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Inter-residence computing resource sharing

  • US 10,432,296 B2
  • Filed: 12/28/2015
  • Issued: 10/01/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for sharing resources of a television receiver between two or more customers, the method comprising:

  • establishing, at a server system, a first network connection between the server system and a computing device associated with a first television customer account;

    receiving, using the first network connection, a request to engage the first television customer account in an agreement to share television receiver resources associated with a different television customer account;

    identifying, by the server system, a second television customer account to engage in an agreement with the first television customer account to share the television receiver resources of a television receiver located at a residence associated with the second television customer account, the television receiver being a satellite television receiver coupled with a satellite dish to receive satellite television programming, and the television receiver resources comprising television tuner resources of the satellite television receiver;

    establishing, at a server system, a second network connection between the server system and the television receiver;

    facilitating establishment of a direct point-to-point network connection between the television receiver and the computing device;

    sending, using the second network connection, instructions to configure the television receiver to serve content to the first television customer account over the direct point-to-point network connection, wherein the instructions include an allocation of resources of the television receiver for use by the first television customer account, wherein the allocation of resources includes partitioning the tuner resources so that the first television customer account has allocated thereto a first set of one or more tuners of the television receiver and so that the second television customer account has allocated thereto a second set of one or more tuners of the television receiver different than the first set of one or more tuners; and

    facilitating sending content from the television receiver to the computing device using the direct point-to-point network connection.

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