Method and apparatus for providing content-owner control in a networked device

• US 20030028892A1
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sonic Solutions (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Collart, Todd, Gewickey, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 7,392,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

An apparatus and methods for providing content-owner control in a device is optionally networked. A method for accessing media content has steps of initiating a first view providing access to at least a portion of a first content within the first view, initiating a second view providing access to a second content within the second view and preventing the second content from being accessed with the first content in the first view. Additionally, access to a third content with the first content is allowed in the first view. An apparatus includes a first view configured to provide access to a first content, a second view configured to provide access to a second content, and a graphical subsystem configured to prevent the second content from being access in the first view. In one variation, the first view is a media content view, and the second view is a web view.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to media content, comprising the steps of:

initiating a first view;

providing access to at least a portion of a first content within the first view;

initiating a second view;

providing access to a second content within the second view; and

preventing the second content from being accessed with the first content in the first view.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step 2 of:

allowing access of a third content with the first content in the first view.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of:

verifying the third content prior to allowing access to the third content in the first view.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing access to a third content in the first view

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of providing access to the third content includes providing access when the third content is authorized.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of:

authenticating the first content prior to providing access to the third content.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of:

maintaining a first history of the first view;

generating a bookmark for the first content prior to the step of providing access to the third content; and

associating the bookmark with the first history.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

notifying that the third content is available; and

switching to the third content once a request to access the third content is received.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating a notification that a third content is available to be accessed in the first view.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a first history of the first view; and

providing navigation through the first view according to the first history.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a second history of the second view separate from the-first history; and

providing navigation through the second view according to the second history.

12. An apparatus for providing access to content, comprising:

a first view configured to provide access to a first content;

a second view configured to provide access to a second content; and

a graphical subsystem configured to prevent the second content from being access in the first view.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the graphical subsystem being further configured to compile a first history stack associated with the first view and a second history stack associated with the second view.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a first home site associated with the first view; and

a second home site associated with the second view.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the first view is a media content view and the first content is media content; and

the second view is a web view and the second content is Internet content.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first view being configured to provide access to a third content, where the third content is authorized to be associated with the first content.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a display, wherein the first view and second view are shown on the display.

18. A method for providing access to content, comprising the steps of:

receiving a key generated from information extracted from a first content;

identifying the first content based on the key;

receiving additional information regard the first content;

authenticating the first content based on the key and the additional information; and

allowing access to a second content.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of identifying the first content includes matching the key with an entry in a database.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the additional information includes an identifier.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the steps of preventing access to the second content if the first content is not authenticated.

22. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

accessing the first content;

extracting the information from the first content;

generating the key based on the extracted information;

collecting the additional information regarding the first content;

forwarding the key to be identified;

forwarding the additional information; and

accessing the second content when an authentication is received.

23. A method for controlling access to content, comprising the steps of:

collecting content state information;

receiving an input for control over the access to content, where the input defines more than one control operation;

determining a first control operation to implement the input based on the content state information;

implementing the first control operation when the content is in a first state;

determining a second control operation to implement when the content is in a second state; and

implementing the second control operation when the content is in the second state.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first state exists when the content is in play mode, and the second state exists when the content is embedded within additional content.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the first control operation is a selection of a selectable control option within the content, and the second control operation is selecting a selectable control option that is not within the context.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

the second control operation is selecting the content that is embedded within additional content; and

displaying the content in full screen.

27. A method for controlling access to content, comprising the steps of:

receiving an input for control over the access to content, where the input defines more than one control operation;

determining which of a plurality of views is currently active;

determining a first control operation to implement the input based on the active view;

implementing the first control operation when a first view is active;

determining a second control operation to implement when a second view is active; and

implementing the second control operation when the second view is active.

28. A method for providing access to content, comprising the steps of:

providing access to a first content;

determining that a second content is associated with the first content;

notifying a user that the second content is available; and

transitioning to the second content if a first selection is received.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, further comprising the step of:

generating a notification event, wherein the step of notifying is initiated by the notification event.

30. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the step of notifying includes generating a graphical overlay and displaying the graphical overlay over at least a portion of a display of the first content.

31. The method as claimed in claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

generating a bookmark associated with the first content if the first selection is received; and

storing the bookmark prior to the step of transitioning.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second selection;

referencing the bookmark; and

transitioning back to the first content according to the bookmark.

33. The method as claimed in claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

identifying the first content; and

authenticating the first content, wherein the step of transitioning occurs if the first content is authenticated.

34. An apparatus for providing access to content, comprising:

an event generator is configured to generate a notification event;

a notification generator is coupled with the event generator to receive the notification event, wherein the notification generator is configured to generate a notification signal; and

a content player coupled with the notification generator to receive the notification signal, wherein the content player is configured to generate a notification.

35. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein the notification generator includes a graphical subsystem coupled with the event generator to receive the notification event, wherein the graphical subsystem is configured to generate the notification signal that is a notification graphical image.

36. The apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the content player includes a display coupled with the graphical subsystem to receive the notification graphical image, wherein the display is configured to display the notification graphical image.

37. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34, further comprising:

a state module configured to receive a control input, and to generate a control event trigger according to the control input; and

the event generator is coupled with the state module such that the event generator receives the control event trigger, wherein the event generator generates a control event to invoke the control associated with the control input.

38. The apparatus as claimed in claim 37, wherein:

the control input directs more than one control; and

the state module is further configured to determine a state of content, and to determine which of the more than one controls is to be invoked according to the state of the content.

39. A method of providing access to content, comprising the steps of:

providing access to a first content;

extracting information from the first content;

identifying the first content;

providing access to a second content authorized to be associated with the first content if the first content is identified; and

preventing access to the second content if the first content is not identified.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising the step of:

authenticating the first content;

the step of providing access to the second content includes providing access to the second content if the first content is authenticated; and

the step of preventing access includes preventing access to the second content if the first content is not authenticated.

41. The method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising the steps of:

performing the steps of providing access to the first content, extracting information, identifying, authenticating, providing access to the second content and preventing access to the second content in a first view;

shifting to a second view;

providing access to a third content in the second view; and

preventing access to the third content in the first view.

42. The method as claimed in claim 40, further comprising the steps of:

the step of shifting to the second view includes generating a bookmark associated with a state of the first view;

shifting back from the second view to the first view; and

establishing the first view according to the bookmark.

43. The method as claimed in claim 41, further comprising the steps of:

performing the steps of providing access to the first content, extracting information, identifying, authenticating, providing access to the second content and preventing access to the second content in a first view;

recording a history of transitions within the first view; and

controlling navigation within the first view according to the history.

44. The method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising the steps of:

determining if the second content is associated with the first content;

the step of providing access includes providing access if the second content is associated with the first content; and

the step of preventing access includes preventing access if the second content is associated with the first content