Digital media system and method therefor

• US 20040133657A1
• Filed: 01/03/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BroadQ LLC
• Original Assignee: BroadQ LLC
• Inventors: Zuniga, R. Stacey, Lynn, Henry L., Walker, L. Wayne, Pitman, Stephen L., Butcher, James E., Smith, C. Eric
• Application Number:
  US10/336,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133657A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1031 Controlling of the operation of servers by a load balancer, e.g. adding or removing servers that serve requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2405 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the server, e.g. server load allocation of resources in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/50; performance measurement of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4143 : embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 : Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 : Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 : by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A digital media system comprises a computer having a local storage device operable to store a plurality of driver applications and being operable to access a remote storage device having stored digital media content via a global computer network, and a digital media player communicably coupled to the computer and operable to access the plurality of driver applications and further operable to receive user commands and access and decode the remote digital media content specified by the user for playing on one or more components of an entertainment system coupled thereto.

Claims

1. A digital media system, comprising:

a computer having a local storage device operable to store a plurality of driver applications and being operable to access a remote storage device having stored digital media content via a global computer network; and

a digital media player communicably coupled to the computer and operable to access the plurality of driver applications and further operable to receive user commands and access and decode the remote digital media content specified by the user for playing on one or more components of an entertainment system coupled thereto.

2. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the digital media player is communicably coupled to the computer via a communication link selected from the group consisting of a global computer network, a local area network, and a wireless network.

3. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the digital media player further comprises a removable storage media player operable to read a removable storage media.

4. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the removable storage media player is also operable to write data to the removable storage media.

5. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the digital media player is operable to display a menu having a plurality of menu items on a television set coupled thereto, and further operable to receive user selections of menu items.

6. The system, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the menu items represent the digital media content.

7. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the digital media player comprises a game console selected from the group consisting of a PLAYSTATION game console, a GAMECUBE game console, and an XBOX game console.

8. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the digital media player has stored thereon computer software operable to perform authentication between the computer and the remote storage device.

9. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the remote storage device operates to encrypt the digital media content selected by a user and communicate the encrypted digital media content to the digital media player where it is decrypted prior to be decoded and played on one or more components of the entertainment system.

10. The system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the remote storage device also operates to collect and process billing information prior to encrypting the digital media content.

21. The system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the digital media player comprises a game console selected from the group consisting of a PLAYSTATION game console, a GAMECUBE game console and an XBOX game console.

25. The method, as set forth in claim 21, wherein displaying a list of digital media content comprises displaying a list of digital images, video and audio content.

11. A digital media system, comprising:

a content provider having a collection of digital media content;

a computer system having a storage media having encoded thereon a plurality of driver applications; and

a digital media player communicably coupled to the computer system and the content provider via a global computer network and operable to receive user commands instructing the content provider to stream digital media content specified by the user to the digital media player for decoding using a driver application and playing on one or more components of an entertainment system coupled to the digital media player.

12. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the digital media player further comprises a removable storage media reader operable to read a removable storage media.

13. The system, as set forth in claim 12, wherein the removable storage media reader is also operable to write data to the removable storage media.

14. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the content provider operates to encrypt the digital media content selected by a user and communicate the encrypted digital media content to the digital media player where it is decrypted prior to be decoded and played on one or more components of the entertainment system.

15. The system, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the digital media player is also operable to store data encryption keys received from the content provider to be used to decrypt encrypted digital media content received from the content provider.

16. The system, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the content provider also operates to collect and process billing information prior to encrypting the digital media content.

17. The system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the digital media player is operable to display a menu having a plurality of menu items on a television set coupled thereto, and further operable to receive user selections of menu items.

18. The system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the menu items represent the digital media content.

19. The system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the menu items represent entertainment channels, each entertainment channel having a collection of digital media content.

20. The system, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the menu items represent entertainment channels, each entertainment channel having a sequential stream of digital media content.

22. A method, comprising:

displaying, on a television, a list of digital media content stored in a remote database;

receiving, at a digital media player coupled to the television, a digital media content selection from the list from a user;

streaming the digital media content selection stored in the database over a global computer network;

buffering the streaming digital media content selection as it is received at the digital media player; and

sending the buffered digital media content selection to the television for displaying to the user.

23. The method, as set forth in claim 22, further comprising:

retrieving media driver updates from a media server over the global computer network; and

decoding the streaming digital media content selection with one of the media driver updates.

24. The method, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

sending a unique identifier to a media server for verification;

sending data associated with the user to the media server;

receiving a public key having a private key associated therewith;

receiving software updates encrypted with the private key from the media driver; and

decrypting the received software updates with the public key.