Service and method for providing a single point of access for multiple providers' video and audio content

• US 20050246739A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert S. Davidson
• Inventors: Davidson, Robert Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• 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 21/47 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method that uses a computer network to provide a single point of access between a plurality of video & audio devices and a plurality of video & audio content provider systems. The present invention is a method for providing a searchable, aggregated directory view of available video & audio content from multiple content providers as well as additional services such as content renting. The present invention includes a method for identifying users as subscribers of content providers'"'"' memberships.

Claims

1. A method of exposing a single directory of content from a plurality of content providers, comprising:

receiving a request for content from a player device;

receiving a list of available content from each of said plurality of content providers;

storing each said list of available content into a repository of available content; and

returning said single directory of content to said player device in response to said request.

2. The method of claim 1, said receiving said request further comprising:

ascertaining predetermined search parameters within said request; and

ascertaining predetermined filter criteria within said request.

3. The method of claim 2, said searching said repository further comprising:

matching said predetermined search parameters and said predetermined filter criteria against said repository of available content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising aggregating said repository of available content in accordance with said request into said single directory of content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving said list of available content is preformed in response to receipt of said request from said player device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said list of available content is received based on a second request to each of said plurality of content providers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving said list of available content is preformed periodically.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said list of available content is received based on a second request to each of said plurality of content providers.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising exposing additional content details from a specific content provider.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a request for said additional content details from a player device;

receiving said additional content details from said specific content provider;

returning said additional content details to said player device in response to said request.

11. The method of claim 9, said receiving said request further comprising:

ascertaining predetermined content provider identifier within said request; and

ascertaining predetermined content identifier within said request.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said receiving said additional content details is preformed in response to receipt of said request from said player device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said additional content details is received based on a second request to said specific content provider.

14. A method for relaying a request to access content from a specific content provider in a system that exposes a single directory of content from a plurality of content providers, said method comprising:

receiving a first request to access said content from a player device;

sending a second request to access said content to said specific content provider;

receiving a first response to access said content from said specific content provider;

sending a second response to access said content to said player device.

15. The method of claim 14, said receiving said first request further comprising:

ascertaining predetermined content provider identifier within said first request; and

ascertaining predetermined content identifier within said first request; and

ascertaining predetermined content format within said first request; and

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

ascertaining predetermined membership credentials for said content provider within said first request.

17. The method of claim 15, said sending said second request further comprising:

determining said content provider from said content provider identifier within said first request; and

populating said content identifier from said first request to content identifier in said second request; and

populating said content format from said first request to content format in said second request.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

populating said membership credentials from said first request to membership credentials in said second request.

19. The method of claim 14, said receiving send first response further comprising:

receiving data specific to accessing said content within said first response.

20. The method of claim 19, said sending said second response further comprising:

populating said second response with data specific to accessing said content from said first response.

21. The method of claim 14, where in said sending said second request to content provider is based on said first request received from said player device.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said first response received from said content provider is based on a second request to said content provider.

23. The method of claim 14, where in said second response sent to said player device is based upon said first response received from said content provider.

24. A method of providing a user interface for a player device displaying a single directory of content from a plurality of content providers, said method comprising

providing an option to display available content;

and

providing an option to search available content.

25. The method from claim 24, further comprising:

providing a user interface enabling access to said content for processing on said player device.

26. The method from claim 24, further comprising:

providing a user interface displaying additional details of said content from a specific said content provider.

27. A method of providing single directory of content from a plurality of content providers, comprising:

communicating to a processing device a message from a player device, the message identifying a device application programming interface (API) call containing, said device API instructing said processing device to perform a set of predetermined tasks and return results of said predetermined tasks; and

communicating to said plurality of content providers a provider API that instructs each of said plurality of content providers to return information related to available content satisfying predetermined criteria contained in said device API.

28. A method of providing additional content details from a specific content provider, comprising:

communicating to a processing device a message from a player device, the message identifying a device application programming interface (API) call containing, said device API instructing said processing device to perform a set of predetermined tasks and return results of said predetermined tasks; and

communicating to said plurality of content providers a provider API that instructs each of said plurality of content providers to return information related to available content satisfying predetermined criteria contained in said device API.

29. A method to facilitate a request to access content from a specific content provider, comprising:

communicating to a processing device a message from a player device, the message identifying a device application programming interface (API) call containing, said device API instructing said processing device to perform a set of predetermined tasks and return results of said predetermined tasks; and

communicating to said plurality of content providers a provider API that instructs each of said plurality of content providers to return information related to available content satisfying predetermined criteria contained in said device API.