Distributed video on demand system

• US 20030023504A1
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tritrust Com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tritrust Com Incorporated
• Inventors: Young, Jason, Berenson, Richard W., Sklar, David, Morton, Adam
• Application Number:
  US10/056,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023504A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system and method for recording purchased programming by a recording device which communicates instructions back and forth with an order processor. The order processor communicates with the user recording device as well as with a program source device to automatically ensure recording of purchased programming by a user pursuant to a user'"'"'s order. The program delivery may occur at a time different from when the user views the program. The system may verify that the user recording device is capable of recording the program and may reschedule the delivery of the purchased program if the user device is unable to record the program.

Claims

1. A system for recording purchased programming, the system comprising:

a device by which a user places an order for purchased programming; and

a recording device controller connected through at least one communication medium to a recording device, the recording device controller verifying that the recording device is programmed to record the purchased programming and the recording device controller canceling the order if it is not verified that the recording device is programmed to record the programming.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the recording device is a digital video recorder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one communication medium is a different medium than a transmit medium used to deliver the purchased programming.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device which sends the order to a distributor of the purchased programming.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the recording device controller sends the order to a distributor of purchased programming.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the recording device controller instructs the recording device to record the purchased programming.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the recording device controller notifies the user of a status of the order.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the recording device cannot transfer the purchased programming to any other device.

9. A system for the delivery of programming, the system comprising:

an order processor;

a program source device; and

a user recording device;

the order processor executing instructions to;

receive from a user and process an order for a program,

communicate commands with the user recording device,

communicate commands with the program server, and

store user data;

the program source device executing instructions to;

communicate commands with the order processor,

send a program to the user recording device, and

authorize the receiving of the program by the user recording device; and

the user recording device executing instructions to;

communicate commands with the order processor,

receive the program from the program service device, and

record the program.

10. The system of claim 9, the user recording device further executing instructions to confirm its ability to receive and/or record the program.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a stream assembly device;

the stream assembly device executing instructions to;

select programs for a programming stream based on predetermined criteria,

create the programming stream,

create a programming schedule for the programming stream,

encrypt the programming stream,

transmit the encrypted programming stream, and

transmit the programming schedule.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

the user recording device further executing instructions to;

receive the encrypted programming stream;

receive the programming schedule; and

decrypt the encrypted programming stream.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

the user recording device further executing instructions to;

receive the encrypted programming stream;

receive the programming schedule; and

decrypt a portion of the programming stream containing the program included in the order.

14. A system for the delivery of programming, the system comprising:

an order processor; and

a program source device;

the order processor executing instructions to;

receive from a user and process an order for a program,

communicate commands with a user recording device,

communicate commands with the program server,

store user data, and

instruct the user recording device to record the program;

the program source device executing instructions to;

communicate commands with the order processor,

send a program to the user recording device, and

authorize the receiving of the program by the user recording device.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a stream assembly device;

the stream assembly device executing instructions to;

select programs for a programming stream based on predetermined criteria,

create the programming stream,

create a programming schedule for the programming stream,

encrypt the programming stream,

transmit the encrypted programming stream,

transmit the programming schedule.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

the user recording device further executing instructions to;

receive an encrypted programming stream;

decrypt a portion of the encrypted programming stream; and

record at least part of the decrypted portion of the program stream pursuant to a command from the program controller.

16. A system for the delivery of programming, the system comprising:

a user recording device executing instructions to;

communicate commands a program controller,

receive a program from a program service device, and

record the program pursuant to a command from the program controller.

18. The system of claims 16 or 17, wherein the program is received from the program service device along the same medium as the commands are communicated with the program controller.

19. A method for producing an encrypted programming stream, the method comprising:

receiving program orders;

selecting programs based on the program orders;

assembling the selected programs into a sequential stream of programming; and

encrypting the sequential stream.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising publishing a schedule of the programs contained in the sequential stream.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the publishing is electronic.

22. The method of claims 19 or 21, wherein the publishing is over the Internet.

23. A system for recording purchased programming, the system comprising:

a recording device that performs actions comprising;

receiving purchased programming,

recording purchased programming, and

communicating instructions with a programming delivery mechanism; and

the programming delivery mechanism that performs actions comprising;

receiving at least one order for purchased programming,

sending purchased programming,

communicating instructions with the recording device, and

instructing the recording device to record the purchased programming.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the actions performed by the programming delivery mechanism further comprise encoding the purchased programming.

25. The system of claim 23 or 24, wherein the actions performed by the recording device further comprise decoding the purchased programming.

26. The system of claim 23 or 24, further comprising:

a decoding device that performs actions comprising;

decoding the purchased programming; and

sending the decoded purchased programming to the recording device.

27. A system for recording purchased programming, the system comprising:

a programming delivery mechanism that performs actions comprising;

receiving an order for purchased programming;

communicating instructions with a recording device;

instructing the recording device to record the purchased programming; and

verifying that the recording device is programmed to record the purchased programming.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the actions performed by the programming delivery mechanism further comprise:

if the recording device is not programmed to record the purchased programming perform one or more of the following functions;

cancel the order;

send a notification that the order was cancelled;

reschedule the order; and

instruct the recording device to record the purchased programming according to the rescheduled order.

29. The system of claim 27 or 28, wherein the actions performed by the programming delivery mechanism further comprise sending the purchased programming to the recording device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the actions performed by the programming delivery mechanism further comprise encoding the purchased programming.

31. A system for recording purchased programming, the system comprising:

a recording device that performs actions comprising;

receiving purchased programming;

recording the purchased programming;

communicating instructions with a programming delivery mechanism; and

verifying to the programming delivery mechanism that the recording device is programmed to record a particular purchased program.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the actions performed by the recording device further comprise displaying the particular purchased program.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the actions performed by the recording device further comprise decoding the purchased programming.

34. The system of claims 31, 32 or 33, wherein the actions performed by the recording device further comprise encoding the particular purchased program.

35. A method for recording purchased programming, the method comprising:

placing an order for purchased programming;

verifying that a recording device is programmed to record the purchased programming; and

if it is not verified that the recording device is programmed to record the programming either;

canceling the order,

attempting to reschedule the order, or

notifying the entity which placed the order.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the recording device is a digital video recorder.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the order is placed over the Internet.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising sending the order to a distributor of the purchased programming.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising instructing the recording device to record the purchased programming.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the verifying includes determining that the recording device cannot transfer the program to any other device.