SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTIMEDIA ON DEMAND SERVICES

• US 20040261112A1
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zimler, Randy Scott, Hicks, John Alson III
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/89
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/4331 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for multimedia-on-demand services. In an embodiment, a multimedia-on-demand system includes a mass storage device that receives and stores a multimedia content item. A processor and a memory are coupled to the mass storage device. The memory can store a multimedia-on-demand data table and multimedia-on-demand instructions. The multimedia-on-demand data table can include a multimedia content identifier field adapted to store a multimedia content identifier, where the multimedia content identifier corresponds to a multimedia content item stored on the mass storage device. The multimedia-on-demand data table can also include a multimedia content usage indicator field adapted to store a multimedia content usage indicator, where the multimedia content usage indicator is associated with the multimedia content item stored on the mass storage device. The multimedia-on-demand instructions can be executed by the processor and can include instructions to automatically receive the multimedia content item. The multimedia-on-demand instructions can also send a multimedia-on-demand usage message, where the multimedia-on-demand usage message is based at least in part on the multimedia content usage indicator.

Claims

1. A system for multimedia on demand, the system comprising:

a mass storage device, the mass storage device adapted to receive and store a multimedia content item;

a processor, the processor coupled to the mass storage device; and

a memory, the memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a multimedia-on-demand data table and multimedia-on-demand instructions, the multimedia-on-demand data table including

a multimedia content identifier field to store a multimedia content identifier, the multimedia content identifier to correspond to a multimedia content item stored on the mass storage device, and

a multimedia content usage indicator field to store a multimedia content usage indicator, the multimedia content usage indicator associated with the multimedia content item stored on the mass storage device,

the multimedia-on-demand instructions to be executed by the processor, the multimedia-on-demand instructions including instructions to

automatically receive the multimedia content item, and

send a multimedia-on-demand usage message, the multimedia-on-demand usage message based at least in part on the multimedia content usage indicator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia-on-demand instructions include instructions to

receive the multimedia content item at a transmission rate that is less than a real time transmission rate;

and

write the multimedia content item to the mass storage device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to receive the multimedia content at a transmission rate that is less than a real time transmission rate includes instructions to automatically receive the multimedia content at a transmission rate that is less than a real time transmission rate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content usage indicator is based at least in part on whether the multimedia content item associated with the multimedia content usage indicator was read from the mass storage device and sent to an information appliance for playback of multimedia content item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content usage indicator is adapted to indicate whether the multimedia content item was at least in part sent to an information appliance for playback.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content usage indicator is based at least in part on whether the multimedia content item associated with the multimedia content usage indicator was read from the mass storage device and sent to an information appliance for non-volatile recording of the multimedia content item.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content usage indicator is adapted to indicate whether the multimedia content item was at least in part sent to an information appliance for recording to a non-volatile data storage medium.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia-on-demand usage message includes data corresponding to the multimedia content identifier and the multimedia content usage indicator.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia-on-demand usage message includes the multimedia content identifier and the multimedia content usage indicator.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia-on-demand usage message includes playback cost data associated with the multimedia content usage indicator.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia-on-demand usage message includes purchase cost data associated with the multimedia content usage indicator.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data switch coupled to the mass storage device.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of broadband communication links coupled to the data switch.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of information appliances, each information appliance of the plurality of information appliances coupled to a broadband communication link.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia content item is selected from the group consisting of a movie, a television program, a song, an album, an electronic book.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input/output port coupled to the mass storage device to communicate with a multimedia recording device.

17. A system for multimedia on demand, the system comprising:

a mass storage device, the mass storage device adapted to receive and store a plurality of multimedia content items;

a processor, the processor coupled to the mass storage device; and

a memory, the memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a multimedia-on-demand data table and multimedia-on-demand instructions,

the multimedia-on-demand data table including a plurality of multimedia content usage records, each multimedia content usage record adapted to include a multimedia content usage indicator field to store a multimedia content usage indicator, the multimedia content usage indicator associated with a multimedia content item stored on the mass storage device, and

the multimedia-on-demand instructions to be executed the processor, the multimedia-on-demand instructions including instructions to

automatically receive the plurality of multimedia content items, and

send a multimedia-on-demand usage message, the multimedia-on-demand usage message to be based at least in part on the multimedia-on-demand data table.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each multimedia content usage record is adapted to include a multimedia content identifier field to store a multimedia content identifier, the multimedia content identifier to correspond to a multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items stored on the mass storage device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein a multimedia content usage indicator is selected from the group consisting of a content played indicator, a content purchased indicator, and a content unused indicator.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia content usage message is to be sent to a multimedia-on-demand service provider.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia-on-demand instructions include instructions to receive a multimedia content item at a transmission rate that is less than a real time transmission rate.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia-on-demand instructions include instructions to receive a multimedia content item at a transmission rate that is different from a playback rate of the multimedia content item.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia-on-demand instructions include instructions to:

receive a portion of a multimedia content item, the portion of the multimedia content item being less than the entirety of the multimedia content item, the portion of the multimedia content item being received at a transmission rate, the transmission rate being different from the playback rate; and

make a determination that continuous playback of the entirety of the multimedia content item can begin prior to receipt of the entirety of the multimedia content item.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the determination is based at least in part on the transmission rate and the playback rate.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the multimedia-on-demand instructions include instructions to receive the plurality of multimedia content items from a multimedia-on-demand service provider, the multimedia-on-demand service provider selected from the group consisting of a direct broadcast satellite television service provider, a cable television service provider, a terrestrial broadcast television service provider, a wireless broadband data service provider, and a wired broadband data service provider.

