Methods and apparatus for content delivery and replacement in a network
First Claim
1. Customer premises equipment (CPE) configured for peer-based content delivery within a content delivery network, said CPE comprising:
- a network interface;
a storage device; and
a processor apparatus in data communication with at least one of said storage device and/or said network interface, said processor apparatus configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to when executed;
receive data from an external computerized entity relating to a request for digitally rendered content;
identify, using at least said received data, said requested digitally rendered content stored on said storage device;
process said requested digitally rendered content to include data implementing one or more content protection schemes; and
transmit said processed digitally rendered content including said data implementing one or more content protection schemes to said external computerized entity via said network interface;
wherein access to said transmitted processed content comprises a delay, said delay comprising at least a period of time until one or more elements of said processed digitally rendered content that require reconstitution have been reconstituted.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for providing an alternate content delivery mechanism available to content-based network users. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable television network, and subscribers are able to retrieve requested content from one or more other subscriber'"'"'s storage medium and without going outside the cable network (or accessing the network core in any significant capacity) using a peer-to-peer (P2P) network protocol. Using this approach, bandwidth consumption is advantageously pushed out to the edge of the network from the core, also obviating content requests outside the network (e.g., to third-party servers on the Internet). Methods of operating the aforementioned P2P network, and various business paradigms relating thereto, are also disclosed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. Customer premises equipment (CPE) configured for peer-based content delivery within a content delivery network, said CPE comprising:
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a network interface; a storage device; and a processor apparatus in data communication with at least one of said storage device and/or said network interface, said processor apparatus configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to when executed; receive data from an external computerized entity relating to a request for digitally rendered content; identify, using at least said received data, said requested digitally rendered content stored on said storage device; process said requested digitally rendered content to include data implementing one or more content protection schemes; and transmit said processed digitally rendered content including said data implementing one or more content protection schemes to said external computerized entity via said network interface; wherein access to said transmitted processed content comprises a delay, said delay comprising at least a period of time until one or more elements of said processed digitally rendered content that require reconstitution have been reconstituted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory computer readable apparatus having a storage medium comprising at least one computer program, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which, when executed on a host device, are configured to:
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receive data representative of a request for digitally rendered content from a computerized client device external to said host device, said request comprising information relating to an authorized service domain which said computerized client device is operative within; based at least on a computerized determination that one or more portions of said digitally rendered content require reconstitution; populate a pool with a plurality of computerized client devices according to one or more criteria; and identify one or more of said plurality of computerized client devices as having one or more digital content elements configured for use in said reconstitution of said one or more portions; determine whether said authorized service domain which said computerized client device is within comprises an authorized service domain having access to said requested digitally rendered content; and when it is determined that said authorized service domain has access to said requested digitally rendered content, transmit said requested digitally rendered content from said host device to said computerized client device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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12. Customer premises equipment (CPE) configured for peer-based content delivery within a content delivery network, comprising:
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a network interface; a storage device; and a processor apparatus in data communication with said storage device and said network interface, said processor apparatus configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed; evaluate data relating to a plurality of digitally rendered content, the digitally rendered content available via peer-based content delivery; issue a request for an individual one of said plurality of digitally rendered content to one or more of a plurality of computerized peer devices from which said plurality of digitally rendered content is available, said request comprising at least data relating to a security feature of said CPE; and receive said individual one of said plurality of digitally rendered content via said network interface, said individual one of said plurality of digitally rendered content being transferred thereto securely using at least said security feature of said CPE; wherein said security feature enables users and locations associated with said CPE and said one or more of said plurality of computerized peer devices to remain anonymous via use of at least a one-way cryptographic hash. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification