Method and system for managing audio-visual contents for the distribution thereof in the on-demand mode

• US 20040199601A1
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anstalt Oikos
• Original Assignee: Anstalt Oikos
• Inventors: Contarino, Rosario D.
• Application Number:
  US10/467,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199601A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440227 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

It is described a method for managing audio-visual contents characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

realizing a peer-to-peer network of a plurality of router devices suitable for connection to external data networks and comprising audio-visual content storage means;

providing a plurality of player devices connected to corresponding router devices, as well as to a display device of said final user;

providing at least one shared section of said audio-visual content storage means;

sharing said shared sections of said audio-visual content storage means of said router devices; and

distributing audio-visual contents on said storage means of said plurality of router devices.

It is also described a managing system comprising at least a first router device (11) connected to a digital network (13) for transmitting audio-visual contents as well as to a second player device (12) connected in turn to at least one device (15) for displaying audio-visual contents installed with a final user suitable to implement the managing method according to the invention.

Claims

1. Method for managing audio-visual contents characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

realizing a peer-to-peer network of a plurality of router devices suitable for connection to external data networks and comprising audio-visual content storage means;

providing a plurality of player devices connected to corresponding router devices, as well as to a display device of said final user;

providing at least one shared section of said audio-visual content storage means;

sharing said shared sections of said audio-visual content storage means of said router devices; and

distributing audio-visual contents on said storage means of said plurality of router devices.

2. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of:

selecting an audio-visual content by a final user;

collecting said selected audio-visual content from said plurality of storage means through said peer-to-peer network; and

storing said selected audio-visual content in at least one local section of said audio-visual content storage means of said final user router device.

3. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises, upon receipt of a selection of an audio-visual content by said final user, a step of verifying if said selected audio-visual content is resident in said local section of said audio-visual content storage means of said final user router device.

4. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises, in case said verifying step has a positive result, a step of displaying said selected audio-visual content through said player device on said final user display device.

5. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises a step of updating said audio-visual contents comprised in said router devices of said peer-to-peer network of users who subscribed to the service.

6. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 5, characterized in that said step of updating audio-visual contents occurs with a time schedule depending on the speed of said external data networks.

8. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 5, characterized in that said step of updating audio-visual contents is managed on the basis of the actual distribution of said audio-visual contents in said external data networks and in said plurality of router devices installed with other final users.

9. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 5, characterized in that said step of updating audio-visual contents is adjusted in order to foresee the demands of said final user, taking into consideration the previous demands and the preferences of said user.

10. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 1, characterized in that said step of collecting said audio-visual content selected from said plurality of storage means through said peer-to-peer network provides that the transfer processes of said audio-visual contents existing in shared memories of several router devices to the local sections of one or more router devices being different from said previous devices drawing said audio-visual contents are split, simultaneously from as many router devices as possible which contain them and which can be reached at a particular time.

11. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a step of accessing to said audio-visual contents by said final user according to at least a first and a second access mode.

12. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 11, characterized in that said first access mode provides a surfing in a menu to make precise researches on said available audio-visual contents according to different keys.

13. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 11, characterized in that said second access mode provides a definition of personalized TV programs, to be sent in sequence to said final user.

14. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a step of loading by said final user of audio-visual contents in shared sections distributed in all the routers of said peer-to-peer network and of distribution of said audio-visual content by said router device on the basis of indications provided by said final user who possesses said audio-visual content.

7. Method for managing audio-visual contents according to claim S, characterized in that said step of updating audio-visual contents is managed on the basis of parameters set by said final user and/or by suppliers of said audio-visual contents.

15. System for managing audio-visual contents characterized in that it comprises at least a first router device (11) connected to a digital network (13) for transmitting audio-visual content as well as to a second player device (12) connected in turn to at least a device (15) for displaying audio-visual contents installed with a final user, said system comprising means for storing audio-visual contents shared in said first router devices (11) of a plurality of final users who subscribed to the service, interconnected through a peer-to-peer network.

16. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 15, characterized in that said first router device (11) and said second player device (12) are interconnected through a wireless network (14).

17. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 15, characterized in that said first router device (11) comprises a central processing unit (16) connected to a central memory (17) and to a mass memory (18), as well as, through an input section (19), to said at least one external data network (13) and, through an output section (20), to said second player device (12).

18. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 17, characterized in that said output section (20) realizes a wireless connection to said second player device (12).

19. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 16, characterized in that said mass memory (18) supplies a storage support being wide enough to store audio-visual contents requested by said final user.

20. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 16, characterized in that said mass memory (18) comprises at least a section (18B) which is shared with other router devices which can be reached through the peer-to-peer network.

21. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 20, characterized in that said mass memory (18) also comprises at least a local section (18A), used exclusively by said first router device (11) and by said at least one player device (12) connected thereto to keep some particular audio-visual contents promptly available for viewing.

22. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 15, characterized in that said second player device (12) comprises a central processing unit (21) connected to a central memory (22), as well as, through a video output section (24), to said device (15) for displaying audio-visual contents installed with said final user.

23. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 22, characterized in that said second player device (12) also comprises an interface (23) suitable to connect to said first router device (11) .

24. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 22, characterized in that said second player device (12) also comprises at least one digital input gate (26) and one analogue input gate (27) suitable to-draw respective input signals (OUT_V, OUT_A).

25. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 22, characterized in that said second player device (12) also comprises a control gate (25) suitable to connect to a remote control or to a wireless keyboard.

26. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 23, characterized in that said interface (23) provides for a wireless connection to said first router device (11).

27. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 15, characterized in that- said second player device (12) is equipped with a device for accessing options for the display of audio-visual contents by said final user.

28. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 25, characterized in that said control gate (25) comprises means for implementing an infrared connection to said remote control or wireless keyboard.

29. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 15, characterized in that said at least one external data network (13) is selected among broadband terrestrial networks, telephone-connected terrestrial networks, satellite networks and wireless networks.

30. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 20, characterized in that said peer-to-peer network provides for a split of the transfer processes of said audio-visual contents existing in said shared sections (18B) of several router devices to said local section (18A) of one or more router devices being different from the previous routers drawing said audio-visual contents simultaneously from as many router devices as possible which contain them and which can be reached at a particular time through the peer-to-peer network.

31. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 20, characterized in that it provides an update of audio-visual contents kept in said local sections (18A) and in said shared sections (18B) of router devices connected to said peer-to-peer network.

32. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 31, characterized in that said update is performed on the basis of said final user wishes or information provided by the suppliers of said audio-visual contents.

33. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 31, characterized in that said update is performed on the basis of the actual distribution of said audio-visual contents in said at least one external data network (13) and in said router devices installed with other final users.

34. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 31, characterized in that said update is adjusted in order to foresee said final user requests, taking into consideration the previous requests and said preferences.

35. System for managing audio-visual contents according to claim 15, characterized in that said first router device (11) manages centralized remote services suitable to support some specific functions available to said final users.