26. A method for providing multimedia-on-demand, the method comprising:

automatically receiving a first multimedia content item;

storing the first multimedia content item;

modifying a data table to include a first multimedia content item identifier, the first multimedia content item identifier corresponding to the first multimedia content item; and

sending a multimedia usage report, the multimedia usage report based at least in part on the data table.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a multimedia content item usage instruction related to the first multimedia content item;

directing usage of the first multimedia content item based at least in part on the multimedia content item usage instruction; and

updating the data table based at least in part on the multimedia content item usage instruction.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the multimedia content item usage instruction is selected from the group consisting of an instruction to playback the multimedia content item as part of a multimedia content item viewing transaction, an instruction to export the multimedia content item as part of a multimedia content item purchase transaction, an instruction to store the multimedia content item as part of a multimedia content item deferred viewing transaction, and an instruction to allow use of the multimedia content item as part of a multimedia content item licensing transaction.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein updating the data table based at least in part on the multimedia content item usage instruction includes storing a first multimedia content item usage indicator, the first multimedia content item usage indicator associated with the first multimedia content identifier.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the multimedia usage report is based at least in part on the first multimedia content item usage indicator.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first multimedia content item usage indicator is selected from the group consisting of a content played indicator, a content purchased indicator, and a content licensed indicator.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

automatically receiving a second multimedia content item, the second multimedia content item to replace the first multimedia content item;

storing the second multimedia content item; and

updating the data table to include a second multimedia content item identifier, the second multimedia content item identifier corresponding to the second multimedia content item.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein storing the second multimedia content item includes deleting the first multimedia content item.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein updating the data table to include a second multimedia content item identifier includes deleting the first multimedia content identifier.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein automatically receiving a first multimedia content item includes receiving the first multimedia content item at a transmission rate that is different from a playback rate of the first multimedia content item.

36. A method for providing multimedia-on-demand, the method comprising:

automatically receiving a portion of a multimedia content item at a transmission rate, the portion of the multimedia content item being less than the entirety of the multimedia content item, the transmission rate being less than the playback rate of the multimedia content item;

storing the portion of the multimedia content item; and

making a determination that continuous playback of the entirety of the multimedia content item can begin prior to the receipt of the entirety of the multimedia content item.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

modifying a data table to include a multimedia content item identifier, the multimedia content item identifier corresponding to the multimedia content item; and

sending a multimedia usage report, the multimedia usage report based at least in part on the data table.

38. A method for providing multimedia-on-demand, the method comprising:

automatically sending a plurality of multimedia content items and a plurality of multimedia content item storage identifiers, wherein the automatically sending is based at least in part on a subscriber profile, each multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items corresponding to a multimedia content item storage identifier of the plurality of multimedia content item storage identifiers; and

receiving a multimedia content usage report, the multimedia content usage report including a multimedia content item usage indicator, the multimedia content item usage indicator corresponding to a multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein each multimedia content item storage identifier includes a multimedia content item identifier and a multimedia content item storage position identifier.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein automatically sending a plurality of multimedia content items and a plurality of multimedia content item storage identifiers includes:

sending a first multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items, the first multimedia content item having a first multimedia content item identifier and a first multimedia content item storage position, and

subsequently sending a second multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items, the second multimedia content item having a second multimedia content identifier and the first multimedia content item storage position.

41. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions to be executed by a processor for multimedia on demand services, the plurality of instructions comprising instructions to:

automatically send, based at least in part on a subscriber profile, a plurality of multimedia content items and a plurality of multimedia content item storage identifiers, each multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items to correspond to a multimedia content item storage identifier of the plurality of multimedia content item storage identifiers; and

receive a multimedia content usage report, the multimedia content usage report adapted to include a multimedia content item usage indicator, the multimedia content item usage indicator adapted to correspond to a multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein

each multimedia content item storage identifier includes a multimedia content item identifier and a multimedia content item storage position identifier;

and

the instructions to automatically send a plurality of multimedia content items and a plurality of multimedia content item storage identifiers includes instructions to;

send a first multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items, the first multimedia content item having a first multimedia content item identifier and a first multimedia content item storage position, and

subsequently send a second multimedia content item of the plurality of multimedia content items, the second multimedia content item having a second multimedia content identifier and the first multimedia content item storage position.