Mechanism for distributing content data

• US 20020029384A1
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Inventors: Griggs, Theodore L.
• Application Number:
  US09/909,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029384A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• 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 is preferably comprises digital video data that is available on demand form a requesting location. A system server stores user accounts and generates customized program schedules for the user account based 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. An architecture for providing content data to a user, the architecture comprising:

a. a server unit for storing a plurality of user codes and for generating program schedule for each user code; and

b. a content source unit coupled the server for providing dynamic program schedule data to the server unit, wherein the server unit is configured to compile the dynamic program schedule data for each of the user codes to generate the program schedules.

2. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the user operates the server unit to select content data from at least one of the program schedules through the server.

3. The architecture of claim 2, wherein the content source unit is coupled to a network comprising a plurality of network ports, wherein selected content data is transmitted to the user through at least one of the plurality of network ports.

4. The architecture of claim 3, wherein the at least one of the plurality of network ports is identified by providing the server unit with a logical address.

5. The architecture of claim 4, wherein the user accesses the at least one program schedule by providing the server with a unique user identification number through the network.

6. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the content source unit broadcasts the content data to a user location.

7. The architecture of claim 6, wherein the user identifies the user location by providing the server unit with a logical address.

8. The architecture of claim 7, wherein the logical address corresponds to a receiving device at the user location.

9. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the content source unit and the server unit are coupled through a content network, the content network comprising a plurality of network ports for transmitting content data, wherein the user is capable of selecting at least one of the plurality of network ports for receiving the content data selected from the at least on of the program schedules.

10. The architecture of claim 9, wherein the content network is a private pay-for-use network.

11. The architecture of claims 10, wherein the server unit is further coupled to the internet and wherein the content data is selected from the at least one of the program schedules through the internet.

12. The architecture of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the program schedules is accessed by providing the server unit with a unique user identification number.

13. The architecture of claim 9, wherein the user selects the at least one of the network ports by providing a logical address corresponding to a receiving device.

14. The architecture of claim 9, wherein the content network comprises the internet.

15. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the user codes comprise user preferences.

16. The architecture of claim 15, wherein the content source unit comprises a plurality of content providers and wherein the preferences comprise selected providers from the plurality of content providers.

17. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the program schedules are automatically updated.

18. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the user codes are automatically updated based on selected content data.

19. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the content source unit is configured to transmit digital video content data selected by the user from the at least one of the program schedules.

20. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the content source unit is configured to transmit broadcast content data selected by the user from the at least one of the program schedules.

21. A system for providing a customized program schedule to a remote user location, the system comprising a networked server configured for surveying available programs from content providers and further for automatically generating the customized program schedule based on user criteria, wherein the system is configured to allow the user to select program transmissions from the customized program schedule.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the program transmissions are initiated by a log on procedure, wherein the remote user provides the server with a unique user identification number.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the user criteria comprises the user'"'"'s availability at the remote user location and content data previous program transmissions to the remote user location.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the customized program schedule is periodically updated.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the customized program schedule is periodically updated based on the programs transmissions.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the server surveys available programs from the content providers via the internet.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the program transmissions comprise digital video content data to the user location.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the program transmissions comprise broadcast content data to the remote user location.

23. The system 22, wherein the program transmissions are initiated by further providing a logical address at the remote user location.

30. A system for generating a program schedule comprising:

a. means for identifying a user criteria;

b. means for generating a program schedule based on the user criteria;

c. means for communicating the program schedule to a user location; and

d. means for allowing the user to select programs from the program schedule at the user location.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the means for generating the user criteria includes a survey of a user'"'"'s preferences including subjects of interest in the categories of sports and entertainment.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the means for generating the user criteria includes a history of programs previously received at the user location.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the means for generating the program schedule based on the user criteria comprises a server, wherein the server stores the program schedule.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for communicating the program schedule to the user location comprises a network.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for selecting programs from the program schedule comprises a graphical user interface operated from the server.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein communicating the available content data to the remote client location comprising providing the server with a user identification and a logical address corresponding to the remote client location.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the logical address corresponds to a receiving device at the remote location.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the logical address corresponds to a network node at the remote location.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein communicating the available content data comprises transmitting digital video data over a network.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the network comprises the internet.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the available content data is transmitted to a personal computer at the remote location.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the available content data is automatically transmitted to the personal computer.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising storing the available content data on the personal computer.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the cataloged content data is automatically transmitted to the identified user location.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the cataloged content data comprises digital video data.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the cataloged content data is transmitted to the remote user location via the internet.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein the remote server maintains the catalogue of content data by surveying available content data from a plurality of content providers.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the available content data is transmitted to the identified user location from at least one of the plurality of content providers.

36. A method of scheduling content data comprising:

a. storing client preferences for a client at a server location;

b. cataloging available content data from selected content providers based on the client preferences; and

c. transmitting the available content data to a remote client location.

45. A method of scheduling content data:

a. providing a list of preferences to a remote server, wherein the remote server maintains a catalogue of content data based on the list of preferences;

b. identifying a user location; and

c. transmitting cataloged content data to the user location.

51. A system for providing content data comprising:

a. a network coupled to at least one content provider;

b. a remote server coupled to the network and comprising;

i. a memory device for storing a plurality user identification codes wherein each user identification code corresponds to a list of user preferences; and

ii. a program for generating content data schedules for each of the plurality of user identification codes based on each corresponding list of user preferences wherein a user can access one of the content data schedules by providing the at least one of the user identification code and wherein the user can selected programs corresponding to one of the content data schedules to be transmitted to a remote location; and

c. a device for receiving the selected programs at a remote location.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the device for receiving the selected programs comprises:

a. a computer comprising a video card; and

b. a viewing device couple to the computer.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the video card provides for television tuner logic and wherein the viewing device is a television.