordinate when said first user can access said second rendering, said access being made via use of said digital trusted domain to ensure that a copyright of said digital content element is protected. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Computerized network apparatus configured for delivery of digitally rendered content over a managed network to at least one of a plurality of computerized client devices, said computerized network apparatus comprising:
server apparatus comprising; processor apparatus; first network interface apparatus in data communication with said processor apparatus configured to receive data representative of a request to store at least a portion of digitally rendered content, said request originated from a first computerized client device; storage apparatus in data communication with said processor apparatus, said storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said processor apparatus; store at least said portion of said digitally rendered content at a storage location specifically associated with said at least one common user; receive data representative of a request to download at least said portion of said received digitally rendered content to a second computerized client device; determine that said second computerized client device and said first computerized device are associated with at least one common user; and based at least one said determination that said second computerized client device is associated with said at least one user, cause contemporaneous download of said at least portion of said digitally rendered content to said first computerized client device and said second computerized client device from said storage location. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, said non-transitory medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, said instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus:
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receive data indicative of a request for digitally rendered content from a first computerized client device over a managed content delivery network; store said digitally rendered content at a digital data storage location specifically associated with at least one user of said first computerized client device; receive data representative of a request to download at least portion of said digitally rendered content to a second computerized client device; and based at least on a determination that said at least one user of said first computerized client device is also associated with said second computerized client device, cause contemporaneous download of at least said portion of said digitally rendered content from said digital data storage location to both said first computerized client device and said second computerized client device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. Computerized network server apparatus configured for management of digital content via a content delivery network, said management to at least ensure preservation of one or more copyrights associated with said digital content, said computerized network server apparatus comprising:
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processor apparatus; storage apparatus in data communication with said processor apparatus, said storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said processor apparatus; form a trusted digital domain with a first digital data recording device, said first digital data recording device being associated with a first user or user account via at least data maintained by an entity of said content delivery network; store a first rendering of a digital content element at a storage location specifically associated with said first user or user account on a first digital data recording device, said first digital data recording device disposed at a first network location; and store a second rendering of said digital content element on a second digital data recording device, said second digital data recording device disposed at a second network location, said second network location being both (i) located at a network location different from said first network location and (ii) in data communication with said first network location via said content delivery network, said second rendering being made accessible only to said first user so as to protect one or more copyrights of said digital content; wherein said second digital data recording device is within said trusted digital domain and said second rendering is held at said second digital data recording device until a prescribed temporal coordinate when said first user can access said second rendering, said access being made via use of said trusted digital domain. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, said non-transitory medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, said instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus:
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form a trusted domain with a first digital data recording device, said first digital data recording device being associated with a first user or user account via at least data maintained by a computerized entity of a content delivery network; record a first rendering of a digital content element on a first digital data recording device, said first digital data recording device disposed at a first network location, said recordation comprising storage of said first rendering at a storage location specifically associated with said first user or user account; and record a second rendering of said digital content element on a second digital data recording device, said second digital data recording device disposed at a second network location, said second network location being (i) located at a network location different from said first network location and (ii) in data communication with said first network location via said content delivery network, said second rendering being made accessible only to said first user so as to protect one or more copyrights of said digital content; wherein said second digital data recording device is within said trusted domain and said second rendering is held at said second digital data recording device until a prescribed temporal coordinate when said first user can access said second rendering, said access being made via use of said trusted domain. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification