Gateway content storage system having database indexing, and method thereof

• US 20030068154A1
• Filed: 11/04/2002
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zylka, Edward
• Application Number:
  US10/286,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20030068154A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; 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 21/4622 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 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 : between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 : the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

The present invention includes a gateway, a content storage medium, and a database. The gateway receives multimedia content from a content provider or from at least one media device. The media device may be co-located with the gateway or remotely-located from the gateway. The gateway annotates the received multimedia content, using alphanumeric annotation or voice annotation, to create metadata. This metadata are information that describes the received multimedia content. The content storage medium stores the annotated multimedia content, and the database stores the metadata. The gateway is linked through a wired network or a wireless network to the media device, a television, the content storage medium, and/or the multimedia content provider.

Claims

1. A gateway system comprising:

a gateway, a content storage medium, and a database,

said gateway receiving multimedia content, said gateway annotating said received multimedia content to create metadata, said metadata being information that describes said received multimedia content,

said content storage medium storing said annotated multimedia content, and

said database storing said metadata.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one media device, said at least one media device transferring multimedia content to said gateway, each said at least one media device being a device capable of generating a digital bit stream or an analog signal.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least one media device is co-located with said gateway.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least one media device is remotely-located from said gateway.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said gateway is linked through a network, said network comprising a wired network or a wireless network to one of at least one media device, a television, said content storage medium, and a multimedia content provider.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said annotated multimedia content is annotated using alphanumeric annotation or voice annotation.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said gateway re-creates said metadata, said re-created metadata being stored within said database, said associated multimedia content stored within said content storage medium being associated with said re-created metadata.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said gateway transfers said annotated multimedia content onto said content storage medium and transfers said metadata onto said database.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said gateway receives multimedia content from a content provider.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said gateway receives multimedia content from at least one the media device.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said gateway accesses said database to process said stored metadata.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said gateway retrieves said stored multimedia content stored on said content storage medium.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said gateway replaces said stored multimedia content stored on said content storage medium.

25. The method of claim 11 wherein said gateway retrieves said stored multimedia content stored on said content storage medium.

26. The method of claim 11 wherein said gateway replaces said stored multimedia content stored on said content storage medium.

14. A gateway method comprising:

receiving multimedia content, a gateway receiving said multimedia content,

annotating said received multimedia content to create metadata, said gateway annotating said received multimedia content, said metadata being information that describes said received multimedia content,

storing said annotated multimedia content, said content storage medium storing said annotated multimedia content, and

storing said metadata, said database storing said metadata.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

transferring multimedia content to said gateway, at least one media device transferring multimedia content to said gateway, each said at least one media device being a device capable of generating a digital bit stream or an analog signal.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said at least one media device is co-located with said gateway.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said at least one media device is remotely-located from said gateway.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

linking said gateway through a network, said network comprising a wired network or a wireless network to one of at least one media device, a television, said content storage medium, and a multimedia content provider.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said annotated multimedia content is annotated using alphanumeric annotation or voice annotation.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

re-creating said metadata, said gateway performing said step of re-creating said metadata,

storing said re-created metadata stored within said database, and

associating said associated multimedia content stored within said content storage medium with said re-created metadata.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein said gateway transfers said annotated multimedia content onto said content storage medium and transfers said metadata onto said database.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein said gateway receives multimedia content from a content provider.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein said gateway receives multimedia content from at least one the media device.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein said gateway accesses said database to process said stored metadata.